Kappa Quill Fall 2024

Fall 2024 | Volume 57, Issue 1

Mission Statement The purpose of Kappa Delta Phi National Affiliated Sorority, Inc. shall be to promote academic achievement, to encourage community involvement through philanthropy, and to cultivate the everlasting bonds of sisterhood. We shall fortify the values of leadership, generosity, charity, and integrity within our sisters through guidance at both the chapter and national level.

National Founders Pat Ouellette Angie Parker Kathy Luciano Dee Tzovarras Tricia Crosby Laurie Beckwith Joanne Lobozzo Becky Ritter Joyce Welch Renie Mountain Bridgett Burtchell Bonnie Griener

Nancee Brearly Debbie Therriauly Barbie Richard Eileen Coombs Karen Kulikowski Kathi Gleason Jan Spaulding Sharon Soles Sue Caron Leslie Vartabedian Mimi McBride

Media & Marketing Committee Chair: Robyn Sarette Kappa Quill Editor: Lauren Porter Kappa Quill Designer: Robyn Sarette Social Media: Kelsey Cicerone Webmaster: Allesyn Wesner Special Consultant: Christina Rose

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Table of Contents

Pg. 6

Pg. 19

Convention 2024 Recap

Chapter Reports

Important Dates......................................................

Dates...................................................... 1

Important Dates

Letters from the Executive Team.

Team......................2 .................... 2

AFA

2024 Meetings Recap.

Recap........................................ 5 Convention Recap....................................... 6 Award Recipients....................................... 8 Summer Leadership Retreat................ 11 Committee Updates.

Updates........................................ 14 National Philanthropy.

Philanthropy.................................. 17 Philanthropy Update.............................. 17 Philanthropy Resources........................ 18 Chapter Reports..............................................

Reports.............................................. 21

Dec. 4–7, 2024 | Indianapolis, IN

Convention Awards Nominations Feb. 15, 2025 | Details sent via email

NGLA Feb. 20–23, 2025 | Baltimore, MD Check your emails for more information!

Letters of Intent for Voting Board Due March 10, 2025 to ExecutiveDirector@KappaDeltaPhiNAS.org

Convention 2025 Apr. 11-13, 2025 | Bridgewater, MA Registration details will be announced early 2025.

Summer Leadership Retreat TBA 01

Letters from the Executive Team Dear Sisters,

As we embark on a new school year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the importance of starting this chapter with positivity and enthusiasm. The beginning of the academic year is a time filled with potential, and it’s crucial that we embrace it with open hearts and minds. Each of you plays a vital role in creating an environment where our values of sisterhood, leadership, and community thrive.

This year, we are also excited to share our plans for expansion! We see incredible opportunities ahead to grow our sisterhood and extend our reach to more campuses. This is an exciting time for us, and we believe that with each new member, we will grow the Kindness, Devotion and Pride our organization stands for. Together, we can create spaces where more young women can experience the support and empowerment our sisterhood offers.

I encourage each of you to actively engage in recruiting efforts at your chapter. Your passion and dedication are what attract new members who will reflect our values. Remember, every conversation you have and every event you host is an opportunity to showcase what it means to be part of our sisterhood.

Should you need any assistance or resources as you continue on in this semester, please do not hesitate to reach out to the National Board. We are here to support you and help make this year a success.

Let’s make this year one filled with joy, growth, and strong connections. I’m looking forward to all that we will accomplish together!

In Kappa,

Marysa Mitano Chief Executive Officer and National President

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Dear Kappa Delta Phi NAS Active Membership In the Spring of 2024, I was unable to attend the Convention due to the birth of my son and I did not seek reelection. The National Board appointed me to the position of Chief Operating Officer. I am thankful and excited for this new chapter in my life, both personally, and professionally.

As we embark on a new chapter together, I am filled with immense pride and excitement. This is a time of fresh beginnings, where each of you has the opportunity to carve out your own path and contribute uniquely to our shared journey.

Navigating new beginnings can be both exhilarating and daunting. Change often brings uncertainty, but it also opens doors to new possibilities and growth. Embrace this time with an open heart and a sense of adventure. Your experiences, ideas, and passions are what will shape our future and help us continue to evolve into a stronger, more vibrant community.

Remember that finding your way is a personal journey, and it's okay if it takes time. Each step you take, no matter how small, is a part of your unique story and contributes to the greater narrative of our sorority. Lean on one another for support, share your dreams and challenges, and celebrate each milestone along the way.

As your COO, I am here to support you in every way possible. Whether you’re seeking guidance, needing a listening ear, or looking for opportunities to contribute, please know that my door is always open. Together, we will navigate this exciting period and build a legacy that honors our past while embracing the future.

Let’s embrace this new beginning with optimism and determination. Here’s to finding our way, supporting each other, and creating a memorable and impactful journey.

With warmest regards,

Andrea McKevitt Chief Operating Officer

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Letters from the Executive Team Cont.

Hello all,

I hope this message finds you well and that you enjoyed a fun-filled summer!

As the excitement of returning to college begins to set in, I can’t help but reflect on the vibrant community Kappa Delta Phi NAS has built together.

As we embrace the new academic year, I want to take a moment to address some important updates regarding our membership dues.

In recent years, we have faced significant inflationary pressures and lower membership numbers ultimately impacting our operational costs.

Despite our best efforts to mitigate these increases, we have reached a point where an adjustment in membership dues has become necessary.

This decision was not made lightly; it reflects our commitment to maintaining the high quality of content and services you expect from us.

In response to these challenges, we have implemented some creative solutions to stretch our members’ dues further. To keep dues manageable, we are encouraging all our chapters to boost their recruitment efforts. I recommend sharing your positive experiences with others, which can play a vital role in attracting new members.

A larger membership base not only enhances our community, but also helps us stabilize dues for everyone.

I also want to emphasize the importance of collaboration amongst chapters and beyond. Don’t hesitate to reach out to nearby sisters to share successful strategies and implementations. By working together and learning from one another, we can build a stronger network and foster innovative solutions that benefit us all.

Additionally, welcoming new members contributes to building lasting relationships within our sorority. These connections enrich everyone’s experience and foster a sense of belonging and support that is invaluable. When we bring in new members, we create opportunities for mentorship, collaboration, and shared experiences that strengthen our bonds.

