What do actress Ashley Judd and Canada’s first female prime minister Kim Campbell have in common? Add actress Candice Bergen and Trading Spaces designer Laurie Hickson-Smith to the mix and you have a list of famous women who have “gone Greek.” These women are known as the famous kappas but the list does not stop there. Other famous kappas include Pulitzer Prize Winner Phyllis McGinley, fashion designer Kate Spade, host of the Today Show Jane Pauley and actress Kate Jackson. What all of them have in common is that they are all sisters of Kappa Kappa Gamma, a sorority established in 1870 by a group of six women at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois. Back in 1870, when women were considered to be inferior to men and better suited to stay at home and avoid social and political involvement, six young women marched into the Monmouth College Chapel on Oct. 13, with their golden keys in their hair to declare the establishment a “Greek letter society” with the aim of promoting sisterhood, friendship and intellectual development for women. Oct. 13 is now known as Founders Day among Kappa sisters to honour the six women who courageously broke the gender barrier of “males-only.”
Kappa Kappa Gamma was also the first women’s fraternity to publish its own magazine, The Key, in 1882. It was the first to set up Service Women’s Centers, career networking programs and incorporate a Heritage Museum. Since then, Kappa Kappa Gamma has recruited over 200,000 members and established 131 chapters in both Canada and the United States. Moreover, it now has 330 affiliated organizations worldwide.
Here at U of T, Kappa Kappa Gamma has established a local chapter at 32 Madison Ave. The Beta Psi Chapter has been around since 1911 and has more than 1,000 members. Heading into its 93rd year, the Beta Psi Chapter is now recruiting new members. Recruitment usually happens in the beginning of the school year when thousands of high school free agents roll into the university looking for a bonding place. Recruiting lasts about a week so that students get the opportunity to shop around and consult a Recruitment Counselor before making their decision to join a particular sorority. In addition, there is the informal or open recruitment for students who wish to get involved later in the year and missed the formal recruitment.
Membership fees, ranging from $500 to $700 a year (fees are higher for first year members), cover the cost of events, subscription to the sorority magazine, administration fees and the badge. $700 is a significant amount of money, especially in the beginning of the school term, but there are payment plans available and member fees drop after first year.
For 2004, members can look forward to a busy year as Kappa Kappa Gamma has planned numerous social events. They include Valentine’s Day Grams, Parent’s Holiday Party, Kappa Krush and Sapphire Ball. Sure enough, many people have negative notions about sororities but one of the main focuses of Kappa Kappa Gamma is on “personal development through education, scholastics and leadership development.”
Kappa Kappa Gamma members devote much of their time to Sheena’s Place, which is a support service for women with eating disorders. In fact, the motto that is printed on the Kappa Kappa Gamma Beta Psi Chapter’s name card is “We laugh, we share, we encourage.”
However, when The Varsity contacted the president of Beta Psi Chapter, she was unable to provide further details on the sorority stating that there are “strict rules” within Kappa Kappa Gamma. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the president added, “We are not allowed to do interviews and if you want an interview, you would need permission from the headquarters and that would take a long time.”
Nevertheless, Beta Psi Chapter is hosting an Open House event for potential members today at 32 Madison Ave. As well, they will be organizing a charity event on Feb. 9.
