Loyalty Award Recipients

The Loyalty Award is the highest and most prestigious honor Kappa Kappa Gamma bestows upon a member. Only one is awarded in a biennium, reserved for an alumna whose many years of dedicated service have enriched the Fraternity, who has inspired members and who is loyal to Fraternity ideals.

Given in memory of Helena Flinn Ege, Pittsburgh, Fraternity President from 1948 to 1952, it was first presented in 1956 by Helen Cornish Hutchinson, Oklahoma, who said, "The beginning of Kappa experience must come in the chapter, continue in alumnae work and close only with life itself. ... If I were to choose one Kappa quality, I think it would be loyalty to the Fraternity, for Kappa loyalty implies the acceptance and execution of Kappa ideals."

Helena Ege exemplified loyalty throughout her life, working to promote and improve the Fraternity until her death August 23, 1956, at the age of 57. She was too ill to attend the Convention at which the Loyalty Award was first dedicated in her honor. Helena served as Director of Alumnae from 1944-1948 and as Fraternity President 1948-1952.

Like Helena, some Loyalty Award recipients have also served as Fraternity President, but many have not, including the first recipient, Marie Bryden Macnaughtan,  – Missouri, who spent many devoted years as a Council officer, Convention Committee transportation chairman and Kappa Magazine Agency chairman. She was the last Grand Registrar to serve the Fraternity, 1930-1934, after which the office was discontinued.

Between 1956 and 2014, 30 Kappas were selected by Council to receive the Loyalty Award; their photographs hang at Fraternity Headquarters.