As we look forward to the year ahead, I am genuinely excited about the potential for growth and leadership development within our membership. Together, we can cultivate a sorority of leaders who inspire and uplift one another, ensuring that Kappa Delta Phi NAS continues to thrive.

Here’s to a fantastic year ahead In Kappa,

Robyn Sarette Chief Financial Officer and National Treasurer

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2024 Meetings Recap National Convention & Awards Summer Leadership Retreat

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Convention Recap

By Julia Schuck, Associate Board Member

KappaCon24 Even when I was an active, Convention was always the highlight of my chapter's spring semester. With Kappa Alpha Iota being the chapter furthest to the south, it gave us a really fun opportunity to go meet other sisters and also bond with current sisters on a mini road trip! So much planning was put into to making sure that all sisters who wanted to go had the opportunity to do so and our chapter display was designed nicely. Carpool groups even planned their own side quests for the trip up north from Pennsylvania. This year, I made my way up north with three of my fellow KAI sisters, Nicole, Angelica, and Ally. We even made our own side quest and explored the Pez factory in Orange, CT before checking in. It's always so nice to see that some things never change and are timeless. Convention, however... Convention has aged like a fine wine, getting better and better each year.

This year, KappaCon2024 was held in Trumbull, Connecticut from April 12-14th. Friday night after check in, we kicked off the KappaCon festivities with a game night full of snacks and games hosted graciously by our Kappa Sigma brothers. It was especially nice to see the bonds between sisters (and even brothers!) of different chapters bloom or re-bloom upon seeing sisters they haven't seen in awhile!

Saturday morning, we began our day with our beautiful chapter displays! Each year, chapters are asked to showcase their individuality, philanthropic efforts, university pride, and Kappa Pride. I swear, the creativity from our sisters never ceases to amaze me. Being able to explain your chapter through artifacts on one table is hard, but you all make it look so easy! On top of that, several chapters were even selling crafts, jewelry, or previous semester recruitment shirts- absolutely inspirational! This year, we also saw our National Board members participate in the table displays.

National Board members brought their own paddles, awards, and even photo albums to show their unwavering devotion and pride they hold for our great sisterhood!

After table displays, we kept the inspiration rolling through the morning as we gave a big Kappa welcome to our guest speaker, Erika Music, from Greek University. During her seminar 'If I Don't Do It, It Doesn't Get Done: Delegation and Communication' she taught us what it means to delegate, how to delegate, and that the ability to delegate is an indicator of a wonderful leader. Erika also taught us that while it may feel like all the pressure is on us as leaders in our various positions- together we are a sisterhood and we should lean on our sisters and delegate when we need help! Her energy and spirit were unmatched and really made for a great opening to our day. Always remember, you are only one person. It is okay to ask for help when you need it.

The afternoon called for lunch and our general business meeting. During the election portion, we saw familiar faces Jayley Handley (VPM, Kappa Lambda) and Nicole Ransden (VPA, Kappa Upsilon), re-elected into their positions.

We also even welcomed two new faces as we elected Sam Justiniano (Kappa Alpha Omicron) and Maddie Carroll (Kappa Chi) in to the voting board! All elected candidates were voted in for their term to start at the Spring Board Meeting. Today, Sam and Maddie currently reside on our voting board as Secretary and Assistant VPM.

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During our annual Gifts of Love presentation, we saw chapters present each other with a wide range of gifts: from handmade gifts, paddles, tote bags, to chapter bonding activities that sisters can do all together! Even though some chapters are hundreds of miles apart, these Gifts of Love remind us that we are more than our home chapter.

Together we are one united sisterhood.

We ended the night with our Black and Gold Awards Gala and Dance as per tradition! At dinner, alumni, actives, and honored guests sat together to hear from our national philanthropy, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). This year we were able to present AFSP with a check for $23,000! We ended our weekend together by dancing the night away at our annual Black and Gold Dance. Sunday morning, we packed up our cars, waved goodbye to our old friends and new, and headed back towards home.

But we will see each other soon. Mark your calendars for April 11-13, 2025 for KappaCon25 in Bridgewater, MA!

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Awards An exciting part of Convention is the opportunity to publicly acknowledge and uplift the amazing work being done by actives, Chapters, and Board Members. One of the ways we do this is through our annual awards. It's always difficult to select one winner as our organization is overflowing with accomplishments, commitments, and service to the sorority and our communities. We recognize all our Chapters and members who live our kindness, devotion, and pride every day.

The Yellow Rose Award is presented to the Chapter president who has gone above and beyond for their Chapter providing leadership and accomplishing national and Chapter goals. Congratulations to Alana Grillo, KX. The Excellence in Social Media Presence Award will be awarded to the Chapter with a prominent social media presence. This can be through a combination of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or any social media application. The content should promote our national philanthropy, the individuality of the Chapter, the importance of sisterhood bonding, and be tasteful.

Congratulations to Kappa Alpha Iota Chapter.

The Angela K. Jacobs Scholarship is given to a sister who is able to maintain a strong GPA while going above and beyond the call of duty as an active. This sister will be awarded $1500 for their achievements. Congratulations to Sydney Selleck, KAO. The Susan M. Dyer Golden Scholastic Award is presented to the sister who not only represents the ideal of sisterhood but also received the highest GPA. Congratulations to Ava Lynch, KAO.

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The Victoria E. DeMambro Leadership Award is presented to the sister who is not only active within their Chapter but an active member of their community, as well. They must be involved in some other organization while holding an Executive Board position at the Chapter level. Congratulations to Janeilah Vazquez, KO. The Golden Opportunity Award is presented to the chapter that may have gone through a hardship with membership numbers, have struggled with an administration issue and rose above the challenges, have had a financial crisis that they climbed out of, or may have encountered a difficult New Member/Sister situation that was defused according to National Procedures. The chapter must have maintained regular and consistent contact with their assigned Chapter Consultant and/or other National Sorority representative.

Congratulations to Kappa Alpha Omicron Chapter.

Awards cont.

The President's Cup is awarded to the Chapter that best reflects the ideals of Kappa, of Delta, and of Phi in all chapter representations since the last National Convention. There is no application process to be eligible for this award as it is determined by the National Board of Directors and is considered the highest award given to a Chapter. Congratulations to Kappa Alpha Xi Chapter.

