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{{Infobox Fraternity
|Name= ThetaUpsilon|GreekSymbol= Θϓ|Image= [[File:ThetaUpsilon.jpg|200px]]|Founded= {{start date and years ago|18751882|04|0218}}|College= [http://www.northwestern.edu/ Northwestern University of Missouri]|Location= ColumbiaEvanston, MOIL|Homepage= [http://kappakappagammawww.northwestern.edu/gogreek/community/chapters/kkg.orghtml Upsilon Homepage]|Media= [http://wiki.kappakappagamma.org/index.php?title=Category:Theta Upsilon Media related to Theta Upsilon Chapter]
}}
'''Northwestern University established in 1851, Evanston, Illinois'''
'''Founded April 18, 1882 - 5 charter members'''
'''3,689 303 initiates (as of 2011June 2018)'''
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'''Fraternity Council Officers:'''
Katherine Lucinda Sharp, Charter member of Upsilon, initiated in 1882; as the first charter member of Upsilon to graduate, Kate received a diamond badge from the chapter. This badge would become the official badge of the President after Kate’s death. It was used until 2000 then retired to Fraternity Headquarters. Elected sixth Grand President 1894 – 1896; the force behind the charter granted in 1899 to Beta Lambda, Illinois. Known as a pioneer in library science; Founded and Directed the Library of the University of Illinois
Carla Sergeant Fisk, Grand Secretary 1896 – 1900, resigned 4/1900; Sought and gained approval for her Sigma-within-the-Delta design at the 1894 convention. The design would become the pledge pin, now known as the new member pin.
Sarah Harris Rowe, Grand President 1920 – 1922; Grand Vice President 1914 – 1920; Province President 1924 – 1925; Registrar and Dean of Women at the School of Speech Communication at Northwestern
'''Fraternity Loyalty Award Recipients:'''
Mary Agnes Graham Roberts (Gray), 1976, Convention Chairman 1972 – 1982, Field Secretary 1945-1947
'''Alumnae Achievement Award recipients:'''
Margaret Dickson Falley, 1970, American genealogist expert and author of Irish and Scotch-Irish Ancestral Research: A Guide to the Genealogical Records, Methods and Sources in Ireland; Elizabeth Baumann Cook, 1984, Expert in building hospital volunteer programs; Julia “Judy” Ade Levering, 2002, First female president of the U.S. Tennis Association; seniors’ tennis championship finalist, Virginia "Ginni" Nicosia Rometty, 2016, business; Punch Hutton, 2016, Deputy Editor of Vanity Fair
'''Additional Outstanding Upsilon Alumnae'''
Betty Robinson Schwartz, Olympic gold & silver medalist; Betty Robinson was the first woman to win a track event in an Olympic Games capturing the 100 meters at the 1928 Olympics; silver medalist as a member of the 4x100m relay in 1928 Olympics; gold medalist on the 4x100m relay at the 1936 Olympics; member of the Track & Field Hall of Fame; the first woman to receive a varsity "N" from Northwestern.
Candy Kubiak, Epsilon Province Representative to the Fraternity’s Undergraduate Council
Nancy Tyra-Lukens, Mayor of Eden Prairie, Minnesota 2014 – 2002; City Council Member 1994 – 2001; Municipal Legislative Commission Board of Directors; 2010 Hennepin County, Minnesota Capital Budgeting Task Force; the Suburban Transit Association, the Southwest Transit Commission and the Family Housing Fund; and President of the Eden Prairie Foundation.
Mary Lisbeth Bartlett Backes, Acting Coach, Professional Actress on Broadway, film, television and at regional theaters across the USA; Lisbeth has been nominated for and won several film and theater acting awards. She has taught acting and audition workshops at undergraduate theater programs, graduate conservatory acting programs and professional theater schools, including Temple University, Northwestern, Brandeis, University of the Arts, Drexel, the Wilma, and many others. Lisbeth made her professional New York and Broadway debuts simultaneously as Irene in Sir Ronald Harwood’s award-winning backstage drama, The Dresser. Her other Broadway credits include Denise Apcar in Emily Mann’s docudrama, Execution of Justice; and “The Girl” in William Saroyan’s The Cave Dwellers. Her feature films include Rocket Science, Amadeus, Saint Christopher, Suspect and many others. Her television credits include appearances on daytime dramas and a variety of television series.
