Kappa Kappa Gamma

By Guest Blogger Margaret Durante, Clemson

If any of you reading this are like me when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, you may have set some pretty lofty and intimidating goals for yourself that fall by the wayside sometime around February. Okay, you got me, maybe by mid-January, but that was only that one year when I decided I was going to cut bread and all things carb-y and delicious out of my diet entirely. Please! However this year, while I will constantly keep the big picture in mind (and I will say that my bigger picture doesn’t involve a major dietary change) my focus will be tackling manageable, mini goals along the way that get me closer to my ultimate aspiration day by day.

As some of you may know, I am one of your loyal Kappa sisters and I’m currently living in Nashville working full-time as a country music artist. In the middle of my sophomore year at Clemson, I made the difficult decision to move to Nashville when an irresistible opportunity from a music industry mogul came my way. I had been searching for a way to break into the music industry, but when the offer finally came to me I had to do a lot of soul searching before I made my choice. The weeks before I left Clemson for Nashville were filled with sleepless nights where I lay awake asking myself, “What about my degree? Am I crazy for thinking I can make it in the music industry? Am I willing to sacrifice my college experience and leave my friends and my Kappa sisters behind and go to a brand new city where I know no one?” My answers to those questions changed every day, but one thing I was certain of was that I had the chance of a lifetime to pursue a career I had dreamed of my whole life … and that certainty trumped my doubt.

I remember sitting on the floor of the common room in the Kappa hall with my pledge sisters and fighting back tears as I announced to them what I was going to do. They made me realize that I have a community of people who will care about me and support me and it made everything a little bit easier. Once I got to Nashville, the pressure to fulfill my objective of making music that would make me a commercial success, and put together a live show that would reach and entertain people, was crushing. I knew that I had given up a normal life to be in Music City, and I was impatient with the process at first. Four years later, I have learned to cherish the creative process and take each song one by one, and allow myself to become inspired so I can be a better musician and artist.

I have my first full album coming out this year and I am so excited. I am focusing on putting a great band together with palpable chemistry on and off the stage. It’s a big goal, sure, but it is one step in reaching my goal to have an undeniably compelling live show. My next step is putting the finishing touches on my album in the studio. Then I will release a radio single and tour the country visiting stations and playing shows.

With goals, it’s sometimes easy to get ahead of ourselves and become discouraged in the face of everything that needs to be done. I’ve realized that if I give myself a break and take on something I know I can handle, it works out. As stressed as I can get, one call to my mom—one of my favorite Kappas—and I realize life is wonderful and I am doing what I love.

Wishing you a stellar 2012!

Loyally,

Margaret Durante

By Libbi, Virginia Tech

Rewind one year:  It’s spring 2011, and the realization sets in that I’m graduating soon from Virginia Tech with a degree in fashion merchandising management, and no solid plans post-diploma. I (thankfully) kept up with the Kappa Kappa Gamma Facebook page, and happened to see a wall post about an opportunity to intern at Kappa’s Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio.  “Oh, the adventures I could have and the things I could learn working for Kappa” I said to myself. So I sent in an application, and continued on to complete my last semester of school.

Libbi and Brita in Monmouth

After an email, a phone interview and a few days of waiting for a decision, I was offered the 2011 Summer Headquarters Internship with Kappa Kappa Gamma! I was beside myself! I got in contact with the also recently hired Kappa Kappa Gamma Heritage Museum intern – an adorable southern girl named Brita from a school I had never heard of, Furman University. As it turned out, we had mutual friends! The Six Degrees of Separation of Kappa was certainly in effect as we soon found that our best friends both worked for the same men’s fraternity as leadership consultants.

Two weeks after graduation, I packed my car and headed to Columbus, a seven-hour drive that gave me much time to ask “what ifs” about the summer job I was about to embark on. As soon as I arrived, it was as if I hit the ground running. From orientation and meeting the staff to getting settled in the apartment and learning my way around HQ, as well as having a multitude of projects assigned, I soon became acclimated with life in Columbus and at Kappa.

From extension research to writing a press release and learning about social media statistics, from preparing for Leadership Academy, to creating a Kappa Learning Institute program and starring in a fire safety video, there were many projects that kept me busy during the weeks of the summer. Another highlight was visiting The Stewart House and Monmouth College, where Kappa was founded so many years ago. Learning the ins and outs of Fraternity Headquarters gave me quite a different perspective on “the bigger picture” of my organization.  The staff of 40 people who care so much about our organization (not all of them are Kappas, and there are even a few men!)

each have a specific duty crucial to our success. The Headquarters staff and Kappa volunteers are the engine powering the freight train of Kappa Kappa Gamma.

