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==Highlights of 2016==
The Omicron Deuteron chapter had a very successful year in 2016. Our members were able to thrive in their academics, community involvement, and extracurricular activities. We prospered in the face of adversity and ameliorated our sisterhood with events and activities throughout the year.
Our year started off with a nutrition program, where we learned about the importance of being conscious regarding what we put into our bodies. The semester continued with many other fun events including Mother- Daughter Day, Kappa Kisses, Monmouth Duo, and Spring Formal. Throughout the fall we had additional events, including a homecoming tailgate, Father-Daughter Day, Fall Formal, and Kappa Krush. Each semester we held an open house so people outside of Kappa could see our wonderful home and the changes that had been made to it. We also held Love and Loyaltea in February, where alumnae were invited back to spend a day reminiscing on their dear Kappa days, meeting current members, and sharing stories with the girls.
During the spring semester, we had three girls studying abroad: two in Argentina and one in Tahiti. Through their studies, the girls were able to enjoy a new and different lifestyle. As one of the girls put it, “the lessons I learned will follow me throughout my entire life.” Kappas were also able to explore foreign lands during their Mayterm adventures. Some of the girls traveled to New Zealand, while others went to the Dominican, another went to Costa Rica, one went to Jordan & Israel, and some event went to Paris!
The Academic Excellence committee put in a lot of effort this year to help our girls be as successful as possible in their classes, and it worked! We were able to win back the grade cup with our 3.594 GPA. The grade cup wasn't the only academic award we received this year either! Our president, Madi, traveled to San Diego for the Kappa convention, where we were honored with the Academic Excellence Award! In 2016, we truly surpassed the term “wise owls”.
Over the summer, our house was renovated with new paint throughout the first floor and the stairwells. Simpson purchased new couches and chairs for our informal living room; and additionally, house board purchased a new sanitizer for the kitchen and made it possible for us to get a new entertainment stand and new tables to go with the furniture. They also supplied the house with some new decor!
Simpson saw some changes this year, too. The art education program was terminated as a major, causing two art instructors to no longer teach classes at Simpson. The school replaced their positions with a full-time graphic design professor. Simpson added a new major, clinical health science. The clinical health science program was introduced, in part, to replace the athletic training major. Students interested in pursuing graduate degrees in Athletic Training, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, or other health-related programs are encouraged to explore the Clinical Health Science major as it “can provide the hands-on skills and knowledge necessary for admission to a variety of graduate programs.” Senior Vice President and Academic Dean Steve Griffith retired in the spring; and in the fall, it was announced that long-time professor Fred Jones, who taught classes in sociology and criminal justice, would be retiring at the end of the school year. Kappas, along with the rest of the Simpson community will miss their presence dearly.
Kappa made some changes to our Chapter Bylaws and Standing Rules with hopes that the changes will resolve any foreseeable issues within the house. The definition of acceptable excuses for absences was redefined to include a clear definition of what immediate family members consist of and to clarify that a chapter member’s birthday is an acceptable excuse. There was clarification on what appropriate formal meeting attire is and when it is acceptable to be out of formal meeting attire on Dress to Pin days. Finally, our biggest change was in the way we decide on rooming and parking. Both will now be determined by seniority using the lottery system for each pledge class. This lottery system is the same as what Simpson College uses, which is fitting since they own our home. Making the changes was tedious and took a while, we even had to table the first meeting where we
were supposed to vote on them to make further clarifications, but we believe it was worth it to create the best environment for our sisters.
We are very proud of our girls in how they have handled our challenges. The standards committee used sisterhood activities to pull the house together, boost chapter morale, and remind each other that above all, we are sisters and no matter what is going on in our lives, we will always be there for one another.
Our chapter also came together in a big way to support various philanthropies. In the spring we held our first ever Kappa con Queso, a competition-based event where people used their purchased tickets to vote for their favorite queso dip. In the fall, we decided to replace the Kappa Car Wash with a book drive to make our fall philanthropy event something that would get girls excited about humanitarianism. The new events were a huge success! Between them, we raised over $500 and collected over 200 books!
In the fall of 2016, the Omicron Deuteron chapter initiated 11 new members! Our house was blessed with an extraordinary group of girls from Iowa, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Oklahoma. The girls are each beautiful and unique in their own way and we are so happy they have found a home in Kappa!
The year had many ups and downs, especially being that it was an election year. Politics and current events without a doubt affected our lives on a daily basis. From caucuses to presidential debates, our girls were able to be involved with the election in a variety of ways. We had a standards activity where girls registered to vote and learned more about how caucusing works. This was a great, as it was the first time the majority of us would be able to vote. Simpson was also very fortunate in that a majority of the presidential candidates actually took time to visit our campus! Kappas took advantage of this, and some even got to ask candidates questions regarding their plans for the nation. Campaign stops brought a lot of attention to our little school in the heart of Iowa.
Simpson also received a lot of attention towards the end of the year for a devastating reason. Two police officers who were alumni of the college were shot and killed while working the night of November 1st-2nd. The passing of Justin Martin, ’15 and Tony Beminio, ’01 has been extremely difficult for students to deal with, but in light of the circumstances it has shown our community’s resiliency and willingness to come together, despite our differences. Kappas have shown support for the fallen officers in a variety of ways: baking cookies for the Urbandale & Des Moines Police departments, attending candlelight vigils, and donating to the families dealing with an inconceivable pain. We even came together with our arch enemy, Central, and showed support by participating in their “blue out” to pay respects to Officer Martin and Sergeant Beminio.
One Kappa has had to deal with a difficult time of her own. Over the summer, she was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer. After undergoing surgeries to remove the tumor, she spent two weeks off-campus going through radiation to kick cancer’s butt. Not seeing her smiling face in the house created quite a void. Our house was missing something, and the day she came back to us was one of the highlights of 2016. We are ecstatic to say our president, homecoming queen, and more importantly, our sister, is doing extremely well!
2016 was quite a year. It was one in which we proved the strength and bond within our sisterhood. We have continued to be active on campus and represent Kappa well through our involvement in a variety of clubs, organizations, and activities. And in the years after, with tears and with laughter, we’ll always remember our dear Kappa days.
==Highlights of 2020s:==
