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'''_____ 2,110 initiates (as of 2011June 2012)'''
'''Other Outstanding Gamma Kappa Alumnae:''' Karen Thomas (Liske), Graduate Counselor, 1960-1962; Carol Sykes (Dickinson), Graduate Counselor, 1961-1962; Marilyn Knder (Walker) Graduate Counselor, 1964-1966; Suzanne Barnett, Graduate Counselor, 1971-1973; Mary Sue Hogan (Babb), Graduate Counselor, 1977-1979; Sara Black (Heiser), 1978-1980; Cynthia Turner, Graduate Counselor, 1980-1982
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When Gamma Kappa Chapter was installed on February 16, 1923, the state of Virginia was in Beta Province. The General Convention at the Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, created Lambda Province to include Maryland, District of Columbia, West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina.
Upsilon Delta Beta, a local group formed by four William & Mary students in September of 1920 enjoyed a vigorous life of three years, aimed early for a Kappa charter, and achieved it after very little initial encouragement. Success was announced in the form of a telegram that arrived during a college basketball game, and exulting Upsilon Delta Betas sat through it to the end because they didn’t want to be conspicuous. Their last meeting was held on January 22, 1923, and their minutes read: “The meeting closed with the customary ritual and the singing of the Upsilon Delta Beta song, after which the members adjourned to eat apples and to talk of the joys of fraternity life.”
During World War II, a Gamma Kappa alumna organized the Army and Navy Association, a group aiding service men’s wives. Out of this grew one of Kappa’s most important World War II projects, the service women’s centers in 14 cities throughout the United States.
On February 17, 1973, nearly 100 Gamma Kappas gathered at the Kappa house to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the chapter’s Installation. Three of the five alumnae who were given 50-year pins were charter members; two had been initiated later that same year. Those honored five recalled interesting, isolated facts of chapter history, such as the year the old Debtors’ Prison in Colonial Williamsburg was used for chapter meetings; the season the dean of women’s office was in the Kappa house, the first chapter home of yellow stone with an old-fashioned porch and a zigzag roof. They must have remembered, too, the thrill of seeing Gertrude Wood (Thatcher), Swarthmore, Kappa’s Fraternity Treasurer, when she came to inspect the local Upsilon Delta Beta—the first live Kappa they had ever seen—and of passing her Kappa key from hand to hand, thinking of the future and a chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma at William & Mary.
In 1973 100 Gamma Kappas gather to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Gamma Kappa's charter.
A change in policy occurred in 1980 that revoked legacy status to great granddaughters. Two members of the chapter took first place in the Fraternity Education on Founders Day and another Kappa was chosen as a student liaison for the Board of Visitors.
Among the highlights of 1983-84 was capturing fourth place in the sorority float division during Homecoming, and having the fall Pledge Dance at the lovely Williamsburg Lodge. Gamma Kappa also sponsored the Best of Rush as a Panhellenic gesture and to show pledges and alumnae the favorite skits of each sorority. In February, Gamma Kappa hosted several Fraternity officers at the annual Celebration of Sisterhood Banquet.
In the spring of 1985 four Gamma Kappas traveled to Blacksburg to serve as big sisters to a new chapter, Zeta Mu at Virginia Tech. The Gamma Kappa chapter presented Zeta Mu with a brass key to commemorate their installation. The highlight was meeting Fraternity President, Marian Klingbeil Williams. Missoouri, Missouri.
Also in 1985 the House Board did a complete renovation of the chapter house with new wallpaper and paint, new furniture and new countertops in the renovated kitchen. Chapter size increased with a record pledge class of 38 young women. In fullfilling fulfilling the chapter goal of “Commit Yourself,” the chapter saw improvements in scholarship and philanthropy. For philanthropy the chapter supported a foreign foster-child, participated with Theta Delta Chi fraternity in an Easter egg hunt at Eastern State Hospital and with the Sigma Chi Circle K Christmas Party. Kappas won the overall first prize at the Sigma Chi Derby Day balloon sale. The chapter newsletter, The Owlette, reported changes on the campus, such as the departure of President Graves, succeeded by President Verkuil, the opening of a new restaurant, Sakura, a popular Japanese restaurant, and the plans to renovate Ewel Hall and build a new Campus and Recreation Hall behind William & Mary Hall in 1987.
Gamma Kappa consistently had the highest GPA on campus and this year held an Easter Egg Hunt with Theta Delta at Eastern State Hospital.
