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{{Infobox Fraternity
|Name= Gamma PiPhi|GreekSymbol= ΓΠΓΦ|Image= [[File:Gamma_PiGamma_Phi.jpg|200px]]|Founded= {{start date and years ago|19271929|0605|0217}}|College= [http://www.uasmu.edu/ Southern Methodist University of Alabama]|Location= TuscaloosaDallas, ALTX|Homepage= [http://kkgalabamawww.smukappa.com/ Gamma Pi Phi Homepage]|Media= [http://wiki.kappakappagamma.org/index.php?title=Category:Gamma_Pi Gamma_Phi Media related to Gamma Pi Phi Chapter]}}----
'''Southern Methodist University established in 1911, Dallas, Texas'''
'''Founded May 17, 1929'''
'''3,369 initiates (as of June 2018)'''
'''Fraternity Loyalty Award Recipients:'''
'''Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients:'''
Ginnie Johansen Johnson, 1986; Entrepreneur; artist
Jeanne Linder Phillips, 2006; Statesman/political ambassador
Elizabeth Hemphill Wilson, 1994; artist, needlepoint expert
==The Early Years (Excerpted from The History of Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity: 1870-1976)==
Gamma Phi Chapter began October 15, 1928, on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, when a group of three colonizers and 24 pledges became the local group, Gamma Kappa. The Dallas Alumnae Association was firmly behind the colony, and a number of its members assumed advisory board responsibilities.
Southern Methodist University, which was opened to students in September, 1915, had been established by charter in April, 1911, under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
The capable and helpful Hazel Scott Mauck, Indiana, year 1951-52 was the first House Director, in a quaintthe new house, temporary rented house on Caplewood Terrace. It had a precipitous stairway and a sloping attic ceiling, which collapsed during the midnight solemnities of one Initiationchapter achieved first in scholarship. Its basement rooms, knows as “The Cavity” were accessible to both animal and human prowlers. These hazards must have influences The following year Gamma Phi was the visiting young Executive Secretaryinstalling chapter of Delta Psi, Clara O. PierceTexas Tech University, The Ohio State Universityat Lubbock, who decided that and in 1954-55 members fostered the chapter must have formation of Epsilon Alpha at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. Members of Kappa and Sigma Alpha Epsilon were featured in a house color picture on the fraternity-sorority title page of its ownthe yearbook. Later she admitted that she had been over-bold to launch a penniless In 1958, the chapter on a staggering building projectwon the Charlotte Barrell Ware Standard Cup at convention, and again was first in scholarship.
Positivity was a chapter focus during this time. Chapter members significantly improved their grades and worked on developing positive attitudes. Officers stressed open communication, even picking rooms that gave the President and Vice Presidents the most visibility for the rest of the members. Chapter meetings were streamlined, and the chapter developed a stronger Panhellenic spirit. And of course, the chapter celebrated its 50th anniversary on SMU campus.
Kappas were also prominent leaders on campus. One member started a fundraising campaign to restore a historical SMU fountain that now features in all the school’s brochures, and among the Kappas were Homecoming Queen first runner-up, cheerleaders, Miss New Mexico, Miss Dallas, three yearbook beauties and a National Alumni Scholarship Winner.
==Highlights of the 1980s==
The chapter continued to focus on academic excellence, holding a how to study seminar, and recognizing excellent grades with a weekly smart cookie award. Chapter meetings emphasized heritage and ritual, and members were encouraged to hang out at the house through monthly cookouts and holiday celebrations like Secret Santa gift exchanges.
Kappas regularly featured the Dallas Morning News for participating in the Idlewild Ball, Tyler Rose Festival and other prominent Texan debutant balls. And the Kappa Pickers, the chapter’s musical performance group, began to gain local prominence.
==Highlights of the 1990s==
Kappa exemplified its traditional of leadership on SMU campus in the 1990s. Gamma Pi members were strong academically Phi hosted the first date rape seminar at SMU in 1991, and followed up with seminars on eating disorders and continually had one campus violence. In 1990, a Kappa chaired SMU’s Celebration of Lights, and in 1991 Kappas chaired Homecoming and won Homecoming Queen, which Kappas featuring in the highest All-Sorority GHomecoming throughout the decade.P.AMany chapter members attended Convention in 1990 when it was hosted in Dallas. The chapter received several honorable mentions for awards, and would go on campusto win the Fraternity’s Finance Award in 1996.
The women of Gamma Phi chapter in the 2000s were intelligent and motivated to do their best in every aspect of their lives. Very involved on campus, the chapter enthusiastically supports it members, whether they are running for Homecoming Queen, launching a new philanthropy or playing on a sports team.