The internship isn’t just about working for Kappa; a major part of the experience was exploring the city and learning about my new environment. I enjoyed the many festivals throughout the summer, took field trips to learn about Columbus, hosted a few dinner parties, made many friends and was even spontaneously recruited for a kickball league. All these things made my internship that much more memorable. I encourage any Kappa who is interested in learning more about our Fraternity to apply, as it was one of the most memorable and favorite summers I’ve ever had!

Are you interested in being the next Kappa intern? Both the Fraternity Headquarters Internship and the Catherine Schroeder Graf Heritage Museum Internship are 12-weeks and qualified Kappas may apply through Fraternity Headquarters by February 1.

Guest Blogger Carol H. Rasco, President and CEO of Reading Is Fundamental

“The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”  – Dr. Seuss, I Can Read with My Eyes Shut

For me, reading might be more accurately described as a need like drinking a refreshing glass of water. You know how you just plain feel better when you stay hydrated? My earliest memories involve my parents and other dear family members reading to me.

Yet as I pause from devouring the written word to take account of all that I have read, my heart skips a beat and my mind skips ahead with an immediate sense of anticipation about the countless books, articles, and emails piling up between my home bookshelf, work desk, computer, e-reader, local library stacks, and boxes of books all around me. How and when will I read them all?

Okay … deep breaths, Carol! The reality is I’ll never be able to read them all. Oh, but the joy that will come with trying … this joy is the joy that I’ve dedicated my life’s work to. All children— big and small (yes, that includes you!) should be motivated to be lifelong readers.

The start of a new year is the perfect time to embrace a commitment to reading for a lifetime. Here are five quick tips:

• Read for pleasure every day. Whether it’s a single page of a book or an affirmation, the joy you’ll experience will be a welcome escape from life’s hectic pace.

• Let good books find you. If you skipped the many “best of” booklists this past year and just want a “good” book to read, get a referral from a friend, colleague, or librarian.

• Share a story. Read to a child in your life through a Kappa Kappa Gamma  “Reading Is Key” volunteer opportunity. You’ll feel empowered knowing you’re inspiring the next generation of lifelong readers.

• Go ahead! Join or start that book club you’ve always wanted to be a part of (consider an online group). Even if you have to skip a page or two and show up at every other meeting, just do it. You’ll feel great and meet new friends along the way.

• Jot it down. Keep a journal of what you’ve read and when. (Don’t forget to include children’s books.) The memories you’ll have when reflecting on and sharing this list will be priceless.

I’m still compiling my lifetime list of favorite books. In the meantime, my reading journey continues. This year, it began on my flight back from Arkansas after visiting my family for the holidays. I was whisked away into the unfamiliar world of Anna, a Mexican Mennonite, who shares her innermost thoughts about leaving home and traveling north with her family to work on farms in Canada. I am grateful for Anna keeping me company on my trip home and replacing the inevitable sadness that comes when leaving family with the excitement for the journey ahead. I was captivated from the first sentence …

“There are times when Anna feels like a bird. It’s the birds, after all, that fly north in the spring and south every fall, chasing the sun, following the warmth.” – Migrant by Maxine Trottier

And that’s what books provide for me—comfort, a glimpse into other worlds, inspiration, and the excitement to expand what I know.

On behalf of your friends at RIF, thank you to every member of Kappa Kappa Gamma for your continued support. May your reading journey bring you a lifetime of endless surprises, delights, and memorable moments.

Happy Reading in 2012 and beyond!

- Carol H. Rasco

Guest Blogger Lindsay, Oklahoma

It’s been just over a year since my husband Brian and I officially said “Yes!” to international adoption in December 2010. We had little idea about what to expect, and certainly could have never guessed the events that have transpired over the past twelve months. If I had to describe our family before our decision to adopt, I’d say we were a pretty normal, midwestern family. I’m home most days with our two boys while my husband is employed by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Edmond, OK. We go to a church we love, spend lots of time with our little boys and enjoy being with our extended family.

Last year we met a family who adopted a son from Ethiopia. At the time we didn’t know them well, but their decision to adopt internationally greatly impacted us. We lightheartedly threw around the idea of adoption for a few days until Brian and I began researching a bit more about it, specifically from Africa, on the internet.  We began reading and learned the astounding numbers of children without parents, living on the street, or most heartbreaking, the high infant and child death rate … sometimes due simply to the fact that there is no access to clean water! It was as if at that moment God took a straight pin and burst our safe little suburban bubble. “In my 27 years on this earth why am I just now getting this?!” I thought.  And at that point, we simply couldn’t say no.