Judith Coggeshall Toth, elected a Maryland State Representative
Donna Cousins Vos, Novelist and founding editor of Career World Magazine; Cousins’ byline has appeared in the Geneva Courier, The Singapore American newspaper, Orientations, and The Asia Magazine, among others. Her short stories have appeared in the literary journal Peregrine and an anthology, Take Two, They’re Small. Her debut novel, Landscape, won first place in the 2005 Midwest Independent Publishers Association Book Awards, honorable mention in Writer’s Digest International Self-Published Book Awards, and honorable mention in ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year Awards. Waiting for Bones, her second novel was published in 2011.
Virginia Nicosia Rometty, Senior Vice President IBM Global Business Services. Nicosia Rometty was named among Fortune Magazine’s “50 Most Powerful Women in Business” in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Sarah Partridge, Actress and jazz vocalist; head of Jazz Explorers, a children’s program bringing jazz and improvisation into elementary schools. Partridge appeared in the 1983 American teen comedy-drama film Risky Business. Throughout the late eighties and early nineties, Partridge could be seen guest starring in many TV series, sitcoms and soap operas. Debut CD, I’ll Be Easy To Find, received excellent reviews in Billboard magazine. Her second CD Blame It On My Youth was released in 2004.
Dina Roth Port, Award-winning freelance writer, journalist, and author. Her book, Previvors: Facing the Breast Cancer Gene and Making Life-Changing Decisions, was published by Penguin in October 2010. A former health editor at Glamour magazine and editor at Parenting magazine, Roth Port’s writing has appeared in national publications such as Glamour, Self, Parenting, The Huffington Post, Cosmopolitan, Natural Health, Fitness, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Prevention.
The Barta sisters, Lexi , Romi and Marni all of Upsilon founded their nonprofit organization, Kid Flicks in 2002. The Barta sisters have received numerous awards for their work. In 2011, the sisters received the Harlequin More Than Words Award, honoring ordinary women for their extraordinary commitment to women and the causes dearest to them.
In those days of close ties and short distances, alumnae kept in touch. Time after time, alumnae took part in Initiation and other chapter functions, and by 1904 there is mention of affairs planned for the chapter by the alumnae association. Nearby Conventions were enthusiastically attended and in 1906, Upsilon was represented by 19 actives and alumnae at the Madison, Wisconsin, General Convention. Places prominent today in Evanston social life were mentioned in the early years of the 20th century: chapter luncheons at Marshall Fields’, senior farewells at Ravinia, parties at the Kenilworth Club, and a house party at Macatawa, Michigan. It took a whole page of the minute’s book to record all the honors and chapter activities of 1906, and each marriage is duly registered along with an occasional athletic score.
In 1912 it was Upsilon’s turn to be hostess chapter. The “permanent” house became crowdedEstes Park, Colorado convention in 1914 opened wider horizons for Sarah and by 1928, two annexes were in use. It was decided led to build and two lots across the street were purchasedeight years she would serve as a member of the Grand Council. A $70She became the first Executive Secretary,000 Georgian Colonial was builtsans salary, decoratedsans central office, with all files and moved into - all records in one year’s timeher apartment. The central office became a reality during her term as president. (Taken from The Key, Summer 1974, Vol. 91 No.2)
==World War I Years==
==World War II Years==
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The previous information was excerpted from The History of Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity, 1870-1976. The information that follows has been gleaned from available resources including Chapter History Reports, chapter meeting minutes, letters and comments from From Bustles chapter members and alumnae, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity Archives, and The Key. Each chapter is expected to Blue Jeansupdate its history record annually. Contact Fraternity Headquarters at kkghq@kkg.org with questions.