Major events included Theta Province meeting in Dallas in 2005, when the chapter hosted a southern barbeque for the all the actives and alumnae that were in town. There was the annual Celebration of Lights, and another Homecoming Queen from Kappa in 2009.
Philanthropy continued to be a major driver of events, with the chapter raising funds for Camp John Mark, Habitat for Humanity, Dallas Parkland Hopsital, Relay for Life, the Dallas humane shelter, and Dollars for Darfur. In 2006, the chapter published the Kappa Kookbook, which feature recipes from the SMU chapter, and raised money for the Rose McGill Fund.
2010 was a fun and exciting year for the Gamma Phi chapter! We started the year off with a great recruitment week. During philanthropy day of recruitment, we shared a video about our chapter’s involvement in the Ugandan American Partnership Organization, a non-profit organization that aides struggling women and children in Uganda. The UAPO was founded by one of our own Kappa sisters and is very dear to each of our hearts. We strung necklaces with beads handmade by Ugandan widows, and new members sold the necklaces in the spring in order to send profits back to the widows.
Dad’s Weekend was in the spring, and father-daughter pairs competed in the Kappa Klassic golf tournament. We got to spend quality time with our dads, and we were able to raise over $14,000 to help finish the UAPO’s construction of a new Vocational Center in a Ugandan village and provide medical supplies, school supplies and clean water to orphanages built by the UAPO. Over the summer, twelve of our sisters shared a life-changing experience on their visit to Uganda.
==Highlights of 2011==
Our chapter is large and diverse, with girls from all over the United States and abroad. The 2011 pledge class even has girls from Bali, London, and Panama. This mix of diverse individuals enhances our chapter, as each member brings unique and exciting ideas to the table. We all work well together in order to accomplish goals throughout the year.
We had an exciting 2011. A fun and successful recruitment week started the year off right. During 2003-2004 philanthropy day of recruitment, we continued the chapter enjoyed participating in sisterhood events as well as activities on campus. Homecoming tradition of showing a video about the Ugandan American Partnership Organization (UAPO), which was a main event on campus and founded by one of our Kappa sisters from the Gamma Pi was proud as a peacock when their Phi chapter president was elected Homecoming Queen. New We strung necklaces using the beads that Ugandan widows hand made, which the new members sold the following spring. The profits from the necklace sales were involved with sent back to the parade, dance competition, and quad gameswidows to help them build a life of their own. The chapter was proceeds from our "Kappacino Kafe" philanthropy event also involved with Greek Week and benefitted the annual Beat Auburn Beat Hunger food driveUAPO.
We are proud of our chapter for many reasons this year. We were the recipients of the Risk Management Award at the Province meeting hosted in Fort Worth. In 2007 presidentaddition, we welcomed the chapter councils from Epsilon Alpha, Frankie MohylskyEpsilon Upsilon, and Zeta Sigma, as we hosted the LEAD Seminar in the fall. We are also very proud and extremely excited this year because we won Homecoming! Our chapter united to support 2011 Homecoming activities, and it was voted as a wonderful and rewarding feeling for the whole house when Grace Roberts won Homecoming Queen during halftime of the best sorority presidentfootball game.
2012 was a great year for The Gamma Phi Chapter. We kicked off the year by continuing a philanthropy tradition that was started by SMU Kappa members. During recruitment week on philanthropy day, we played a video about UAPO, an organization that was founded by one of our Kappa sisters. The video featured Kappa members volunteering and making a difference in Uganda. We hosted “Kappacino Kafe” as well as “Kickin’ it with Kappa.” Both were successful events. Kappa women also participated in SMU’s homecoming festivities. The week was a success because of our hard work combined with our wonderful homecoming candidate, Anne McCaslin Parker. During SMU’s Celebration of Lights, Kappa members participated with SMU Student Foundation and adopted elementary students for the evening. This made the event very special for Kappa’s as well as the elementary students.
'''PhilanthropyCampus:'''
'''Chapter:'''
We have a very diverse chapter consisting of ladies from different parts of the world and from all over the U.S. The diversity allows Kappa’s to share different ideas and learn from each other. Our members are involved in many different organizations and groups at SMU and outside of SMU.
2013 was a great year full of memories, accomplishments, and sisterhood for The Gamma Pi furthers Phi Chapter. We kicked off the ideals year in January with a successful Recruitment Week. The four days of RIF by frequently visiting Mathews ElementaryOpen House, Philanthropy, Skit, an elementary school in TuscaloosaPreference Morning and Bid Night were hard work but will always be remembered as a bonding experience for our chapter. Gamma Pi Kappas participate in service activities at Matthews through tutoringPhilanthropy day was extremely special because our philanthropy, live readingThe Akola Project, is a non-profit organization that was founded by one of our very own SMU Kappas. We played a video that featured Kappa members volunteering and making a difference in an after school mentoring programUganda. Bid Night was also a highlight to the start of the year 2013. We welcomed 54 excited new members. They participated in school supplies and book drives for Mathewshad a retreat that night at the Kappa house with Chapter Council members, which included playing games, eating good food, and encourage other sororities learning the traditions and fraternities to do the samerules of Kappa.