We began pursuing an Ethiopian adoption, but several months in felt God shift our path toward the Democratic Republic of Congo. Both my husband and I were completely intrigued and heartbroken by what we were learning about Congo. I read about very young girls forced into prostitution, and young boys abducted and put into militia groups. I wept. I truly felt my heart ache for these children and the country that no one seems to talk about. We officially switched countries and began pursuing an adoption of a child from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It was scary. We didn’t know anyone who had adopted from or even visited the Democratic Republic of Congo. We fell in love with the country and the people. We will be welcoming our baby girl home from Congo in the coming months. We first saw her picture 4 months ago. She is around 8 months old with the sweetest little face and big brown eyes. We hope that we are just a few months away from bringing her home, but international adoption is slow and unpredictable. We’ll just continue praying and looking forward to the day she is home where she belongs. Our eyes have been opened, our hearts forever changed and our prayer is that others will be moved to act as well.

Excerpt from January 2006 Historically Speaking, by Kay Smith Larson, Washington, History Chairman 2002-2006

Did you know that the insignia most commonly referred to as the “crest” of Kappa Kappa Gamma is actually the Fraternity Coat-of-Arms?

The Coat-of-Arms at Fraternity Headquarters

The “crest” is only one part of a coat-of-arms and always appears above the helmet. According to Webster’s, a coat-of-arms is “a shield with heraldic emblems as the insignia of some group” and a crest is “a heraldic device placed on seals, silverware, etc.” Let’s look back at the development of Kappa’s Coat-of-Arms.

It was 101 years ago when the Fraternity first discussed a coat-of-arms. At the 1905 Council meeting, the Grand Treasurer was asked to confer with the chapters about designs. A Standing Committee was appointed. They collected designs from the chapters and brought them to the 1906 and 1908 Conventions. It was not until the 1909 Council meeting that an appointed committee achieved the desired result. Chairman Margaret Brown Moore, Wooster, made it her personal responsibility to understand the rules which govern heraldry, with the help of Joanna Strange, DePauw, head of the reference department of the Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh and the designer of the Sigma Nu coat-of-arms.

In 1910, the Convention delegates realized that Margaret must have expert help if the Fraternity was to have a piece of work which was technically correct. She worked with Marc J. Rowe of Philadelphia, the authority on heraldry in America. He rendered her ideas in a watercolor sketch. The sketch, which was adopted by vote of the chapters in 1912 as the official Coat-of-Arms of Kappa Kappa Gamma, is the result of the work of both Margaret Moore and Marc J. Rowe.

At the 1912 Convention in Evanston, the delegates voted to have the shape of the key conform to the one-inch measurements and its corresponding proportions, rather than have the symbolic key that was on the original print. Although it does not conform strictly to the requirements of heraldry, it was voted at the Convention to allow the six Greek letters to appear on the badge in the coat-of-arms.

The description of the coat-of-arms as it appears in the present Fraternity Bylaws is the same as the original technical description, but expressed in terms which translate the other words.

1. The shield shall be azure*, bearing in the honor point the golden key of the Fraternity, in the middle base a golden owl, these two charges being separated by a chevron of silver on which lie three fleur-de-lis of azure.
2. The crest shall be a wreath of azure and silver resting on the helmeted head of Minerva, thereon a Sigma in Delta in azure hues.
3. The motto shall be the Greek letters KKΓ (Kappa Kappa Gamma) in silver resting on a ribbon of azure.
4. The mantling shall be silver and azure. (Article XXII, B, 1-4)

Click on the diagram to see full size!

The next time you look at the Fraternity Coat-of-Arms, study the various parts and you’ll understand the significance of what was used: the general outline of the mantling and ribbon is supposed to suggest the conventional fleur-de-lis; the key is in the honor point; the chevron is protection, accomplished by work of faithful service; fleur-de-lis is purity and light; owl is vigilant and of acute wit; key is guardianship and dominion; blue is truth and loyalty; silver is peace and sincerity; gold is generosity and elevation of mind.

