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→Highlights of 2013
In the Spring of 2013, Hillsdale was blessed with the opening of the Margot V. Biermann Center. This facility provides indoor track and tennis with state of the art equipment. Kappa Chapter has many varsity track and tennis players who have benefited from the facility. Hillsdale College also kicked off a campaign titled, “The Rebirth of Liberty and Learning,” with an aim to raise $470 million over the next five years. The women of Kappa Chapter volunteered during two-day gala.
==Highlights of 2014==
2014 was an exciting year at the Kappa Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma at Hillsdale College. 2014 saw the women of Kappa Chapter grow closer in sisterhood, excel in academics, and continue to be women of great character as role models on campus.
In January of 2014 Kappa Chapter worked diligently during formal recruitment to welcome home 19 new sisters. Out of the 19 women who gave their name and interest to Kappa Chapter in the spring semester, there were 8 legacies 7 of whom were legacies from Kappa Chapter. With the addition of 19 new sisters the spring of 2014 saw Kappa Chapter at one of its largest membership totals in the past few years with 103 sisters! January also saw Kappa Chapter saying “see you later!” to five of its sisters who participated in the Washington-Hillsdale Internship Program. These five women spent their semesters working at various internships and studying in our nation’s capital. The President also hosted a retreat for Chapter Council where the officers discussed their duties, goals, and ideas for the year. The retreat was very successful in bonding the chapter officers and helping them in understanding what each office does and why all are important.
February 2014 filled the house of blue with lots of love. The first week of February treated the new members to a special surprise with big-little reveal. The following week the new members and our event chairman hosted the semi-annual date party. Spring 2014’s theme was “Kappa Kappa Pow” and everyone dressed as their favorite superhero. Following date party, the next morning our Vice-President of Standards hosted a Valentine's Day sisterhood. At the sisterhood the women of Kappa Chapter played charades, ate heart shaped pancakes, and decorated valentines for each other and to give to members of the local community. The Event Chairman also hosted “Kappa Bowl” where Kappa opens its doors to the students of Hillsdale to eat pizza and watch the Superbowl. Its a great time for everyone and a lot of fun!
March 2014 saw the initiation of the new member class of spring 2014. Inspiration week was a wonderful time at Kappa Chapter as it reinforced and strengthened the bonds of love and friendship between sisters. Following initiation, a brunch, hosted by our Public Relations Chairman, was held to celebrate our new members. For many new members families from near and far came to celebrate with the chapter. In March Kappa Chapter also hosted its spring philanthropy event, Kappa Kupcake Wars. A baking competition that is open to all of campus to compete in and judge. All proceeds from Kupcake Wars go towards one of the fall philanthropy events, Reading Is Key.
In April 2014 Kappa Chapter began to say a fond farewell to the senior class of 2014. In April the senior class participates in convocation, as the begin their last few weeks on campus. The house also celebrated senior week. Which is a special week dedicated to celebrating the senior class’ time in Kappa and all of the wonderful things they brought the the house. The Membership Chairman hosted a recruitment event called Kappa Kasino where members and potential-new members played faux-Texas hold ‘em. The Vice-President of Standards also hosted a spa themed sisterhood.
May 2014 ended the spring semester with finals and graduation. Sisters said goodbye for the summer and went on to do many exciting things over their summer vacations.
In June of 2014 seven members of Kappa Chapter had the unique experience to attend the national convention in Houston Texas. Of the seven members six were officers and one a member at large. The six officers in attendance were: President, Vice-President of Standards, Registrar, Public Relations Chairman, House Chairman, and Recording Secretary. In addition a member of Kappa Chapters advisory board and a member of Kappa Chapter’s house board were also present. At the general convention Kappa Chapter was awarded the Heritage Award. As Kappa Chapter takes its history very seriously it was a great honor to receive the award and recognition for all of the hard work done by the chapter. In addition to the Heritage Award, Kappa Chapter received 11 honorable mentions and awards for the chapters philanthropic efforts and donations to foundation. All of the women who attended convention found it to be very worthwhile and exciting. All of the officers in attendance returned to Kappa Chapter with new ideas for improvement and full of Kappa love. On June 9, 2014 Kappa Chapter celebrated it 133rd birthday!
Summer 2014 Some sisters traveled to France, Spain, and Germany for their respective language study abroad trips. Other sisters went to work for members of congress, think tanks, and leading news outlets in Washington D.C. Still others moved to the Big Apple to work in the fashion world. Every sister at Kappa Chapter had a unique and exciting summer be it at home with family and friends, traveling with a sports team, or landing a major internship.