-------------------------------- ==Highlights of the 1970s== In February 1970 William Kunstler, defense lawyer for the Chicago Seven on trial for disruption during the 1968 Democratic Convention, was invited to speak on campus by the Northwestern Faculty Action Committee. After the lecture, a crowd went on a rampage in downtown Evanston, smashing windows and causing several thousands of dollars in damage. Violence broke out April 27, 1970, when an arson fire caused extensive damage to the linguistics building. The Traffic Institute building at Hinman and Clark was burned down by arsonists. A group of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) protestors tore up the NROTC offices in Lunt Hall. Chancellor Miller closed Rebecca Crown Center May 6 as a symbol of Northwestern's participation in the national protest and then ordered all classes cancelled for the rest of the week. A History second rally was held May 8 by students who organized a huge gathering that night at Dyche Stadium. The National Guard was called in as a precaution. A crowd of approximately 7,000 people attended the peaceful rally. Classes resumed on May 13 and the campus enjoyed two years of relative quiet. The undergraduates at Northwestern have a number of traditions including Painting the Rock (originally a fountain donated by the Class of Theta 1902) as a way to advertise, for example, campus organizations, events in Greek life, student groups, and university-wide events. Upsilon Chapter composite pictures during the 70s were taken outdoors. The individuality of the members of this chapter has deep roots. No two women posed the same way and each member showed her own unique style through her clothing and attitude in the picture. Dillo Day, an annual festival at Northwestern University took place each year on the last Saturday of May. Begun in 1972 when Northwestern students from Texas held a small celebration in honor of the armadillo, and organized by the Mayfest student group, the day was characterized by an all-day music festival and special events on the Northwestern Lakefill, as well as a spirit of celebration. 70% of freshmen at Northwestern participate in Rush Week activities. Over 33% of the class pledges; a 7% increase from 1973. Active Anne Brunk was selected Miss Lake Geneva 1974, was a finalist in the 1974 Miss Wisconsin Pageant, participated in Pom Poms and on the University Gymnastics team. Scholastic Honoraries included: Phi Beta Kappa Kappa Gamma ; campus photographer; Mortar Board (1974-75). At the 1975 Epsilon Province meeting Upsilon chapter was honored with the Jane Rikkers Award for unity and loyalty. Actives were leaders of the Northwestern Panhellenic Council. Nine actives performed with the Upsilon Pickers performing at campus activities as well as local clubs and conventions. Blistered feet became a badge of honor on the University Evanston campus since February 1975, the year Dance Marathon, one of Missourithe largest student-run philanthropies in the country was launched at Bloomquist Memorial Gymnasium at Northwestern. The first Dance Marathon which lasted a grueling 52 hours, Columbiaraised $9, Missouri105 for the American Epilepsy Foundation and the National Organization for Retarded Citizens. In 1976, 1875-2000the second Dance Marathon was held at Patten Gymnasium and dance time was decreased to 26 hours. The event raised $9,573 that was divided among the same two charities. The changing culture and economic hard times in Evanston, where Northwestern is located, led the City Council in 1972 to approve the sale of liquor by an 11 to 8 margin, with one abstention. Supporters said liquor licenses would help businesses in the central business district especially hotels and restaurants.
Northwestern followed the trend in 1975, filing a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court. It asked the court to determine that the local option law impliedly repealed the charter ban on alcohol sales within four miles of the campus. The impetus for the legal action came from students after the State of Illinois allowed the sale of beer and wine to persons 19 years old. Students wanted to have a "rathskeller" in Norris University Center.
The University won its case, applied for a liquor license from Evanston and began serving liquor on campus, ending the ban on alcohol sales that had survived more than 120 years.
In 1976 a member of Upsilon participated in the study aboard program at the University of Barcelona, Spain; an active was chosen Navy Ball Empress Candidate; another was one of 10 finalists for the 1975 College All-Star Queen and served as an intern in Washington DC; two actives were on the Pom Pom Squad; and three led the Northwestern University spirit on the cheerleading squad.
An Upsilon active was selected secretary-treasurer for the Panhellenic Council. Another active was elected to Phi Beta (national professional fraternity for women in music and speech) and then elected vice president based on her scholarship, leadership and character.
Fraternity Education played a large role during the pledge period – with Monday night meetings, quizzes were given and Kappa history was taught to the new members. During the Winter quarter of 1998, the chapter held, Rock-n-Bowl, a date party which became a tradition. A semi-formal date party was held at the Green Dolphin Street.
The 1998 scholarship program expanded to include a 15-hour study week. Traditions were upheld including the scholarship dinners which saw an increased participation by professors. Many women received awards for their academic performance. Chapter meetings included “word of the week” and a cultural suggestion.
As an added sisterhood event many of the women attended the Jenny Jones Show which was a syndicated daytime tabloid talk show that was hosted by comedian/actress/singer Jenny Jones and taped at the NBC studios in Chicago.