In need of some Kappa swag?

Visit our Kappa online store, available 24/7!

The Elizabeth Jason National Philanthropy Award will be awarded to the chapter with the highest financial contribution to the National Philanthropy and will be given at Convention.

Congratulations to Kappa Sigma Chapter.

The Certificate of Merit is the award given to a Sister who goes above and beyond her call of duty. It is a way to show positive reinforcement within the chapter and National Sorority.

Congratulations to Olivia Bailey, KS; Lexis Boles, KS; G ​ race Limoges, KX; Jaeda Orr, KAI; and Samantha Schaffer, KAXi. The Display Award is presented to the Chapter with the most outstanding display at the convention. The award will be given to the Chapter that scores the highest total in the following categories: creativity, originality, traditionalism, sisterhood, philanthropy, and brotherhood. Congratulations to Kappa Alpha Xi Chapter.

The Associate Board Member of the Year Award requires the recipient to be nominated by one of her colleagues on the board and demonstrate actions that go above and beyond her call of duty through her work on the board. Congratulations to Allesyn Wessner.

The Jeannette M. Collette Kindness Award is presented to the Chapter that best exemplifies acts of philanthropy performed by the local Chapter for an individual, for their college, community, an organization, and/or notable cause. Congratulations to Kappa Chi Chapter.

The Chapter Consultant of the Year Award requires the recipient to be nominated by a ¾ decision by a Chapter for whom they act as Chapter Consultant, have scheduled and completed field consultant visits for both the Fall and Spring semesters by the award application deadline, and have submitted all monthly reports and field reports to the VP of Membership in a timely fashion. Congratulations to Angelica Masser.

www.kappadeltaphinas.org/ online-merch-store

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Summer Leadership Retreat

By Jayley Handley, Vice President of Membership This year's Summer Leadership Retreat (SLR) was a weekend filled with collaboration, support, and growth. We returned to a summer camp environment to reconnect with nature and each other, while focusing on the personal and professional development of our members for the continued success of our chapters and the future of our organization.

We began Saturday morning with a shared breakfast, followed by team-building activities organized by our camp hosts.

These activities encouraged collaboration and challenged our adaptability, problemsolving, and teamwork skills. Afterward, we dove into discussions on risk management, identifying common risks within our chapters, and exploring strategies for effectively addressing and mitigating them. We also took time to reflect on how our sorority has evolved over the years and examined current trends in the sorority environment, including changing attitudes and best practices.

After lunch, we enjoyed some downtime and connected through fun activities like tie-dye and making friendship bracelets. Then we transitioned into our General Business Meeting, where we discussed important updates and initiatives, laying the groundwork for the continued growth and success of our chapters. We heard reports from our President, Treasurer, Vice President of Administration (VPA), and myself, the Vice President of Membership (VPM). Together with the active membership, we reviewed our goals and plans for the upcoming year. A key decision made during the meeting was the approval of this year’s budget, which included a necessary but thoughtful dues increase to ensure we can continue providing meaningful experiences and resources for all members. We also talked about membership trends, emphasizing the importance of enhancing our recruitment efforts—not only to secure the future of the organization, but also to maintain a manageable budget.

Following the General Business Meeting, I hosted a workshop on recruitment planning. We discussed the critical leadership role of the recruitment chair—not only in leading recruitment efforts, but also in managing recruitment committees. We acknowledged how overwhelming it can be for one or two individuals to handle all recruitment activities year-round. Successful recruitment is a multifaceted initiative that requires the entire chapter's participation. Recruitment chairs should lead a committee to ensure that recruitment is a shared responsibility.

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Summer Leadership Retreat Cont.

During the session, we also highlighted the value of having a structured, written recruitment plan as a tool for accountability, ensuring that recruitment activities are effectively carried out throughout the year. Each chapter collaborated with others and worked through a recruitment plan worksheet to prepare for the upcoming year.

Saturday evening provided a chance for us to unwind and bond further. We enjoyed a s'mores bar, toasted marshmallows by the campfire, and ended the night with a classic sorority favorite, *Legally Blonde*.

Sunday morning, after breakfast, we began breakout sessions for our e-board leadership positions. During these sessions, we reviewed the responsibilities of each role and the leadership qualities needed to excel.

This was an opportunity to ensure that everyone felt confident and prepared for their duties.

After the breakout sessions, we gathered one last time to discuss our Chapter Operations Guide (COG).

These are essential documents and forms provided by the National Board to help chapters organize their operations. The COG is vital to the functioning of each chapter and is currently located in the President’s folder in GreekTrack, along with other documents from the National Office. We added a glossary to the table of contents to ensure everyone understands the purpose of each document. We also discussed how, as an organization, we will focus on utilizing GreekTrack more consistently, setting it as a trend and expectation for the upcoming year.

On a personal note, I truly treasure my time at SLR because it gave me the opportunity to connect with all of you on a more personal level—something I don’t always get to do throughout the year. Hearing your stories, concerns, and experiences firsthand helps me better understand how I can support you individually and collectively. I’m deeply grateful for the time we spent learning and growing together this weekend.

SLR served as a hub of ideas, allowing the National Board and the active membership to collaborate on goals and create plans to meet the needs of our chapters. It provided a platform for active members to ask questions, provide feedback, and advocate for their chapters’ needs and desires. We, as the board, are fully committed to supporting each of you throughout the year and ensuring your voices are heard. Please know that I’m always available if you ever want to sit down and discuss any concerns, needs, or ideas you have for your chapter.

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Suicide Warning Signs TALK Experiencing unbearable pain Being a burden to others

Killing themselves

Feeling trapped

BEHAVIOR

Having no reason to live

Increased use of alcohol or drugs

Withdrawing from activities

Giving away prized possessions Isolating from friends & family Sleeping too little or too much

MOOD Depression Irritability Anxiety

Acting recklessly

Looking for a way to kill themselves, such as searching online for materials or means Visiting or calling people to say goodbye

Aggression

Loss of interest Rage

Humiliation

afsp.org/signs

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Committee Updates 2024-2025 Digamma

Meetings

In the past, we've faced challenges fully integrating the Digamma Committee into the National Board. This year, we are conducting a thorough reassessment of the Committee’s purpose, aligning it with our current goals of historical preservation. The committee will focus on revising its role and responsibilities to better support the Board and avoid duplication of tasks assigned to other committees or Board members.

