KAPPA KAPPA GAMMA

'Kappa Kappa Gamma' ('ΚΚΓ') is a college women's fraternity, founded on October 13, 1870 at Monmouth College, Illinois.
Kappa Kappa Gamma is one of the largest fraternities for women in America. Currently, there are chapters in both the United States and Canada. The most recent chapter brought the total number of Kappa Kappa Gamma chapters at higher learning institutions to 134. There are also 300+ alumnae associations around the world. Since its founding in 1870, more than 220,000 members have been initiated into Kappa Kappa Gamma.
Kappa Kappa Gamma is a women's fraternity, because it was founded before the term 'sorority' came into use. However, because it admits only women, it is usually referred to as a sorority. Kappa Kappa Gamma is also referred to as "KKG" and "Kappa."

Contents

History

Symbols

Mission statement

Preamble

Hazing

Kappa Timeline

Notable Kappas

See also

References

External links

History

Kappa Kappa Gamma was founded October 13, 1870, at Monmouth College, Illinois.
The founding members of Kappa Kappa Gamma were Hannah Jeannette Boyd, Mary Moore Stewart (Nelson, Field), Anna Elizabeth Willits (Pattee), Mary Louise Bennett (Boyd), Martha Louisa Stevenson (Miller), Susan Burley Walker (Vincent). As collegiate at Monmouth College, they were determined to form a Greek letter organization for women. Founders Minnie Stewart, Jeannette Boyd, and Louise Bennett first met around 1869-1870 in the Amateurs des Belles Lettres Hall, a literary society of which the women were active members when they first decided to form a new society.^[1] They determined that nothing short of a Greek letter fraternity, equal to men’s fraternities, would satisfy them. Since chapel exercises were required for all students, the founding members announced the formation of the new group by wearing their golden key pins to the Chapel service on October, 13, 1870; hanging back so that they would have to sit in front after the other students were seated.

Symbols

The membership badge is represented by the Golden Key.

The key was adopted as the sorority's symbol at its founding. The original keys were larger than the modern key. The current badge is a one-inch gold key, sometimes jeweled. On the front of the key are the Greek letters ΚΚΓ (on the stem) and ΑΩΟ (on the ward). The badge is worn strictly as an emblem of membership and only by initiated members.

New Members of Kappa Kappa Gamma wear a different badge, a Sigma within a Delta enameled on silver in the two colors of the Fraternity, dark blue and light blue. The new member pin is only worn during the new member period, after which it is returned to the chapter.
The owl is the official mascot of Kappa Kappa Gamma. As the official flower, the Iris, or fleur-de-lis combines the fraternity's colors of dark blue and light blue.
The fraternity jewel is the sapphire. The colors of the Fraternity are light blue and dark blue, which have been described as those shades which in light and dark tones reproduce the “soft velvety blue approaching the cornflower in shade,” which is also a description of the sapphire, the Fraternity jewel. The sapphire is recognized as a symbol of truth, sincerity and constancy. The fraternity Coat-of-Arms combines all the elements of Kappa Kappa Gamma: the key, the Greek letters, the new-member pin, the fleur-de-lis, the owl and the two blues.

Mission statement

Kappa Kappa Gamma is an organization of women which seeks for every member throughout her life bonds of friendship, mutual support, opportunities for self growth, respect for intellectual development, and an understanding of and allegiance to positive ethical principles. (The mission statement was drafted and adopted by the 1984-1986 Fraternity Council.)

Preamble

We, believing a closer union in the bonds of friendship to be for our mutual benefit, appreciating the advantages to be derived from a secret fraternity, and feeling that in union there is strength, hereby form ourselves into an association for the development of nobler qualities of the mind and finer feelings of the heart, and for mutual helpfulness in the attainment of individual and social excellence. (The Preamble remains much as it was written in 1892.)

Hazing

Hazing is prohibited by Kappa Kappa Gamma. Hazing is defined as any activity or action taken with or without consent of the individual involved that produces mental, emotional, or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment or ridicule. All activities must respect the dignity of the individual. Any activity that is demeaning, embarrassing, or mentally or physically injurious to an individual or group is considered hazing and is not permitted.
In 1997 the television show 20/20 featured an expose on hazing in the sorority system^[2] that included a hazing by
three members of Kappa Kappa Gamma at DePauw University, as well as an incident of hazing at Delta Sigma Theta and a local sorority Lambda Delta Sigma at Concordia College. The three members of Kappa Kappa Gamma, on November 6, 1997, were accused of branding 3 or 4 new members^[3] with cigarettes after a night of drinking. The burns were severe enough to send one of the new members to the hospital with minor burn injuries.^[4] These members were subsequently charged by the state of Indiana with criminal recklessness under the hazing statute. Immediate investigation and disciplinary action was taken by Kappa Kappa Gamma. The hazing incident attracted the attention of Indiana author Hank Nuwer who wrote about the incident in his book ''Wrongs of Passage: Fraternities, Sororities, Hazing, and Binge Drinking''.^[5]

Kappa Timeline

★ In 1881 Kappa Kappa Gamma was the first women's fraternity to publish a quarterly magazine – The Key.

★ In 1891 Kappa Kappa Gamma was the first to call a meeting of all the other women's fraternities – thus the precursor to the National Panhellenic Conference.

★ In 1942 Kappa was the first women’s fraternity to set up Service Women’s Centers during World War II.

★ In 1952 Kappa Kappa Gamma was the first to purchase a Headquarters building, and base their operations permanently in Columbus, Ohio.

★ In 1965, University of Pittsburgh Kappas were the first to share a house with another sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta.