'''Highlights of 1987 ''' included chapter involvement in the colonization and installation of Zeta Omicron at the University of Richmond, helping with rush and serving as big sisters during initiation. The chapter philanthropy event raised funds for Multiple Sclerosis and placed third in Sigma Chi's Derby Day raising money for Red Cross and Sigma Chi's Wallace Foundation. The Gamma Kappa float placed fourth in the Homecoming Parade. Eight members attended Province Meeting at the University of West Virginia and for the first time, Gamma Kappa alumnae began an annual drive for funds to help the House Board fund improvements in the chapter house.
The Gamma Kappa alumnae newsletter changes its name in 1988 to the Kolonial Kappa with the news that the chapter won “Outstanding Greek Chapter” award, selected by the Dean of Student Affairs, and at the Fraternity Convention in Boca Raton, won the Fraternity Ritual Award and Honorable Mention for Scholarship. Alumnae contributions to the House Fund continued, making it possible to remodel the upstairs bathroom and purchase new porch furniture. Actives stayed busy on campus and in the community in a variety of philanthropy activities such as Habitat for Humanity, Childfest at Magruder Elementary and the annual Easter Egg Hunt for the children of Eastern State Mental Hospital. Scholarship continued to shine, with the chapter grade point rising from 3.07 to 3.21, and the scholarship committee presenting a program linking working alumnae around the country to seniors in search of careers.
= '''==Highlights of the 1990s'''==
For the third consecutive year, in 1990, Gamma Kappa was recognized on campus as the “Outstanding Chapter,” and also received the first “William and Mary Scholarship Achievement Award.” With a 3.2 GPA, it was the highest of any Greek organization. At Convention in Dallas, Gamma Kappa won honorable mention for Pledge Programming and Heritage Awards. It was especially memorable to be presented the Heritage Award by Gamma Kappa alumna, Gini Anding LaCharite, Fraternity Historian, who also won the Alumnae Achievement Award at Convention. This year's chapter goal was “RISE-Reaching Out to Someone Else” to increase our philanthropic activities and increased support of community and campus charity projects.
A highlight of late '90s was the celebration, with many alumnae, of Gamma Kappa's 75th anniversary. The chapter also implemented new philanthropies: a “Kappasta” dinner, “Kappachino” night and Kappa Kidsfest, a field day for local children from low income areas. The chapter goal, “Reaffirm your CORE,” which stood for Commitment, Openness, Respect, Education, and coincided with the implementation of the New Member Program, which emphasized Core groups instead of big and little sisters and was one of the year's largest successes.
The College of William and Mary owns the sorority houses on campus. The Gamma Kappa House Board sees to the upkeep. A Gamma Kappa Fund funded by alumnae donations helps to pay for new furnishings, etc. About 18 women live in the house.
UNICEF, Rainforest Romp to save the Rainforests, Clean the Bay Days event, Kappasta and Kappachino, Kappa Kidfest.
The 2005-2006 year was a year of accomplishments and challenges. The chapter participated in many campus and chapter philanthropy events, raising money for tsunami relief, for UNICEF, Reading is Fundamental and the Kappa Leadership Academy. For the first time, instead of displaying the archives during the Founders Day Banquet, the archives were displayed on the morning of initiation reminding older sisters of the chapter history and allowing the New Members to see what they were becoming a part of.. Facing a challenge following being put on a focus letter in 2004, the chapter rallied and improved in areas of risk management, standards and communications, and were taken off the focus letter in March as the result of many positive changes.
Kappaccino and Kappasta raise funds for RIF and other causes, Reading Buddies with alumnae read to Head Start Classes in support of RIF, RIF Carnival for Head Start, support of other groups' philanthropies.
In March, 2011, the chapter joined the Williamsburg Alumnae Association in hostessing Province Meeting. The chapter took away honors with Overall Excellence, the Standards Award and honorable mention for the New Member Program. All Kappa chapters began the switch from using Quickbooks to Billhighway to record their chapter finances, allowing members to pay dues online using credit/debit cards or by check. Treasurers no longer accept checks or credit information.
William and Mary's placement among the nation's most elite colleges presents a very high academic threshold for its students. Gamma Kappa has overcome the challenges of staying on top academically by instituting new modes of studying, tutoring and academic contests.
==Highlights of 2011-2019:== Information from chapter’s History Report: (Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.) '''Housing:''' '''Philanthropy:''' '''Convention Awards:''' ==Highlights of 2011-20192020s:== Information from chapter’s History Report: (Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.) '''Housing:''' '''Philanthropy:'''
'''Convention Awards:'''