Margaret urged the Fraternity to protect the design so that “the technically perfect coat-of-arms will not be lost to us.” She expressed a wish that there should be perfect dies for stamping in gold and silver as well as plates for printing on documents and reports. Cleora Wheeler, Minnesota, prepared such plates and dies. The College of Arms in England was consulted before Cleora cut her die in filigree and it was made after the others that were modeled in the regulation way. When these were done, Margaret Moore declared that perfect reproductions had been made.

* Azure is the term used in heraldry for blue.

Lisa, Bowling Green, Extension Coordinator

As you might already know, the women of Kappa Psi Delta at New York University have recently become our 138th active chapter— the Eta Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. What you might not know is how our chapters are colonized, and the steps that are taken in becoming a chapter.

How does Kappa colonize on a new campus?

It is similar to Formal Recruitment.  Fraternity Representatives, alumnae and undergraduates from nearby chapters conduct host events on campus for potential new members to learn more about Kappa.  The final event is always the Preference Party followed by Formal Pledging.

Do we always absorb an existing local group?

No. In some instances there are members of a local sorority interested in affiliating with Kappa, but in most cases traditional expansion of the Greek Community involves conducting a colonization recruitment for interested unaffiliated undergraduate women.

What will recruitment look like for this chapter at NYU?

Recruitment will look just like a Formal Recruitment at any other Kappa chapter.  Local alumnae and advisers will assist the chapter.  However, unlike other campuses, no other National Panhellenic Conference groups will be participating in Formal Recruitment during the week.

How can I help?

Interested alumnae in the area will typically become part of a House Board or Advisory Board for a new chapter. Other collegians and alumnae write letters, sent gifts and help organize and attend the installation service. It wouldn’t be possible to colonize a new chapter without the help we receive from Kappas all across North America!

We can’t begin to express our appreciation for all of the help we’ve received for our newest chapter at NYU. Now, we need your help with recruitment. Do you know a woman who might be interested in joining Kappa at NYU? Direct them to www.facebook.com/NYUKappas to express interest. You may also send letters of recommendation to:

Kappa Kappa Gamma
Eta Pi Chapter
80 Lafayette St.
Room 1702C
New York, NY 10010

Have you ever wondered how and when our earliest chapters were started? Read on to find out more about the history of Beta Rho Deuteron, Cincinnati!

Beta Rho Deuteron house—1938

• Founded June 6, 1885, with four charter members; closed in the fall of 1885—the reasons remain a mystery to this day!
• Reinstated as Beta Rho Deuteron on May 16, 1914, with 11 charter members.
• 2,152  initiates (as of fall 2011)

The University of Cincinnati, the second oldest municipal university in the U.S., was founded in 1807. (This date represents the establishment of the Cincinnati College and the Medical College of Ohio.) In 1870, the city absorbed these colleges and established the University of Cincinnati.

Only three miles from Cincinnati’s center and close to the Ohio River, the university was a “street car university,” but after the coming of the “Tin Lizzie” automobile, trolley cars disappeared. So did silver teas and high-laced shoes, which gave way to the flapper, the shingle haircut and the Charleston.

Beta Rho—The Early Years: The Kappa Kappa Gamma charter granted to the second (or Beta) “Rho” on June 6, 1885, had been mysteriously surrendered a few months later. Alpha Phi Psi, a local group, was organized in 1904 and immediately petitioned Kappa Kappa Gamma. In March of 1914, after inspection by Florence Burton Roth, Michigan, Kappa Kappa Gamma Grand President, the petition was granted, and on May 19 the Installation of Beta Rho Deuteron was announced in the Cincinnati newspapers.

Beta Rho Deuteron house—1947. Basement and garage were remodeled in 1957.

When Beta Rho Deuteron became a reality, the Alpha Phi Psi alumnae—many of whom were married, and often busy with children—registered for classes, became eligible for membership in Kappa, and were initiated. The Cincinnati Alumnae Association was quickly organized, and alumnae opened their homes for meetings, recruitment parties, teas and even slumber parties.

Housing: “We need a house,” the actives declared in 1930. Alumnae supplied furnishings for a four-room apartment from funds earmarked “to be used for a house when the need arises.” For $15 rent per month in 1930, Beta Rhos stored their belongings, held meetings and competed with Kappa Alpha Theta, until a larger apartment was found on Stratford Avenue. Then in 1938, the chapter moved to a house on Woodside Avenue. By 1949, the present home on Clifton Avenue became Beta Rho’s home, financed through a second mortgage arranged by a Beta Rho alumna and her husband.