Founders Day was held on October 11, 1999 with a bang. The House Director actives were refreshed with their knowledge of Kappa’s founding and learned fun Kappa trivia in preparation for the ‘80s was still “Mom Cbig night.” who was described as being very well mannered Many alumnae from the Loop group and expected North Shore alumnae groups joined the chapter at Northwestern University for the girls to be well mannered backevent. The girls worked together to keep the house women participated in good condition for her. Mr. Paul was in charge of all of the maintenance in the house. Edna was the head cook whose kitchen was often a meeting place after class where the girls would tell her about candle-lighting ceremony and several women received their day Twenty-Five and then sneak a cookie or bananaFifty-Year anniversary pins. Refreshments were served.
During the winter, a Heritage Workshop was held for the chapter titled Kappa Jeopardy after the long-popular television quiz show to get the Kappas involved and to learn about Kappa history.
The chapter participated in the Northwestern student-based philanthropy which raised more than $500,000. This campus Dance Marathon benefitted Gilda’s Club, Chicago. Gilda’s Club provided cancer victims and their families with extra funds, housing and support. As a house, Upsilon raised nearly $7,000 for the Club through fundraising and canning efforts. After a moving chapter presentation organized by the house philanthropy chair, 15 Kappas canned (a form of fundraising), and then met to tour Gilda’s Club to meet some of the cancer victims benefiting from the fundraiser. The chair wrote home to the parents of Kappas requesting donations and followed up with personal thank you notes. The chair also created quilt squares commemorating Kappa Beth Pancoe, who passed away during the year from cancer. The quilt was put together by many sororities and fraternities and donated to Gilda’s Club. During the Dance Marathon, 10 Kappas were dancers and some served on the dance marathon committee.
In 2005-2006, Northwestern University was comprised of 8,000 undergraduate students. Northwestern has 12 sororities and 17 fraternities. Approximately 33% of the student body is active in Greek life.
Epsilon experienced a very successful Recruitment. The Golden Key Scholarship Fund (GKSF) awarded its first $1,000 scholarship for 1987chapter held a Founder's Day celebration and ceremony during which three alumni received their Fifty-88 Year pins. Members from the nearby alumni group were invited to attend. During the fall, a member group of Alpha Omicron Pi. By 1989 the Fund had grown alumni dedicated a globe to $95,000 making possible the awarding chapter in memory of two more scholarshipsa Kappa sister who passed away the previous year. The women hosted a ceremony to commemorate this event.
The chapter increased participation in campus Panhellenic philanthropy. The new members were not as familiar with Kappa ritual as they hoped to be, resulting in kappa Klassrooms to cover very specific ritual, formal chapter procedures and history. Northwestern University in 2006-2007 was comprised of approximately 7,750 undergraduate students. Northwestern is consistently one of the nation's top 15 Universities in the United States with 11 sororities and 17 fraternities. 35% of the student body is active in Greek life.
Upsilon had 120 members with 54 living in the Kappa house. The chapter members hail from all over the world, including Turkey, Jordan, England, and Israel. The chapter’s primary goals included improved chapter committee and philanthropy involvement. To achieve these goals, the women expanded committee roles, and committee heads were expected to delegate leadership and responsibility. The chapter elected new chapter officers and conducted a team consultation with Kellogg students to improve chapter officer interaction, make meetings more efficient and improve the way the chapter set its goals. The expansion of the old and new officers’ transition period allowed the new officers to be better trained and equipped to fulfill their new roles.
Upsilon had a very successful Recruitment with amazing Kappa spirit kept strong by prizes, fun costumes for rush groups during Member Selection and a hilarious rendition of their annual "Kappa Grease" skit. A Founder's Day celebration and ceremony were held during which several alumni received their anniversary pins. Members from the nearby alumni group were invited to attend. Upsilon chapter had one visit from a Leadership Consultants in the fall.
In 2008, the University opened a campus in Education City, Doha, Qatar with programs in journalism and communication. The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life hires an additional staff member to give specific attention to the culturally-based organizations.
Northwestern begins GreekBuild, an effort among all four Greek councils to fund raise for and build a Habitat for Humanity house. Members of the Northwestern Greek community work together to break down negative stereotypes about Greek life and service their community by going to the build site on Saturdays, interacting with the family for whom the house is being built and participating in fun fundraising events on and off campus.