As part of these efforts, the Digamma Committee is dedicated to continuing its critical work in preserving our history. We will be continuing efforts to preserve our history through the process of digitizing older documents, extracting valuable historical information, and preserving our historical records. Another priority this year is the development of a comprehensive Document Retention Policy and Procedure for the National Board to ensure our documents are effectively preserved and organized. These efforts will help protect our Sorority’s history and legacy for future generations, while making sure the committee’s work aligns with the needs of the National Board.

-Jayley Handley, KL Chairs: Nicole Hallahan, Jayley Handley Committee Members: Madison Hall, Nicole Ransden.

We have successfully planned our Convention for Spring 2025! We are continuing to plan Summer Leadership Retreat and making sure we give the best experience to the active membership.

Why do you enjoy serving on this committee?

I love this committee because I feel as if we are able to give back to the active membership. We are able to gather the actives and help you all grow into the leaders we feel you can be. You are the backbone of our organization and we want to give back to you!

-Marysa Mitrano, KY F'12 Chairs: Marysa Mitrano, Robyn Sarette Committee Members: Nicole Ransden, Nicole Hallahan, Maddie Carroll, Samantha Justiniano, Andrea McKevitt, Jayley Handley, Madison Hall, Timisha Malone.

Attention Alumni !!

If you are an alumni of an active or dormant Chapter and have historical artifacts, documents, or information of historical significance related to the Chapter, please reach out to Jayley Handley at vpm@kappadeltaphinas.org or Nicole Hallahan at assistantvpa@kappadeltaphinas.org.

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Diversity, Equity, Inclusion The DEI committee has successfully changed our name from Women's Issues to DEI to help reflect the values of our chapters and our mission of fostering a welcoming environment for all women no matter the gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religion.

The committee has worked hard to put together five professional development sessions to help the active membership feel more prepared in their day to day life.

The first one was on September 17th with the topic of Work Life Balance, and we had a really great turn out from active membership and board members. We can't wait to do the rest.

Why do you enjoy serving on this committee?

I love serving on the committee because it help me use my passion of public health and program planning on a topic that is very near and dear to me. Being a sister gave me a place to grow and thrive because of how accepting our sisters are of differences and I want to continue that.

-Nicole Hallahan, KAI F'17 Chairs: Nicole Hallahan Committee Members: Julia Schuck, Ivanka Hernandez, Samantha Justinano, Lauren Porter, Allesyn Wesner, Darby Dwyer, Elizabeth Errico, Madison Laughman, Maggie Gurewicz, Timisha Malone.

National Philanthropy We’re excited to kick off another year of supporting our chapters in their philanthropic efforts for the important cause of suicide prevention and mental healthcare.

We’re thrilled to welcome new committee members and board members, and we encourage all chapters to take full advantage of the incredible resources available through our partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Whether it’s hosting an It’s Real College Mental Health screening, planning a campus walk, or requesting items from the AFSP store, we’re here to help! Simply reach out to us at philanthropy@kappadeltaphinas.org, and we will connect you with the right people and resources!

Looking ahead, we’re working on planning out our board fundraisers and strengthening our partnership with AFSP. We also aim to update our chapter philanthropy resource toolkit and continue supporting chapters in organizing service events, fundraisers, and expanding mental health initiatives through collaborations with other committees. We’re excited to see all the incredible work our chapters will accomplish this year!

-Lauren Porter Chair: Lauren Porter Committee: Maddie Carroll, Elizabeth Errico, Madison Hall, Madison Laughman, Maggie Gurewicz, Timisha Malone.

Expansion We are in the early phases of expansion throughout the New England area. We are meeting with Universities to begin discussing what expansion looks like at their schools. We have been in contact with the Fraternity about their expansion efforts so we can growth in both of our organizations. We are also working on a recruitment plan for expansion when we are ready to start. Overall, this semester is for research, planning and getting ready to expand as soon as we can.

Why do you enjoy serving on this committee?

Kappa has been a part of my life for over 12 years, and I would never want to lose it. In order to keep us going, we need to expand. What we have to offer as an organization is unique, and it is worth having other women join us. I am excited to also work with University partners in showing them what Kappa has to offer.

-Marysa Mitrano, KY F’12 Chairs: Marysa Mitrano Committee Members: Andrea McKevitt, Jayley Handley, Nicole Randen, Allesyn Wesner, Maddie Carroll, Ivanka Hernandez, Julia Schuck, Madison Hall, Maggie Gurewicz, Nicole Hallahan.

Sisterhood Committee Since SLR was so early this year we didn't get to have too much sisterhood for the board there. But at Fall Board there will be a couple sisterhood activities. Right now I am testing out some different types of virtual get to know each others to see what works. We are also working on getting some board members traveling to each other. I promise Jayley I will come see you in Maine.

Why do you enjoy serving on this committee?

Sisterhood is why we are here and it helps bring the board closer so we can help the active membership be closer too.

-Nicole Hallahan, KAI F'17 Chair: Nicole Hallahan Committee Members: Marysa Mitrano, Nicole Ransden, Jayley Handley, Julia Schuck, Maddie Carroll, Ivanka Hernandez.

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Media and Marketing The media and marketing committee has been hard at work! We cover several areas including social media, the website, the Kappa Quill, and various printed media. We are refocusing our social media to be more helpful with expansion and working to highlight our active membership more regularly. We are utilizing professional services to create and schedule posts and reaching out to designers about revamping our website.

We are also developing a quarterly newsletter for our active membership and alumni to keep everyone up to date on all our happenings!

Why do you enjoy serving on this committee?

The media and marketing committee is always a fun and creative group. I love working with others who come from different backgrounds and have a different perspective. We always keep new ideas flowing and get creative to better reach our active membership, potential new members, and potential emerging chapters.

-Robyn Sarette, KS F'05 Chair: Robyn Sarette Webmaster: Allesyn Wesner Social Media: Kelsey Cicerone Kappa Quill: Lauren Porter, Allesyn Wesner, Maddie Carroll, Darby Dwyer, Elizabeth Errico, Jayley Handley.

Internal Materials The internal materials committee is working on getting all of the documents together in an organized way on Greek Track. We are also making sure everything is up to date, and easy to understand for the next generation of board members. Each member is working on their projects and documents while the voting board members are working and finalizing their position handbooks to help with succession. The committee is working hard to make transitions for all membership is little bit easier.