The spring semester ended, and summer came around with lots of opportunities for our SMU Kappa for a Kure is an annual fundraiser that raises money for members. Kappa sisters took summer school, studied abroad, and also worked incredible internships all over the American Cancer Societycountry. This philanthropy was created Fifteen SMU Kappas studied in honor Innsbruck, Austria for six weeks together traveling to different countries every weekend. Another group of a memberfive Kappas studied in Madrid, Carleton ParnellSpain. The event is held every spring during parent’s weekendOther Kappas were sprinkled out over Europe studying in Italy, London, and Paris.
We participated in Canstruction, Rock the Vote, field day, and building a float. This week was hard work, but we loved coming together as a chapter to support our wonderful homecoming candidate Mackenna Scripps. Kappas continued to enjoy having a tent on the boulevard each game day and supporting the Mustangs at the SMU football games. SMU Family Weekend was a fun weekend for Kappa moms and dads to meet each other and enjoy SMU’s campus and Dallas. We enjoyed our two social events of the semester Pick a Mister for your Sister date dash and Kite and Key formal. A few Kappas also participate in SMU Student Foundation and put on the Celebration of Lights, which is always a special night that the school comes together to celebrate the Holidays right before final exams.We finished the year strong academically. We were also awarded the “Outstanding Member” award by SMU Panhellenic for Lexy Hammesfahr’s incredible performance in SMU, Kappa, and her career. At the end of the semester, we slated for new Chapter Council positions, and our chapter was excited about the new leaders in the house.
Gamma Phi Kappas also enjoyed our inaugural Sapphire Ball for Kappas and their dates, during such a special formal night to remember in November. Also during November, a group of Kappa members hosted a Reading is Key event, while we read to underprivileged elementary school children and donated hundreds of books for the children to take home. Furthermore, in the fall semester, we invited the SMU campus and Kappa alumnae for our first ever spirit event before the SMU season opener basketball game, called Kappa Kappa Gameday. In December the semester concluded with our successful inaugural philanthropy event. Our “Kappa Holiday Bazaar” brought all types of vendors to a shopping event for Kappas, to raise money with a portion of all profits to be donated to RIF. In total, we raised over $2,700 in support of Reading is Fundamental. The Akola Project, the non-profit philanthropy that our chapter always supports, was also in attendance at the bazaar and sold a great amount of jewelry to help raise additional funds for their causes. The chapter is also proud to have a Kappa member represent the chapter as Emily Provost was elected to serve as the 2015 SMU Panhellenic President. We are very proud of all of our accomplishment
We also had members hold chapter meetings in our chapter house on the Executive Council North edge of Order of Omega and Blue Key Honor Societycampus, as well as members owned by our chapter. The chapter-owned house we currently have was built in 2008. It is the second house in our chapter's history. It houses 40 of Mortar Boardour Kappa sisters, mainly upperclassmen and we are so lucky to have the Alabama Panhellenic Association Executive Council, Omicron Delta Kappa, wonderful Jill Rusher as our house mother. We are thankful to our Alum and many more prestigious organizationsHouse Board for helping our incredible in-house experience run smoothly.
Reading is Fundamental is our national philanthropy and one that the Gamma Phi chapter holds dear. We are fortunate to attend such an outstanding university and wish to promote the love for learning and reading by hosting book drives and raising money for RIF. The Akola Project was started by a Gamma Phi alum and seeks to promote female empowerment and business leadership in impoverished countries such as Uganda through its jewelry business. We believe in our alums and providing a helping hand to women who seek to empower their communities in places that usually do not value women or see them as world changers. The Wesley-Rankin after school program aligns with our mission of spreading the love for reading and learning is working to make a impact on the youth of south Dallas. We have loved the kids we mentor, tutor, and love on their and hope to continue our partnership going forward.