The Kappa house was crammed women of Upsilon enjoyed playing waitresses and hostesses as they served Kappasta dinner to capacity with close others. Kappasta raised more than $2,000 in proceeds to 90 girls living in benefit Project Kindle and more than 100 living out. In 1999 there were 61 new members bringing the chapter total to 206 members. The dining room only could hold 180 for a formal sitEvanston Community Foundation, the two beneficiaries of the all-down mealcampus Dance Marathon 2009.
During the year the chapter moved elections to the end of fall quarter from the beginning of winter quarter to alleviate some of the stress after Formal Recruitment in the winter. However, transitions were still held in the winter so that women who were abroad during the fall semester would still be eligible for positions. This worked well for the girls and they plan to keep this system for the future.
In 2010, a number of construction projects were completed on the Northwestern University campus including the completion of Harris, the history building, which was a relief for history majors who had been displaced due to the construction. The Evanston Brothel Law has been of major concern for upperclassmen moving off campus. Northwestern students expressed their concerns to Evanston officials who ultimately decided not to enforce the law, saving many rising juniors and seniors from another off campus headache.
As of December, 2011, the Barta sisters, Lexi (‘07), Romi (’10) and Marni (’13), all of Upsilon, along with a fourth sister, a student at the University of Pennsylvania donated more than 60,000 movies to more than 600 different hospitals throughout the United States and South Africa through their nonprofit organization, Kid Flicks. Their goal was to provide every children’s hospital in the country with a Kid Flicks movie library.
In 2014 our chapter accomplished a great amount. Our officers worked incredibly hard to better organize the entire management of the chapter and took on the responsibility of redefining the culture within our chapter. All bylaws were updated and chapter council gained an entire advisory board to work with following our April meeting with the Fraternity. The chapter also focused a lot of energy on Northwestern's largest philanthropic even, Dance Marathon (DM). Individuals worked hard to raise enough money to participate, and the chapter also worked together to create a successful event, Kappasta. The event was incredibly fun and was a great way to promote new member bonding. The money raised at Kappasta was put towards our general Kappa DM fund and we ended up raising $90,000 and winning second place for large Greek teams for the fourth year in a row. Upsilon also connected to the Evanston community by volunteering at the YMCA and reading to children. We look forward to continuing our relationship with the YMCA and volunteering there again. Sisterhood events were another great highlight of the year. The chapter had a sisterhood event every month and we enjoyed various activities such as pumpkin carving, tie dying, kappa notebook decorating, and pledge family photos. Our chapter also received the awards Highest Quarterly GPA and most improved quarterly GPA in fall 2013 from the Order of Omega.
The chapter collected books and donated them president wears a historical badge that has been handed down to children in the Columbia area. They participated in, and won, Dream Girl competition that assisted solders overseas. They worked with other Greek and campus philanthropy events benefiting the Children’s Miracle Network, the Salvation Army North American Food Drive, Rainbow House of Mid-Missouri, Coyote Hill Children’s Home, and the University of Missouri’s Safe Driver Programeach Upsilon president.
==Highlights of 2015==
In 2015, our chapter accomplished a great amount. Our chapter council officers worked hard to continue what we started in 2014 to better organize the entire management of the chapter and to redefine the culture within our chapter. All officers worked with their advisors as well as LCs to brainstorm and devise more successful strategies to accomplish the duties of their positions and to encourage involvement and cooperation in all chapter members. We even participated in our first retreat where chapter council members met with advisors and members of the Fraternity to re-strategize for the upcoming school year. We also worked hard to better our sisterhood. We started “senior of the week” presentations at each chapter meeting so that the underclassmen could really get to know the senior pledge class. We also implemented coffee dates where underclassmen get coffee with upperclassmen who share similar interests. This was helpful both socially and academically because underclassmen could seek upperclassmen with the same majors or job interests and get their advice.
Chapter Philanthropy:
What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in your community? Reading is Fundamental and the YMCA
Reading is Fundamental is the Fraternity’s official beneficiary, and we all greatly appreciate the importance of literacy and furthering education in our community. The Evanston “Y” has provided an excellent venue for our continued support of literacy and working with children in our community.
This past year was a great year for Upsilon chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma at Northwestern. Our year was filled with scholarship, sisterhood, charity, and more. We sent three of our members to Convention in San Diego this summer, which was great and allowed them to bring their new information to the chapter. We also started out our year with a newly renovated home, which made living in the house even more enjoyable for everyone. We used the new living room to host movie nights or to bring together the chapter to watch the election or political debates.