A Chapter Wedding Tradition: It was the custom for the whole chapter to go to the bride’s home on the wedding eve, with the bride joining the circle for a “last” sing together. In later years, the circle was often formed at the wedding reception, and included the groom. The bride’s pin, a jeweled fleur-de-lis pin, was once worn and then returned to the chapter for the next wedding.

Beta Rho Deuteron house—addition added between 1966 and 1968.

The “Singing Chapter”: The annual Interfraternity Sing on Mother’s Day began in 1923. Beta Rho earned its first win that year, and many other firsts and seconds have been won since. Permanent possession of the sing trophy came in 1945 after three consecutive wins. The “singing chapter” was performing on WLW radio, December 7, 1941, when the concert was interrupted with the news of Pearl Harbor.

Original songs by Beta Rho are in the Kappa Song Book, and local musical comedy productions have claimed members’ talents. In 1949, Vaughn Monroe of big band fame chose a Beta Rho original song, “The Toast,” by Helen Beiderwelle Hanselman, in his “Salute to KKG” in a national broadcast. The words are as follows:

Here’s to all who wear a golden key,

Whoe’er they are, whate’er they be,

Here’s to ev’ry Kappa in the land,

To ev’ry member of our band.

Here’s to ev’ry chapter in the east or in the west,

Here’s to that Fraternity of them all the best,

Kappa Kappa Gamma, here’s to you,

Here’s to your dark and to your light blue,

Here’s to friendship great and true, Oh Kappa,

Here’s our toast to you!

– excerpted from The History of Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity, 1870-1976.

By Gwen Pritchard, Nebraska

I am a Pi Beta Phi legacy. I grew up learning Pi Phi songs from my mother. She would never show any of her three daughters the secret handshake, which began my intrigue with the Greek system.

Gwen and Greta

Name: Ann Loughlin

Chapter/School: Zeta Beta, University of Iowa

Profession: LPGA/PGA golf professional

Alumna activities: I participate in activities with Kappa at the University of Montana and have hosted the annual Kappa Kappa Gamma golf tournament at University of Iowa, a fundraiser for my sorority sister Margo Jacobsen Flanigan who passed away four years ago from breast cancer.

Title of Book: The Golf Letters: Tee Tales (Foreword by Steven Pressfield)

1.  Tell us a little about the book and why you wrote it.

I have taught golf through Loughlin Golf for 22 years–mostly private lessons, but also seminars and clinics. The private lessons were given in San Jose, California and Missoula, Montana. The seminars and clinics have been held in Montana, Arizona, California, Connecticut and Iowa. As I taught, I noticed that human nature could be intriguing, humorous, inspirational and enchanting. For this reason, I began to take notes on 4×6 note cards after each private lesson. I kept taking these notes through the years. I didn’t start out with the idea to write a book, but I felt that the information I was noting had value. I co-authored another book in 2006 entitled Signs of Their Times, Iowa Hometown Slogans, Photos and Stories. In the winters I began to put together my notes. I wanted to write a book to serve as a culmination of my teaching career and to serve as a transition into a speaking career. I also wanted the book to be an inspiration to people about golf and human nature. There is a lot of strife in the world, and I wanted to bring some levity with the writing of The Golf Letters, Tee Tales. I wanted both golfers and non-golfers alike to glean at least some pearl from the reading and be able to say that the book gave them an insight into the game that they did not previously have.

2. What is something you learned about in the process of writing this book?

I learned that doing and talking about doing are two totally different things. I learned that writing is a very committed and disciplined process and that it is also very energizing. One just has to go forth … take baby steps that lead up to a final product. I find that I learn more about people and the world through writing. Once the project is complete, new doors open. These doors were not necessarily available or visible previous to the completion of the project!

3. Did any experience or people from your time in Kappa encourage you to write this book?

Every year my Kappa sisters gather for a weekend in Iowa City, Iowa. We hold a golf tournament that has also served as a fundraiser many times. The enthusiasm from my Kappa sisters as they attempted to learn and play golf was inspiring. We somehow always managed to burst into Kappa song as we played.

4. Do you have any Kappas or Kappa-related mentions in the book?

For five years a Kappa sister and I have traveled to Ireland to play on the links courses. She is a corporate lawyer, retired and wanted me to teach her the game of golf. Her one prerequisite was that she learned to play in Ireland. One of my favorite stories is of us playing golf at Lahinch in County Clare, Ireland.

5. What is your favorite Kappa song?

Oh Pat! “Oh, Kappa, Kappa, Kappa Gamma, I am so happy that I am a Kappa Kappa Kappa Gamma, nobody knows how Happy I am…”