Theta Alpha

 

Theta Alpha
ΘA
Founded	November 3, 2018 (2018-11-03)
College	Southern University Illinois Edwardsville
Location	Edwardsville, Illinois
Homepage	Theta Alpha Chapter Website
Media related to Theta Alpha Chapter

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, Illinois Founded as Theta Alpha Chapter November 3, 2018 164 total initiates (as of January 2020)

Charter members:

Outstanding Theta Alpha Alumnae:

Outstanding Theta Alpha Alumnae

Fraternity Officers:

Fraternity Loyalty Award Recipients:

Alumna Achievement Award Recipients:

Additional Outstanding Theta Alpha Alumnae

Highlights of 2018

Fall of 2018 was an amazing first semester for the newly installed chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma, Theta Alpha Chapter at Southern University Illinois Edwardsville. This fall will be remembered through monumental firsts including Kamp Kappa Bid Day, our first officer elections, and creating a sisterhood through many activities. Events such as our first powderpuff season and family reveals, along with many other memories, bonded us together. Our first activities as a chapter would begin in September when our first Bid Day was held on the 16th, where Theta Alpha’s first ever New Member class of 132 women were welcomed by the Leadership Consultants at Kamp Kappa on SIUE’s campus.

In October, as a chapter we really began to gain momentum and learn what it means to not only be a Kappa woman, but sisters. On the weekend of the 2nd we celebrated homecoming and participated in homecoming week festivities leading up to this weekend such as mechanical bull riding, chalk mural competitions and chili cook-offs. We cheered on sisters through our powderpuff season as we made it into the championship games and had a bowling sisterhood event where we gathered in Cougar Lanes for some fun. We had a Founders Day celebration with the men of Delta Chi on the 13th and supported “So You Think You Can Go Greek” event held by Sigma Tau Gamma with a dance routine put on by some of our women. On the 18th we were able to have a cookie meet and greet with Fraternity President Gail Owen, NPC Delegate Beth Black, Executive Director Kari Poole, and Director of Chapter Services Katherine Cianciotto while they visited St. Louis for the NPC annual meeting. Also following our refreshments on the 18th we were able to support our sisters Lexi Clutts and Kendra Kolb as they represented Kappa and Delta Chi in the Greek Goddess event which is hosted by Sigma Phi Epsilon to raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters. On the 23rd we had Family Reveal where our group preferences we submitted ended up in family placements of 4-5 girls in the original lineage. The 25th brought our New Member Retreat at Altitude trampoline park and sisterhood events on campus - we had lip synch battles, jumped to our hearts content, and made envelopes to prep for Inspiration week. At the end of the month the first ever Chapter Council was elected and we cannot wait to see all the wonderful ways they will lead Kappa Kappa Gamma, Theta Alpha Chapter! The final week of October was Inspiration Period which included many things such as painting Kappa crafts, study table events, and a Hocus Pocus movie night.

We started off November strong with our Installation and Initiation on the 2nd and 3rd in St. Louis where Theta Alpha Chapter was installed and the first ever New Member class was initiated. Our weekend in the city was a great time where we were all introduced to the years of ritual that represents our sisterhood. The rest of November contained various campus-wide events such as a Greek night basketball game with dinner provided by SIUe athletics. This month we also had a Thanksgiving potluck mixer with Sigma Tau Gamma.

We wrapped up our first semester in December with some great events. Our first Executive Board Leadership Day was on the 2nd where some of the key activities included some team building, review and covering of material, and some time to write sweet encouraging notes to our other sisters. We had our first semiformal at Mad Art Gallery in St. Louis where we danced the night away on the 3rd. We also had “Grabba Grabba Donut” which was a little morale booster for our fellow students where we set out a table of donuts to pass out for free. In our final week of school we had one last sisterhood event before we all said goodbye for the holiday where we painted ornaments and enjoyed some Christmas music.

Highlights of 2019

AUGUST ● Held our first work week where we all grew closer and our bonds of sisterhood were strengthened. ● Successfully went through our first formal recruitment. ● Celebrated a Kappa-Chella themed Bid Day where we welcomed home 36 new members. SEPTEMBER ● Hosted our first Parents' Day, consisting of food and games to be enjoyed by the families of KKG members. ● Participated in Continuous Open Bidding for the fall semester. ● Had a successful apple picking Sisterhood at Eckert’s Country Store and Farm. OCTOBER ● 3 Kappa women were elected onto SIUe’s Panhellenic Council. ● We successfully initiated our Fall 2019 members. ● Nomination Committee was elected NOVEMBER ● Had a successful first major philanthropy event on campus called the “RIF Off” ● Our new Leadership Team was elected for the 2020 term. ● Had ASTP programming that informed our chapter and our entire greek community on the importance of alcohol safety. DECEMBER ● Composite picture for 2019-2020 was taken. ● New officers for the 2020 term held their first chapter. During the fall semester, SIUE welcomed a new fraternity on campus, Delta Tau Delta. Members of Kappa Kappa Gamma were able to attend the induction for the new members of Delta Tau Delta. Our chapter is busy crew, but enjoy supporting other Greek organizations. Theta Alpha is also encouraging its members to strive for academic excellence in order to bring up our overall GPA.

This chapter supports Reading is Fundamental, Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation, and Kelsie’s Hope. The chapter supports these organizations because they give back to those that are truly in need and we want to help provide a positive future for those organizations through funding.

Theta Alpha celebrated Founders Day at a beautiful venue in Edwardsville called Crystal Gardens. We had lunch together and talked about what Kappa means to us. We also held the Founders Day ceremony.

The Minnie Stewart van visited our SIUE campus in November to get us excited about the 150th anniversary of KKG. We are planning to host a celebration for our members and extending invitations to chapter alumnae and the St. Louis Alumnae Association.