We also had many sisterhood events such as Kappa Thanksgiving or when we went pumpkin picking. These were great opportunities for our chapter to bond and make everlasting memories. This year Upsilon also made a lot of internal changes and made progress in pushing our chapter in the right direction. We updated our risk policies and created a Change Management Team . In terms of philanthropy, we hosted many events and raised a lot of money through events such as our Spelling Bee and reading events. Not many noticable changes have occurred on the Northwestern campus, however, in terms of the nature of our chapter, Upsilon has made a lot of internal changes and has made a lot of progess in order to make our chapter a better, more sustainable, and value-based chapter. We have implemented a Change Management Team, updated our risk management policies, and more.
Besides supporting our national philanthropy Reading is Fundamental, we also support Northwestern's Dance Marathon. Each year Dance Marathon chooses a new charity to support and the whole school raises money in individual teams. Kappa Kappa Gamma teams up with a fraternity each year to raise money for the cause. This year, Dance Marathon will be supporting Gigi's Playhouse, which is a nonprofit that provides support and programming to individuals with Down Syndrome. Through multiple fundraising efforts, Upsilon Chapter will raise money to support Gigi'Philanthropy:'''s playhouse, as well as dance for 30 hours in Dance Marathon. Each year we support and raise money for Dance Marathon because we believe it is an important part of being an active member of the Northwestern community as well as supporting local causes. As students at Northwestern, we want to give back in any way we can, and supporting Dance Marathon allows us to help charities that are close the campus, whether that be in Evanston or Chicago. We hold informal chapter meetings in our living room. We are fortunate enough to have a beautiful home where many of the women in our chapter can live. In this house, we have a beautiful and newly renovated living room where we can host informal chapter, and we host formal chapter in the lower level of the home.
==Highlights of 2017==
2017 was a transformative year for Upsilon. From January to today, the chapter held a number of events and achieved many milestones. The winter quarter period, from January to March, began with a succcesful recruitment. Upsilon welcomed a pledge class of 36 new women. In between Big/Little week, Rock 'n Bowl and other activities, the quarter was also dedicated to transitioning the new chapter council. Our Marshal organized a phenomenal Initiation in the presence of alumnae and advisers. One of our favorite events was "Galentine's Tea" to celebrate each other and the annual favorite philanthropy event, Kappasta, was also organized to raise money for Dance Marathon. After a refreshing spring break, the chapter came back in the spring to wrap things up and prepare for summer. A few of our sisters represented Upsilon at the Leadership Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. While there, they met with our advisers and We held our spring formal at Zed451 with a fun twist: superlatives. Sisters voted on who best fit categories such as "Kappa Kat Lady," "Kween of the Kitchen,"Kappa Kardashian," "#1 Kappal," "Kappa Kouple," "Kappa Tough Kookie," "Kappa Kackle," "Kappa Kouch Potato," and others. Winners were given sashes during the formal. As the academic year wrapped up, NPC recognized the chapter for excellence in Congruencce and Accountability and Kappa HQ changed our status from Warning of Probation to Focus Letter. We accomplished many things from January to June and we left Evanston happy with the progress and focused on keeping up the work.. When we came back in September, the chapter council decided to focus on wellness. Upsilon organized a body image workshop with author and professor Dr. Renee Engeln about her book, Beauty Sick, that discusses the problematic cultural discussion of women's bodies. Upsilon and NPC partnered for the event and made it a campus-wide event, in which there were copies of the Engeln book raffled to audience members. Upsilon continued to have wellness conversations throughout the quarter. Fall quarter was also dedicated to recruitment preparation, and several workshops were held for the chapter to begin getting ready for recruitment in January. Women also volunteered at the YMCA to read to kids. Lastly, Upsilon held its fall formal at Key Club in downtown Chicago in late November. The theme was "Sapphire Ball" with women wearing blue dresses and the famed campus photographer, Justin Barbin, taking photos of the event. The House Committee also planned a staff appreciation event by making a poster with all chapter members writing their appreciation for Leo, Aida and Ms. Murray. Lastly, the quarter wrapped up with a visit from ABC News' 20/20 show crew to film the house for a special about Upsilon Kappa, Meghan Markle. Meghan will marry Prince Harry of Great Britain in May 2018 and will become a Duchess.