Why do you enjoy serving on this committee?

I just straight up love reading documents so much. I also love Robert's Rules of Order and that is a huge part of internal materials since we have to follow the guidelines set by that while still having our own identity. Words are a lot of fun and finding the best word to describe something is the best feeling. Also I want to make sure that the future of the organization has a stable place to grow from.

-Nicole Hallahan, KAI F'17 Chair: Nicole Hallahan Committee Members: Allesyn Wesner, Julia Schuck, Jayley Handley, Samantha Justiniano, Marysa Mitrano.

Awards Merchandise Merchandise Committee has been working hard with our suppliers to make jeweled badges and other insignia available to our membership. We hope to be able to launch this update by the end of the fall semester. We are also in the planning stages of our design competition for the active membership so be on the lookout for more information about that in the coming months!

Why do you enjoy serving on this committee?

I love getting to take different ideas and designs from sisters from different chapters and work together to create products that our actives and alumnae hopefully enjoy!

-Nicole Ransden, KY F'15 Chairs: Nicole Ransden Committee Members: Julia Schuck, Nicole Hallahan, Samantha Justiniano, Allesyn Wesner, Darby Dwyer, Madison Laughman, Maggie Gurewicz, Jayley Handley.

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The Awards committee was so happy to have a successful ceremony at Convention both during the business meeting and the gala. Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations! We love hearing about your achievements, and it made for some difficult decisions. Our team implemented a guide on how to best submit a successful nomination by clarifying awards requirements. We hope to see even more nominations in 2025!

Why do you enjoy serving on this committee?

This commitee is always a good time! We love promoting our Chapters and individuals who are well deserving of some of our organizations highest honors.

-Robyn Sarette, KS F'05 Chairs: Marysa Mitrano, Robyn Sarette Committee Members: Angelica Masser, Julia Schuck, Maddie Carroll, Clare Furlong, Courtney Stevens, Andrea McKevitt, Maggie Gurewicz, Timisha Malone, Nicole Ransden.

Philanthropy Updates

By Lauren Porter, National Philanthropy Chair Bringing Mental Health Resources to Your Campus: AFSP's It's Real Movie Screening As part of our collective work with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), they are committed to reinvesting the funds our incredible chapters raise—over $20,000 annually—back into those chapters to further AFSP’s mission for suicide prevention and mental health support. One key way we work together to do this is by helping connect your chapter to the It’s Real: College Students and Mental Health movie screening and guided discussion. This event supports mental health awareness and suicide prevention with the funds you’ve worked so hard to raise!

The AFSP-produced film It’s Real: College Students and Mental Health is designed to raise awareness about mental health issues commonly experienced by students, and is intended to be used as part of a school’s educational program to encourage help-seeking. By featuring real stories and experiences, It’s Real conveys that depression and other mental health conditions are real illnesses that can be managed through specific treatments and interventions.

It encourages students to be mindful of the state of their mental health, to acknowledge and recognize when they are struggling, and to take steps to seek help.

AFSP will bring this event directly to your campus, providing everything you need for a successful event, including staff to lead the screening and guided discussion, mental health resources, promotional materials, swag, giveaway items, and even covering the cost of fun extras (think pizza or whatever draws your crowd!). With prepared toolkits, event timelines, and logistical support, it’s simple to plan and make a big impact with this event.

This event provides more than just a screening—it’s a chance to open up essential conversations around mental health and suicide prevention, bringing your campus together in a meaningful way. Hosting this event is a direct reflection of the work we do as an organization to support mental health, and it’s a great opportunity to reinvest resources back into your communities for suicide prevention.

If your Chapter is interested in hosting this event, here’s how to get started: 1. Learn more about It’s Real by visiting the AFSP website or reviewing the Philanthropy Toolkit folder on Google Drive or in GreekTrack’s position resource files.

2. Consider how you’d like to structure the event—whether for just your chapter, all of Greek life, or the broader campus community. You can keep it small or simple or scale it up! You might consider partnering with student counseling services or other student groups to expand it into a greater wellness initiative.

3. Contact the National Philanthropy Chair at philanthropy@kappadeltaphinas.org or your local AFSP representative at ssimpson@afsp.org 4. Propose a date and time for your event.

5. Secure a space and send your event details to us so we can begin planning and promoting!

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Have a REAL CONVO with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

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Chapter Reports Fall 2024

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Kappa Lambda Husson University, Bangor, Maine Kappa Lambda ended the Spring 2024 semester by hosting a walk for our national philanthropy on campus.

We had a good turnout, and we raised just shy of $3,000 for our first campus walk, reaching our goal to spread awareness for the AFSP on campus! Additionally, we continue to collect donations for the AFSP, and are grateful for the opportunities we have been given to help this amazing foundation. We also said goodbye to 3 lovely sisters who graduated at the end of the spring semester. We are so proud of all of them and can not wait to see what they accomplish.

Facebook: Kappa Delta Phi NAS-Kappa Lambda Chapter

KL Instagram: @kdpnas_hu

TikTok: @kdpnas_hu

Over the summer, our sister Morgan spent her time going to concerts and Six-Flags with her friends. Madison spent her summer in Aruba with her mom, soaking up some sun and having fun on the beaches where she celebrated her birthday. They also spent their summers doing some volunteering opportunities, such as volunteering for a museum and helping teachers pack up and move classrooms.

Our sister Morgan went to SLR, bringing back helpful information for our sisters to use this upcoming year. Recruitment is our main focus this year, and she brought back valuable information to help us strengthen these efforts. The sisters of Kappa Lambda are focusing on our upcoming Fall rush after tabling at the club fair and holding events on campus to show our letters on campus. We have a good list of girls who are interested and hope they accept their bids when the time comes.

Each sister is essential to our chapter. Their kind, devoted, and prideful characteristics are what make our sorority small but mighty. Our sisters are working hard to strengthen their bonds with each other and on campus to grow our chapter. We are excited for the year ahead, and we can’t wait to see what the future brings for our chapter!