In August 2014, saw the end of summer and the return of sisters to campus. There had been several major improvements made to the Kappa Chapter House over summer, including new upholstery in the sitting and living rooms.
In September 2014, the Membership Chairman hosted a recruitment event called “18(70) Holers” were members and potential new-members played mini-golf on the front lawn of the house and enjoyed an afternoon together. The hard work of the Membership Chairman paid off as Kappa Chapter welcomed 7 new sisters home during informal recruitment.
October 2014 was a big month for Kappa Chapter! We were fortunate enough to have a leadership consultant join us for the majority of the month's activities. The fall 2014 new member class along with the Event Chairman hosted the semi-annual date party. The theme for the fall date party was “Kappas Gone Wild”, everyone dressed as their favorite animal. Big-Little reveal also happened in October, it was a very special time in the house of blue. Homecoming week also fell in October! Kappa Chapter welcomed back many sisters from years past. Also a senior member of Kappa Chapter was selected as the 2014 homecoming queen. Fall convocation saw Kappa Chapter win the scholarship cup for having the highest average GPA of all the sororities on campus.
The chapter celebrated founders day by hosting an all house formal dinner. Members of Kappa Chapter wore paper keys in their hair, had a lovely dinner with Earl Grey tea and shortbread for dessert, and admired a Chapter archive display. It was a wonderful evening filled with presentations from our seniors about the fraternity founders as well as some fraternity and chapter history from the Registrar and Fraternity Education Chairman. In addition to celebrating founders day, Kappa Chapter took this opportunity to thank its advisors who were also present to celebrate our grand and glorious fraternity! Also in October the Philanthropy Chairman organized our Reading Is Key event where sisters participated in buddy reading with students at a local elementary school. Using the funds from Kupcake Wars the previous spring the women of Kappa Chapter were able to gift each child a book to take home that day.
November 2014 saw the initiation of the new member class of fall 2014. Inspiration week was, again, a wonderful time at Kappa Chapter. Following initiation our Public Relations Chairman hosted a brunch which was held to celebrate our new members. For many new members families from near and far came to celebrate with the chapter. Our Philanthropy Chairman organized our primary philanthropy event, Swamp Stomp. Swamp Stomp is a 5k mud-run open to all members of the Hillsdale community. This year was particularly special as Kappa Chapter teamed up with Hillsdale Academy (the k-12 school affiliated with the college) and their National Honor Society Students to combine Kappa’s Swamp Stomp with their Turkey Trot for our most successful 5k event yet! Our Public Relation’s Chairman also hosted Dad’s Weekend where members of Kappa Chapter were able to share Kappa with their fathers.
December 2014, was very exciting as Kappa Chapter’s registrar hosted history day. History day was made extra special this year with the arrival of the fraternity education displays from headquarters. Because the members of Kappa Chapter are not present for the chapter’s birthday in June, the registrar decided to make history day extra fun by throwing the chapter a half-birthday party. The women of the chapter ate cake while they enjoyed the history exhibits, watched movies on the Stewart House and Headquarters, and explored the virtual timeline from Foundation. History day was the last major event of the semester and was a great break for all members of the chapter during finals week.
2014 ended with the induction of the new chapter council. 2014 was a busy but rewarding year for Kappa Chapter.
Hillsdale continues to increase its admissions requirements, making scholarship ever more a priority of Kappa Women. Because all of the incoming class at Hillsdale is academically excellent it makes the scholarship cup increasingly competitive. The chapter is very close knit, every woman is respected as she contributes something unique to chapter culture. Our officers continued to grow this year, benefiting tremendously from the convention experience, by bringing new and exciting ideas to the chapter.
Kappa Chapter holds its meetings in our house which we have owned since the late 1880s. The Kappa Chapter house was given to Kappa Chapter by Hillsdale College in the late 1880s. At that time there were two women's fraternities on campus, KKG and Pi Beta Phi, because Kappa was the original greek house on campus, we were given first choice of the two homes. The stately white house with blue shutters on the corner of Hillsdale and College streets has been home to the chapter ever since. After an addition to the house in the 1980s, the Kappa Chapter house holds 30 sisters and 40 sisters enjoy eating their meals there. Prior to the college purchasing the house, Kappa Chapter met in the home of college President Mauck and then in East Hall. The big white house on the corner was purchased by the college and adored by Kappas ever since.