2018 was a great year for Kappa Kappa Gamma. We began this school year welcoming new house mom, Lynn. She has been a great addition to our chapter! Our officers continued working hard to facilitate a healthy environment in the sorority and worked to formulate a new chapter council structure. We are excited to see this play out next year. This calendar year the chapter raised money for Northwestern Dance Marathon at our annual Kappasta event. It was a great way for the new pledge class to bond with each other and older members. The chapter is now looking forward to next years Dance Marathon where we will be supporting Chicago Public Schools and the Evanston Community Foundation. Each year we support and raise money for Dance Marathon. Dance marathon is an important part of Kappa Kappa Gamma and the Northwestern community because we feel it is important to support local causes and support each other at the same time. As students at Northwestern, we want to give back in any way we can, and supporting Dance Marathon allows us to help charities that are close the campus, whether that be in Evanston or Chicago.In the fall the chapter supported Reading is Fundamental by sponsoring a profit share at Blaze Pizza where part of the profits from each pizza sold were donated to RIF. It was such a fun time and a great way to raise money and awareness for RIF. The chapter also took trips to local elderly homes and read to the residents there to further help the Evanston community. The chapter holds their meetings on campus in the sorority house. Due to an influx of violence on campus, there have been increased secruity measures around the sorority quad and the chapter has responded by walking in groups at night and being aware of our surroundings. All sororities came together to implement group walking and safety measures. The chapter was very happy for our alumnae Meghan Markle on her marriage to Prince Harry. We are very fortunate as the house board has recently provided our kitchen with new appliances for the members to use. We now have access to a toaster oven as well as a panini maker, allowing the members more freedom in the kitchen.
==Highlights of 2019==
2019 was a great year for Upsilon! The winter quarter period, from January to March, began with our formal recruitment. Upsilon was honored to receive a pledge class of 25 new members. From Big/Little week to Rock '''Highlights n Bowl, our new members began to feel right at home on 1871 Orrington Avenue. Four of our chapter members additionally visited Dallas, Texas for Kappa Leadership Conference, where they learned the importance of leading by example. Thanks to our VP Member Development, we participated in a fabulous education programming about eating disorders. Our annual philanthropy event, Kappasta, was an extreme success, organized to raise money for Dance Marathon. Upsilon and Pi Kappa Alpha raised over $2500 for Communities in Schools of 2020s:'''From chapter’s History Report: ScholarshipChicago! Alongside Kappasta, Upsilon engaged in a Soul Cycle fundraiser for NUDM as well. To end out our winter quarter, group honors/awardsthe Kappa NUDM team raised $71, traditions000, special eventsplacing second in the large team category for best performing fundraising teams! After our spring break, changes on campus or within the chaptercame back in to wrap things up and prepare for summer. During our spring quarter, overall nature we engaged in many programmings, on topics such as sexual assault and bystander intervention. We additionally met with our district specialists and advisers to develop an Action Plan in lieu of the chapterprobation we were placed on in March. Our Philanthropy chair additionally planned an impressive event at our local philanthropy, Cornerstone Community Outreach Center, reading with underprivileged Evanston youth. To end April, we engaged in a homemade fondue sisterhood event in the Kappa Kitchen! May was filled with Kappa fun - including a great formal at Trophy Room as well as a laser tag sisterhood event! When we returned in September, chapter goalswe picked up right where we left off, challenges progressing through the Action Plan and how making strides towards becoming the best possible version of Upsilon. We were lucky enough to be visited by the 150 Year Sisterhood Van, where we learned a bit about the past 150 years of Kappa history as they were overcomemade their way across the country from Monmouth to Convention! Additionally, our Risk Manager presented an incredible hazing prevention workshop in preparation for new members this winter. In November, we hosted an impressive philanthropy event, our first ever Family Weekend Brunch & Silent Auction to support our local philanthropy, Cornerstone Community Outreach and our national philanthropy Reading is Fundamental in the Kappa house. Finally, etcwe closed off November with a fabulous Sapphire Ball formal at Clutch Bar in Chicago as well as a cookie decorating sisterhood event before reading and finals weeks.:We can’t wait to see what is in store for Upsilon near year, and how great of a chapter we can continue to aspire to be! "
Northwestern has become a politically correct and inclusive campus. Northwestern has begun creating gender neutral bathrooms throughout campus buildings as well as engaging in discussions pertaining to how journalists should report on traumatic situations, as per the Daily Northwestern's coverage of the protest surrounding Jeff Sessions'speech on campus. Additionally, Northwestern celebrated its 150th anniversary of admitting women into its student body this past year, which was an incredible feat for the women of Kappa Kappa Gamma to celebrate. Northwestern is also experiencing a decline in terms of Greek life - less women are choosing to undergo recruitment overall, which results in smaller pledge classes for all chapters. This makes ensuring that Kappa'Housing:''' s brand is a positive and welcoming one overall all the more important for Upsilon in order to ensure its success for many years to come.