MTSND, Love Kappa Lambda

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Kappa Sigma Plymouth State University, Plymouth, New Hampshire The sisters of Kappa Sigma chapter are leading an eventful fall semester after a long, yet exciting summer apart. Many of our sisters became quite the jet-setters. Chelsea Lynn spent her birthday in Las Vegas as well as all over California and Corinne visited Quebec, Canada and got to experience the local cuisine. Our sisters have also been busy in the music scene with Emma attending a Daryl Hall and Elvis Costello concert and Olivia N and Corinne saw Niall Horan.

Facebook: Kappa Delta Phi N.A.S Kappa Sigma Chapter

Instagram: @kappa plymouthstate

Kicking off the fall semester, our recruitment chairs Sam and Corinne put on some amazing rushes revolving around the music festival theme they have composed for us. We did many activities during recruitment such as friendship bracelets, glow in the dark face painting, karaoke, and flower-crown making. Following recruitment, we began our New Member Education process with Hannah as our New Member Educator and Olivia N as our New Member Educator Assistant. They are doing phenomenal with our new members and we cannot wait to formally introduce them into our sisterhood. Our sisterhood is growing stronger by the day as we put in our all towards fostering a successful semester.

Beyond recruitment, Sam, Hannah, and Olivia N, our sisters within our philanthropy committee, have been engaging in other events such as putting into place the preparations needed for our annual out of the darkness walk in which we partner with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. This is an anticipated and touching event for not only our sisters but for our campus as a whole and we are beyond excited to watch our efforts come to fruition. Our active sisters have also assisted with picking apples for one of our local food pantries, Gather, along with some of our alumni.

We are only just beginning our semester and the sisters of Kappa Sigma chapter are more than committed to upholding the principles, traditions, and affiliations that make our chapter endearing to us and to those we encounter. We couldn’t have gotten this far without our E-board, our president Emma, our vice president Meredith, our secretary Lexis, our treasurer Corinne, and our sergeant at arms Olivia B. In Kappa, Kappa Sigma Chapter

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Kappa Upsilon University of Massachusetts at Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts

KU

This past spring, our sisters had a very exciting and busy semester. We hosted our annual AFSP Night on campus. This project was made by our Philanthropy Chair, Lauren Norman, as well as many other sisters and alumni willing to help with whatever was needed. There were many different activities available, all of which worked towards raising money for AFSP. As the semester came to a close, UMass Lowell held their annual “Greek Gala," where all Greek organizations came together to celebrate accomplishments from the past school year. Kappa Upsilon was awarded with the overall highest GPA among all Greek Organizations on campus. UMass Lowell also hosts “Greek Olympics” in which all the Greek Organizations compete against each other in various activities. We placed second amongst the sororities. We ended our spring semester with our annual formal, Kappa Rose. Sisters and alumni came together to celebrate the end of a great year! While we were sad to say goodbye to our one graduating senior this spring, we were lucky to welcome three new sisters. These three sisters are full of “Kappa Spirit” and gladly jumped right into positions.

During the summer, our chapter embraced alumni engagement and sisterhood bonding events. We kicked off the season with an Alumni Brunch and canned goods drive. Following that, we hosted an Alumni BBQ, which featured a pool party and BBQ where both actives and alumni came together to relax, catch up, and celebrate our sisterhood. Our sisters also made an impact by volunteering at multiple freshman orientation dates at UMass Lowell. This provided an opportunity to welcome new students, introduce them to campus life, and represent our sorority in a positive light. To close out the summer, we enjoyed a trip to Canobie Lake Park, where sisters spent the day creating lasting memories before classes resumed.

Fall 2024 has been an exciting and eventful season for our chapter. We kicked off the semester by participating in several “Go Greek” events, which were organized by the university to promote involvement and showcase what it means to be a part of Greek life. “Friday Free for All” and “Project Gametime” were events that featured a variety of activities designed to engage students and create a fun and social atmosphere. “Splash Bash” followed soon after, featuring water slides, a dunk tank, and a water balloon fight. Throughout September, we hosted a variety of recruitment events, including t-shirt tie-dying, a painting event, a bake night, and a bonfire. In addition to recruitment, our chapter is also focusing on philanthropy. Actives and alumni recently participated in an Out of Darkness Walk, raising $500 for the cause. The walk was a meaningful experience for everyone involved. As the semester progresses, our recruitment season is coming to an Facebook: Instagram: TikTok: end. We look forward to welcoming new members into our Kappa Delta Phi @kdpnas_uml @kappaupsilon_ NAS - Kappa & check out kdpnas sisterhood and continuing to grow as a chapter.

Upsilon Chapter

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@kappawellness

Kappa Alpha Nu University of Albany, Albany, New York

KAN

The sisters of Kappa Alpha Nu are thriving this school year, working hard to expand our presence on UAlbany’s campus, excel academically, and raise funds for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. We proudly continued our annual Kappa Week tradition at the University at Albany, dedicating our efforts to supporting our philanthropy. This year’s events included a bake sale featuring delicious homemade goods, engaging programs, and online bingo boards that brought our community together. A highlight of the semester was our biannual Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Awareness program, where we focused on providing critical information about mental health resources both on-campus and online, raising awareness, and sharing positive thinking techniques. In addition, we hosted a Card-Making Event to uplift the spirits of pediatric patients at the Bernard and Millie Duker Children's Hospital at Albany Med. Alongside our philanthropic efforts, academic excellence and community service remain central to our mission, in alignment with UAlbany’s Fraternity and Sorority Life accreditation standards. We are excited for the array of programs and service initiatives lined up for Fall 2024. This semester, we’re putting a special focus on promoting women’s safety and well-being. We’re proud to be partnering with the Women’s Resource Center and Planned Parenthood Club for a clothing drive benefiting local shelters. Additionally, we are partnering with Five Quad Volunteer Ambulance Services to host a Stop the Bleed/Basic Life Support Workshop to promote life-saving tips and techniques. Our commitment to the community extends to weekly Street Clean-Up events every Sunday.

We are also excited to join the Making Strides for Breast Cancer Walk hosted by the American Cancer Society at Washington Park on October 20th.

We’re thrilled to share that we now have 36 active sisters after welcoming 11 new members. This semester, we’ve placed a strong emphasis on recruitment and are aiming to welcome at least 4 new members in Fall 2024.

As our sisterhood continues to grow, so do our bonds and achievements.

We’re excited to see what the rest of the semester holds, and we can’t wait to see our Chapter Consultant, Sam Justiniano in October!

