Featured Chapter: Kappa

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

LAWRENCE, KS

EST 04.16.2016

Throughout the past two years, the Kappa Chapter has undergone some interesting changes. A global pandemic will certainly cause a shift in the way that a chapter has to function, but sometimes it can allow for improvements and good changes as well. In the fall of 2020, the Kappa Chapter had its largest Candidate class ever, at 23 new Members. Current Chapter President, Emma Carbary, was interviewed about the transitions that the Kappa Chapter has had to make recently.

The Lambda class was unable to have their in-person Initiation until fall of 2021, but have been Active Members for over a year. Emma says that "The culture of our chapter shifted a bit, but not in a bad way. We gained more diversity in not only majors but life experiences and personalities. Since we almost tripled in size since COVID, we have ensured that we set aside intentional time to promote friendships between Members beyond a surface level acquaintanceship. When we moved back in person in the fall of 2021, we had to find a balance of how much time we asked members to spend and how often for events that were not chapters or ceremonies. It was definitely a learning curve."

"We didn't realize how much we had cut back on while online." Due to University of Kansas and National ΑΣΚ guidelines, the Kappa Chapter was not allowed to have in person chapters, ceremonies, or social events in the school year of 2020 to 2021. Many of the new Members had not truly experienced the community of ΑΣΚ until this school year. The fall 2021 semester consisted of everything from in-person chapters, two Initiations, a retreat, field day, to hayrides in the pumpkin patch. This brought a sense of normalcy that had not been achieved for over a year and a half.

Emma reflected on some of her ΑΣΚ memories pre-COVID, and said that her favorite memory was of fall retreat of her freshman year, in fall of 2019. "We did a Candidate ceremony at a local campground. There was a storm rolling in so we were trying to finish the ceremony as there was thunder and lightning in the background foreshadowing the rain that was soon to come. We joke about that ceremony to this day. Afterwards though, we went to a Member's apartment for a sleepover and we played some games. We were much smaller at the time, so it was amazing to get to know all the Actives and other Candidates so quickly and easily!"

It was the first time I had felt that I truly found a community and family at college."

For this semester, Emma is most looking forward to formal "The majority of the Chapter hasn't experienced one due to COVID, including myself, so I am excited to spend some hours dancing and spending time with my Siblings!" The Kappa Chapter formal will be held on April 9th. Other upcoming social events include a murder mystery and an outdoor ice cream study session.

Another important aspect of community that was lacking during COVID was the ability of other Members to truly know how their siblings were doing. Emma is proud of her chapter health presentation from the fall semester, and says that "Many Members felt like they didn't know many people in the Chapter beyond just their name and major, especially since we grew so fast. I worked really hard to make sure that it was productive and that each person felt that the Chapter was a safe space. We talked a lot about mental health and personal struggles. Chapter that day took much longer than it normally did, but I think it's safe to say that everyone walked out feeling like they truly felt like they made genuinely deeper connections with their Siblings and that they were not alone because they had their ΑΣΚ family."

Throughout the midst of COVID and many changes, the Kappa Chapter has shown what it means to truly be an ΑΣΚ family. They have an exciting year ahead of them-and hopefully a more normal one, too.

Executive Members:

Emma Carbary - President

Katie Donnelly - VP of Operations

Lauren Tubal - VP of Communications

Sarita Chowdhury & McKenzie Szopinski - VPs of Finance

Katie McNaughton - VP of Recruitment

Alex Waggoner - VP of Risk Management

Karis Paslay - VP of External Relations

Grace Ewell - VP of Scholarship