★ In 1980 The Heritage Museum was established, and Kappa became the first fraternity to own a Museum.

★ In 1989 The Minnie Stewart Foundation purchased the Stewart family home, which was then merged into the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation in 2000.

★ Kappa is the first and only women’s Fraternity to own the home of a Founder AND operate two historic house museums.

★ In 2000 Kappa Kappa Gamma launched ''Pathways – Kappa’s Continuous Education Experience'', leading men’s and women’s fraternities into new frontiers of education and training.

★ In 2002 Kappa Kappa Gamma released ''The Voyage of Discovery'', a virtual tour through women’s history.

★ In 2004 The Leadership Academy began offering undergraduate and alumna members intensive leadership development in a beautiful outdoor setting. Programming for the Leadership Academy has been developed in partnership with The Tompeters! Company and Bradford Woods, an outdoor education facility in Indiana.

Notable Kappas

''For a full list of notable Kappa Kappa Gamma alumnae please visit here. [1]''

''Notable members are listed by name, chapter, and initiation date.''

★ Patty Berg Χ, Minnesota, 1939 -- Golf champion

★ Jane Blalock ΔΕ, Rollins, 1965 -- Golf champion

★ Sophia Bush University of Southern California -- actress

★ Gretchen Carlson ΒΗ(Δ), Stanford, 1985 -- Miss America, 1989

★ Barbara Feldon ΔΞ, Carnegie-Mellon, 1953 -- Actress; most famous for her role as Agent 99 in the television series, Get Smart

★ Dorothy Canfield Fisher ΒΝ, Ohio State, 1896 -- Author and philanthropist

★ Neta Lohnes Frazier ΓΓ, Whitman, 1929 -- Children's author

★ Jane Froman Θ, Missouri,1927 -- Singer; television actress

★ Doris Hart ΔΚ, Miami (Florida),1947 -- Third Kappa to win U.S. Women's Open Championship Tennis

★ Nancy Logan Haigwood ΕΓ, North Carolina, 1971 - Internationally recognized AIDS research scientist

★ Margaret Hillis Δ, Indiana, 1941 -- Conductor of the Chicago Symphony Choir

★ Julia Ward Howe Φ, Boston (honorary member), 1884 -- Lecturer & reformer; author of Battle Hymn of the Republic

★ Kate Jackson Δ Ρ, Mississippi, 1967 -- Actress; portrayed Sabrina Duncan on the television series, Charlie's Angels

★ Ashley Judd ΒΧ, Kentucky, 1987 -- Actress; credits include A Time to Kill, 1996, Kiss the Girls, 1997, and Double Jeopardy, 1999

★ Nancy Olson Livingston Η, Wisconsin,1947 -- Stage and screen star; starred in Disney's Pollyanna

★ Connie LeGrand ΕΜ, Clemson, 1985 -- Former co-anchor of SPEED Channel Speed News

★ Michelle Lombardo University of Connecticut, 2001 -- Model; won Sports Illustrated's Fresh Faces Contest of 2004

★ Alice Duer Miller ΒΕ, Barnard College, 1897 -- Author & poet; wrote many columns on the Women's suffrage movement for the New York Tribune

★ Erin Moriarty ΒΝ, Ohio State, 1971 -- CBS News; correspondent for 48 Hours

★ Nancy Humphries O'Dell ΕΜ, Clemson, 1985 -- Co-Anchor of Access Hollywood

★ Orcillia 'Strilli' Lasch Oppenheimer ΓΞ, UCLA, 1967 -- Philanthropist, horticulturalist, and wife of DeBeers CEO Nicky Oppenheimer

★ Jane Pauley Δ, Indiana, 1969 -- Former anchorwoman for "Today Show," NBC

★ Jo Ann Pflug ΔΚ, Miami (FL), 1959 -- Actress; played Lt. Maria "'Dish" Schneiderstar in the movie version of M
★ A
★ S
★ H, 1970; star of Candid Camera

★ Betty Robinson Schwartz Υ, Northwestern, 1931 -- Olympic gold medalist, 1928; member of the Track & Field Hall of Fame

★ Jann Carl Sears Θ, Missouri, 1979 -- Anchor for Entertainment Tonight

★ Maria Sansone ΒΤ, Syracuse -- Yahoo! 9

★ Kate Shelly Ο, Simpson, 1882 -- Heroine; saved many lives from near train disaster in 1881.

★ Katherine Brosnahan Spade -- Ω, Kansas, 1982 - Fashion Designer; co-founder of "Kate Spade brands"

★ Hollis Stacy ΔΕ, Rollins College, 1973 -- Winner of 1978 Women's Open Golf Tournament

★ Jane Swift ΖΘ, Trinity, 1985 -- First woman governor of Massachusetts

★ Mareta West ΒΘ, Oklahoma 1936 -- First woman astrogeologist; determined the crucial site for the first landing on the moon.

★ Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman Π(Δ), UC Berkeley, 1910 -- Tennis champion; founder of Wightman Tennis matches

★ Helen Wills Roarke Π(Δ), UC Berkeley, 1924 -- Tennis champion

See also

★ Fraternities and sororities

References

1. William Urban et al, ''Monmouth College, a history through its fifth quarter century''. Monmouth College, 1979
2. "20/20 Transcript"
3. DePauw sorority faces hazing allegations
4. Hazing burns sorority pledges
5. Hank Nuwer:''Wrongs of Passage: Fraternities, Sororities, Hazing, and Binge Drinking'' ISBN 0-253-21498-X

External links

★ Kappa Kappa Gamma Website