May the Spirit Never Die! In Kappa, Kappa Alpha Nu

Instagram: @kappa_ ualbany

TikTok: @ualbany kdphinas

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Kappa Alpha Gamma State University of New York at New Paltz, New Paltz, New York

Instagram: @kdphinas_ newpaltz

TikTok: @kdphinas newpaltz

KAG

The sisters of Kappa Alpha Gamma chapter are having a wonderful fall semester. Our sisters were so excited to come back to campus, but we all had fun and thrilling summers. Many of us spent most of the summer working. A few sisters worked in schools, camps, as well as retail stores and restaurants. Some of us did some traveling as well. Olivia went to Florida, Nicole K went to Ireland, and Heather went to Atlantic City!

We had some big birthday moments to celebrate with Hailey, Val, and Heather all hitting the milestone 21st!

Our 10 active sisters returned to SUNY New Paltz after a great summer, eager for a successful recruitment and a fun semester ahead. One inactive sister, Veronica, studied abroad in New York City this semester. We put our recruitment plans in motion as soon as we returned to campus. With Hailey as our recruitment chair and Nicole K and Olivia on the recruitment committee, we landed on the theme “Fall into Kappa” . We had some super fun events that consisted of heart sunglasses decorating, friendship bracelet making, and duck decorating event with donuts! Recruitment flew by so fast and quickly went into our New Member Education process, with Sara as New Member Educator and Hailey as Assistant New Member Educator.

The sisterhood bonds at the Kappa Alpha Gamma chapter continue to be stronger than ever. Only one month into the semester and we have already had so many successful events outside of recruitment. President Val has upgraded a bunch of our chapter meetings as themed chapters, where we got to bond more with themes such as “why this is in my closet” and “dress as a childhood photo”. Our diversity and inclusion co chairs, Sara and Heather, continue to coordinate engaging diversity events, including a movie night we just had for hispanic heritage month. Sisterhood chair Hailey also continues to organize exciting sisterhood events such as powerpoint night and paint night. Our service chair Saige has outdone herself with raising money for our philanthropies, with always mentioning community service opportunities for our sisters as well as having a kappa crush drink be featured at a farmers market.

Overall the sisters at our chapter are doing fantastic and we all care so much about Kappa! This semester will be the last one for Nicole L and Heather, as they will be going inactive in the spring to student teach. We wish them the best of luck and will miss them so much! We also want to give a huge thank you to our E-board this semester: Val as president, Nicole L as vice president, Nicole K as secretary, Barbara as treasurer, Eliana as sergeant at arms, Hailey as recruitment chair and Sara as new member educator.

In Kappa, Kappa Alpha Gamma Chapter

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Kappa Chi Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, New Hampshire

KC

The Kappa Chi members have kicked off the semester with incredible energy!

Our recruitment period has officially concluded, and we can't wait to introduce our amazing new members in the coming month. This semester's Disneythemed recruitment was a huge success, featuring fun events like That’s So Raven vision board making, Shake It Up Just Dance, and Hannah Montana karaoke. A shout out to our amazing Recruitment Chair, Merideth Smith, for her hard work and dedication, as well as to every member of our chapter who made each event special to help our organization grow and thrive.

Alongside our recruitment efforts, Kappa Chi members have been working to support our philanthropy. In early September, our Fundraising Chair, Julia Vattes, kicked off the first of many fundraisers with great success. She hosted an event at Nourished, a local tea shop just minutes from campus, where she crafted two custom Kappa Chi-themed teas in our chapter colors. The first, “May the Spirit Never Die,” featured pomegranate, raspberry, grape, cranberry aloe, and pineapple, all in black, while “The Yellow Rose” offered a mix of pineapple, lemon, coconut, orange hydration, mango aloe, and peach in a vibrant yellow.

Julia is also planning another fundraiser, our annual Pie-a-Chi event. In addition to fundraising, our members have been actively giving back to the community by creating cards for children at St. Jude's, volunteering at Darbster Kitty animal shelter, and baking cupcakes for a local after school care organization.

Fostering growth and positivity among our members has been a key factor in our organization's success. This year, we've introduced "Kappa Chi-ndess." Each week, our Sergeant at Arms assigns every sister another sister to perform an act of kindness for, such as writing a handwritten note, creating a Spotify playlist, purchasing her favorite candy, or getting a meal together. The goal is to make each sister feel valued. Additionally, we’ve implemented weekly study dates to emphasize the importance of academics, which have already helped reduce stress levels and support our members' success.

We look forward to this upcoming semester!

In Kappa, The Sisters of Kappa Chi Facebook: Kappa Chi Chapter

Instagram: @kappa_chi

TikTok: @kappa_chi

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Kappa Alpha Xi Utica College, Utica, New York

The sisters of Kappa Alpha Xi had a great summer, but we’re so excited to be back together. Over the summer, our sisters Dee and Nisa completed a course and are now certified phlebotomists—we’re so proud of them! Other sisters traveled this summer, including our sister Mimi, who went on a trip to Chicago, and our sister Jamiyah, who went to the beach in Florida for the first time. Many of us have excelled academically over the summer including Megan, who completed her own research in psychology, Lauryn, who completed her first grad course—Gross Anatomy, and Sam, who completed a summer internship at Utica National Insurance group!

We currently have 15 active sisters. Our co-recruitment chairs Harleigh and Olivia did a great job planning events for our “That KDPhi (NAS) Show." They both helped make our recruitment successful by also planning COB events so we were able to connect with more potential new members, which is how we met the 3 new members that we have now. Our wonderful philanthropy chairs Dee and Briana have gotten us off to a great start on our philanthropy by organizing a team of us to attend an Out of the Darkness Walk, as well as designing bracelets to sell for suicide prevention month, we’ve already raised around $600 for AFSP! We also hosted our first Out of the Darkness Walk last spring after we returned from Convention, we raised over $4,000 for that Walk and we can’t wait to take part again. In addition to philanthropy we’re having so much fun together bonding as a chapter so far this fall! One thing we did was mini golf at the end of recruitment week, but we also spent a lot of time studying and doing homework with each other over the first month. Our sisterhood chair, Emily, has been scheduling so many great bonding activities for us to do in October including: Painting jeans for homecoming weekend, going apple picking, hiking, and pumpkin carving.we will attend our first retreat the first week in October with some of our alumni to get away and relax for the weekend, Nisa did a great job planning this and we’re really looking forward to it! Harleigh and Liv also planned a Murder Mystery Night for the retreat, we can’t wait to spend the weekend with everyone!