We support Cornerstone Community Outreach. It is a local homeless shelter in Evanston. The women of Upsilon are lucky enough to have a home on 1871 Orrington Avenue and we want to enable other Evanston residents to have somewhere they can call home like we call the Kappa house.
We welcomed the Minnie Stewart 150 Year Sisterhood Van as it stopped on our campus! We also bought a banner to hang on the porch of our house to celebrate."
2020 was a difficult year for everyone as we balanced living in a new normal during a global pandemic. Upsilon chapter had a successful winter formal recruitment where we were pleased to welcome and initiate 25 new members. We had a welcoming Big/Little week, followed by Inspiration Week, and a costume-themed formal in March. We had Northwestern Dance Marathon scheduled for the first weekend of March however, Northwestern University cancelled NUDM due to rising COVID-19 cases in the country. As the pandemic worsened, Northwestern University mandated virtual or socially distanced final exams for Winter Quarter. Many students went home before finals week, including several of Upsilon’s members. Spring Quarter at Northwestern was completely virtual, so chapter operations for Upsilon were held virtually. In the spring, we held sisterhood events over Zoom and sent out weekly newsletters, where our members bonded while being all over the world. Our Upsilon members overseas were in different time zones so we structured our virtual meetings at different times. Additionally, we realized the inaccessibility of Zoom meetings for our members who may not have access to internet or Zoom-compatible devices which led us to make all chapter events optional for attendance. We were also saddened by the retirement of our House Director, Lynn, but were happy to welcome our new House Director. In October, we celebrated Kappa’s Founders Day and the 150th year anniversary over Zoom. Additionally, thanks to our VP Membership Education, Lindsay Tanney, we held a weekly speakers series, where we invited speakers from several different social justice organizations to come teach our members ways we can incorporate inclusivity in our daily lives.
Our new virtual world did not stop Upsilon from continuing our philanthropic efforts. Not only were we virtual during a global pandemic, but we witnessed the violent and unjustifiable murder of George Floyd, which forced the media to bring the issues of racial injustices to the forefront. Upsilon chapter held a virtual fundraiser, using Bingo cards, to raise money for the Chicago Community Bail Fund. We chose this organization because it advocates for low-income communities who cannot afford bail. Our members participated in protests for Black Lives Matter all over the world and continued to stand against injustice. The Upsilon chapter released a public statement condemning anti-Blackness and social injustices, as well as signing several petitions urging Northwestern University to prioritize the needs of Black and Indigenous students. Being in quarantine allowed our members to truly reflect ways which they uphold white supremacist structures and think of ways to combat exclusivity. Along with the Black Lives Matter movement, we experienced a rise in the Abolish Greek Life movement, a movement on campuses across the country trying to disband Greek institutions. The Abolish Greek Life movement reached Northwestern’s campus where some Interfraternity and Panhellenic chapters disbanded. Our Upsilon chapter experienced a large wave of resignations from members. The financial burden of membership dues on top of financial insecurity caused by the pandemic and a high volume of unemployment led several members to resign.
2020 brought along several hardships and catalyzed many necessary changes but through it all, our members were able to find community in the Upsilon chapter.
---------------'''Note to Chapter Registrar:''' Please refer to your chapter archives including chapter meeting minutes and back issues of ''The Key'' to fill in any gaps in the above historical highlights. If your chapter archives are not complete, please research your university library, campus newspaper and yearbook archives for newsworthy information about your chapter. Please double check your work for accuracy. Contact chapter Advisory or House Board members, local Alumnae Association members, or your Province Director of Chapters for assistance. Your efforts will ensure a complete and accurate history of your chapter for future generations to enjoy!