2016 was a year of tremendous growth for the Gamma Phi Chapter at SMU. This year, our chapter saw incredible academic performance improvement, outstanding community service involvement, a successful recruitment, and new social activities. In Spring 2016, our chapter GPA rose above the All-Sorority Average and we ranked fourth out of eight Panhellenic chapters on campus. Outside of academics, we completed over 950 hours and raised money for our philanthropies, the Akola Project and Reading is Fundamental. In addition to serving our philanthropies we also participated in numerous fundraising events on campus. Kappas participated in SMU’s annual Relay for Life which took place on April 8th as well as participating in Dance Marathon which is a fundraiser for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals that SMU had the pleasure of hosting for the first time. In February, March, and August , we enjoyed week-long visits from two leadership consultants where we evaluated the strengths of our chapter as well as areas for improvement. In the spring, we gained 55 new members who were offically initiated on April 16, 2016. A few days later on April 18th we had another outstanding rush, successful Monmouth formal with yet anotherPi Beta Phi and enjoyed the traditional formal that is a rich part of our history. This fall, outstanding large pledge class we had many new and exciting changes and activities at the Gamma Phi Chapter. We continued our tradition last year of 115 incredible new having “Brunch with the Boys” where one Friday we invited fraternity membersto have brunch with us at the house. Gamma PiWe also participated in the Homecoming festivities including building a Nevada-themed float and supported our wonderful homecoming candidate, once Anna Hugg. On November 7th the chapter celebrated our Founders Day where we had a history presentation while enjoying themed treats. Chapter Council was invited to celebrate the 146th Founders Day with the Kappa Dallas Alumnae Association at the Dallas Country Club. We were honored to be included in the celebration again, has and to witness Kappas getting their 50 and 65 year badges. This fall semester we also had two successful panhellenic events. The first was a Yogurt & Yoga event which we hosted at the Kappa Kappa Gamma house and invited the sisters of Alpha Chi Omega. The other panhellenic event was an Ice Cream Social with the sisters of Delta Gamma. We also spent time with the best return rates throughout recruitmentsisters of Kappa Alpha Theta when we had our annual Kite & Key formal on November 12th. With Two days later on November 14th we had our increasing numbersfirst ever Fall Fest with the men of Sigma Alpha Epsilon which raised money for The Akola Project. The gathering included fall-themed games and treats such as corn hole and apple cider. On November 20th, we were pleased had our second annual Holiday Bazaar to add raise money for Reading is Fundamental which was a unique huge success. The Akola Project, the non-profit philanthropy that our chapter always supports, was also in attendance at the bazaar and sold a great amount of jewelry to help raise additional funds for their cause. We are incredibly proud of the progress and achievements our chapter has had this year and look forward to an outstanding pledge class2017.
==Highlights of 2018==
After finally being lifted from probation we have been making an effort to boost the morale and ensure that everyone is enjoying their time in the chapter. With the new academic standard Kappa has set, we have been trying to work with the chapter to try to ensure a fair GPA is set, we concluded for a 2.5 for actives and 2.7 for new members. We also held a Founders Day event in which Kappa's from 50 and 70+ years came and enjoyed an afternoon with our chapter and sharing stories from their past. We also won the Chapter and Advisory Board Relations award at Convention, a huge honor after coming off of probation win which we were constantly praised for our improvement and commitment to betting the Gamma Phi chapter's name as well as community service efforts.
No recent changes on campus, Panhellenic Board has created different guidelines and mandatory events for Greek life and our chapter has made an effort to comply with all decisions they have set.
The chapter celebrated Founders Day by hosting the Dallas alumni that were receiving their milestone pins at the house. We participate in many different organizations in hosted an afternoon tea with trays of snacks, beautiful flower arrangements, and speeches to express our communitygratitude and respect for the members receiving their pins. The above organizations are what we normally give time and money to within Per chapter ritual, six Chapter Council members conducted the candle light ceremony, which all of the communityattendees enjoyed.
This past year a lot in our chapter has changed due to COVID-19. Thankfully, we still got through a successful initiation for PC’20 before SMU shut down. This semester, we were unable to hold any Kappa in-person events. This includes date dashes, the Sapphire Ball, and different philanthropic events. However, that did not stop us. This year marked the 150th year of Kappa Kappa Gamma. We decided to donate over 150 books, and give out blue hand sanitizer. We also held a virtual meals on wheels event last semester. This semester we held a virtual workout class with Lync. All the proceeds went towards the Bridge Breast Network. We also held a scholarships. This includes the Dallas Alumnae Association Gamma Phi Chapter Scholarship, the Wendy Weber Scholarship and the Nancy Moses Scholarship. Junior, Hailey Haase received the Wendy Weber Scholarship and seniors, Candice Cramer and Isabelle Wyant received the Nancy Moses Scholarship. Since members could not be together in the house, the standards chairman organized different sisterhood events like going to a drive-thru movie theater in Dallas!
Our chapter supports Akola Jewelry during philanthropy day. We have worked with this organization for years. It is a business run by women to empower other women. It helps the lives of those less fortunate and we are very lucky to work with a company started by an SMU Kappa alum.