This first semester was a huge period of growth for us as a chapter as we established ourselves within the chapter and in leadership roles. Through the highs and lows we really started to mature with our sisters and enjoy some laughs along the way. We cannot wait to see what 2020 holds as a newly established chapter, and look forward to our future dear Kappa days.

Highlights of 2020

"Chapter Summary January: Formal pledging and Bid Day for COB members 1/26/2020, Sisterhood for karaoke, PHC Best Dance Crew – participated, RIF reading event at Hamel Elementary school; February: Turning tragedy into progress, Kappa Kisses, Speed Dating sisterhood, RIF reading event at Hamel Elementary school; March: Book drive donations for Reading is Fundamental on 3/2/2020, Big Little reveal for COB members on 3/1/2020, Transitioned to online events and paper chapter related to COVID-19 restrictions; April: Virtual initiation 4/26/2020 for 10 new members, Virtual Netflix Party sisterhood; May: Meals for Meds fundraiser on 5/5/2020, Finals week May 4-8th; August: Virtual work week and recruitment, Virtual and socially distant/masked BID day celebration(theme Dream A While on 8/31/2020); September: Virtual programming chapter 9/20/2020 about body positivity, RIF fundraiser on 9/6/2020; October: Big Little reveal for fall 2020 members on 10/18/2020, Virtual 5K fundraiser for RIF occurred 10/10/2020, Virtual founders day celebration 10/11/2020 for Theta Alpha, and the national celebration was held 10/13/2020, Virtual initiation with the Iota and Alpha chapters with 18 new members on 10/24/2020, Virtual sisterhood using Netflix Party occurred during I-Week; November: Virtual Officer elections occurred for the 2021 calendar year, Virtual Behind Happy Faces HQ programming for the Theta Alpha Chapter. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions were put in place for our university in March. This caused the Theta Alpha chapter to finish the school year in the Spring semester of 2020 with virtual chapter. Since then, the Theta Alpha chapter learned how to provide all important Kappa experiences virtually, including chapter (both formal and informal), new member experience meetings, virtual work week and recruitment, virtual initiation, and in January of 2021 we will have virtual officer installations.

Our chapter supports Reading Is Fundamental, Kelsie’s Hope, and the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation. The chapter supports these organizations because they give back to those that are truly in need and we want to help provide a positive future for those organizations through funding.

The Theta Alpha chapter provided programming related to body positivity, as well as Behind Happy Faces training provided by headquarters. Theta Alpha also provided its members with anti-racism programming. Throughout the months, the Theta Alpha chapter has provided its members with ways to be inclusive on social media, including tagging sisters in inspirational Instagram stories. "

The Theta Alpha chapter had it’s own virtual celebration the Sunday before the 150th celebration (10/11/2020) where we played a virtual Kappa Kappa Gamma History jeopardy game. The members were also able to take the online quiz of Which Founding Member Are You and were able to learn more about the founding members. Chapter members were also encouraged to attend the national celebration virtually on October 13th.

sisters

sisterhood

philanthropy

Highlights of 2021

JANUARY • 1/18 Officer Installations • 1/24 Completed our officer transitions during Leadership Day • Virtual Book Fundraiser for Hamel Elementary School

FEBRUARY • First week of February: had a letter writing campaign for a local senior living facility • Second week of February: had a letter writing campaign for St. Jude Children’s Hospital • Third week of February: had a letter writing campaign for Support Our Troops • Informal Recruitment • 2/19 Composites

MARCH • 3/7 New Member Pinning • Study Hour Competition

APRIL • 4/9 Meditation Sisterhood • 4/12-4/17 SIUE Greek Week • 4/15 Drive-in Fundraiser for Kellsie’s Hope • 4/19 Kappa Headquarters Programming • 4/23-4/24 Initiation

MAY • Finals Week

AUGUST • 8/16-8/19 Work Week • 8/18 Voted on new local philanthropy: Ready Readers • 8/19 Participated in SIUE’s Greek Patio Party • 8/26-8/29 Formal Recruitment • 8/29 Bid Day

SEPTEMBER • 9/6 - Formal Pledging • 9/6 - Voted on Mental Health Philanthropy: NAMI • 9/9 - Panhellenic Painting Sisterhood Event • 9/20-9/25 SIUE Homecoming

OCTOBER • 10/1 Golf Mixer with Kappa Sig • 10/4-10/8 Annual Mental Health Week • 10/9 Big/Little Reveal • 10/10 Parent’s Day • 10/12 Sisterhood Event • 10/13 Founders Day • 10/15-10/16 Initiation • 10/23 Halloween Mixer with Delta Chi • 10/27-10/28 Halloween Bake Sale

NOVEMBER • 11/1 SIUE Panhellenic Programming • 11/5 Semi Formal • 11/7 Officer Elections • 11/14 Kappa Headquarters Programming • 11/18 Kappa Philanthropy Event: Greeks Gone Geek

DECEMBER • Finals Week

SIUE is going through lots of transitions with COVID. In the Spring of 2021, all of campus (and subsequently Theta Alpha chapter) was completely online. Fall of 2021, Siue has been in more of a hybrid situation, with some events and classes being in person and some being online. Kappa has tried to have in-person events where we can, like chapter, but some things we do host online for everyone’s convenience.

This chapter supports NAMI, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation, and Ready Readers. The chapter supports these organizations because they give back to those that are truly in need and we want to help provide a positive future for those organizations through funding.

This year we had a lot of concerns about an in-person Founders Day so we kept our plan from last year and hosted an online celebration. We did the “which Kappa founder are you” quiz and then did a Kappa trivia competition.