We also want to thank our E-board for starting the semester off strong and working so hard: Harleigh and Sam (President), Olivia (Vice President), Lauryn (Treasurer), Mimi (Secretary), Megan (Sergeant), and Maya (Chaplain Historian) We’d like to give a special shoutout to our sister Sam, who will be graduating this December. Her hard work and dedication to Kappa Alpha Xi never goes unnoticed, and her pescense will be missed so much in the spring semester, we’re extremely proud of her and can’t wait to see what she does next.

Wishing you all a safe and happy semester!

In Kappa, The Sisters of Kappa Alpha Xi

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X A K

Instagram: @kdphinas_utica

TikTok: @kdphinas_utica

VSCO: @kdpnas-utica

Kappa Alpha Iota Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania

KAI

This year in Kappa Alpha Iota we have been super busy!

We’ve laughed, cried, made friends for life, and memories that will stay with us all forever. Something we have accomplished this year that we are the most proud of is our Out of The Darkness Walk! This was our first one ever to host, and meant so much to our members and their families. It blew us all away to see eachother coming together to support a cause so close to our hearts. Since last spring, we have raised a total of $520 for our local philanthropy, The American Diabetes Association. We have also raised a total of $679 for AFSP! Collectively as sisters we have also raised $1,200 this fall during a double goods fundraiser! Sisters were then able to choose which organization to donate their share to, whether that be AFSP or ADA :) In Spring of 2024 we welcomed one of our biggest classes yet, with a whopping 13 girls! This Fall Semester, our theme was Camp Kappa! Our sorority here at Ship is growing fast, but we would never ask for anything else. This Fall we welcomed 3 new members, filling our hearts with even more love! A BIG WELCOME TO: Kayla Rhodes, Paige Rahn, and Eliza Sweeney! As I write this, they are working hard to learn all that they can about our past to take our national exam with their NMEs! In Spring of 2024 we had one of our largest big little reveals yet! Family lines stood strong together to welcome their new littles, and expand of course! This class doubled the size of our sorority, we had new bigs, littles, and twins galore! This year, we will be saying a sad goodbye to our graduating sisters ShanAnn Simmons, Fiona Valore, Freddie Russo, Sarah Wilhide, and Jaeda Orr. This fall semester, we have been working very hard to grow our bonds as sisters. We have begun to implement a new process during chapter where we talk to a new sister for 10 minutes before every meeting starts. We also have been working hard at our academics as sisters! Every week we have the opportunity to input our A’s that we have received on exams, and assignments. And in turn we draw a sister’s name and give them small rewards for their hard work! In terms of sisterhoods this semester, our Sisterhood Chair Abby Hess, has been working hard to plan events such as, going to a pumpkin patch together, a flower walk, Zumba, Powerpoint night, Secret Sister, Gratitude gifts, a Food Night, Painting, Spa Night, Vision Board making, and Cookie Decorating. As a sister, I can’t wait to see which of these events we end up doing together! As a sorority we are beyond proud of our Public Relations Chair, Hailey Mostoller! As public relations chair, she has continued to grow our overall engagement and social media presence. But she has also helped us to grow as sisters. This fall she planned a sisterhood photoshoot at Caledonia State Park, Pennsylvania. And all of the photos came out beautifully!

We have been working so hard to be able to grow our bonds as sisters, and I am so proud of everyone and their accomplishments.

May the spirit never die!

Thank you KDPhi NAS!!

Instagram: @shipkdphinas

TikTok: @shipkdpnas

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Kappa Alpha Omicron

KAO

State University of New York at Oswego, Oswego, New York The Kappa Alpha Omicron Chapter has been actively involved in community service, philanthropy, sisterhood, and more this semester.

We have participated in several community service events that have supported the local Oswego community. Recently, we worked diligently to restore trees at Rice Creek, a field station in Oswego that emphasizes sustainability.

We also took part in Love For Our Elders, writing personalized letters to elders across the United States who are in need of companionship.

Additionally, we have several upcoming tabling events this semester to support and raise awareness for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. One event we are particularly excited about is Pie-a-KDPhi NAS, where our friends and classmates can donate to the AFSP and "pie" one of our sisters. We would like to extend our gratitude to our sister, Erica, for her hard work and dedication in organizing these community service and philanthropy events this semester.

We have also dedicated this semester to strengthening our sisterhood through various bonding events. Some of our favorite sisterhood events include ice cream night, game night, presentation night, and movie night.

We have many more upcoming sisterhood events planned for this semester as well. These events allow our sisters to grow closer and get to know each other better. We would like to thank our sister, Ava, for coordinating these events. Her hard work to ensure every sister enjoys their time at sisterhood events certainly does not go unnoticed!

This semester, the Kappa Alpha Omicron Chapter has welcomed two new member classes. The State University of Oswego allowed us to take a new member class during the summer, where we welcomed four new members into the Lambda class. Additionally, during informal recruitment in the fall semester, we hosted a variety of fun events that potential new members were welcome to attend and get to know the chapter. We organized activities like creating vision boards, making friendship bracelets, and enjoying a campfire and s'mores night together. For fall recruitment, we welcomed three new members as part of the Mu class. We would like to thank our Recruitment Chair, Jaden, and the recruitment committee for their commitment and success in recruitment!

As we look forward, the Kappa Alpha Omicron Chapter strives to continuously grow our chapter and further strengthen our bonds with one another. We hope to continue our success in sisterhood, philanthropy, and community engagement. We are excited to see the continued progression of our chapter and look forward to the continued opportunities and achievements within our chapter!

Instagram: TikTok: @kdphinas oswego

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@kdphinas oswego

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Suicide Prevention Resources Visit Your Primary Care Provider Mental Health Professional Walk-in Clinic Emergency Department Urgent Care Center

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) Veterans: Press 1

Call 911 for Emergencies

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Find a Mental Health Provider findtreatment.samhsa.gov mentalhealthamerica.net/ finding-help

Text TALK to 741741 Text with a trained crisis counselor from the Crisis Text Line for free, 24/7