-Ordinary Miracles: 100 Years of Kappa Delta Sorority
It was because of the beautiful friendship of Lenora Ashmore, Mary Sommerville Sparks, Julia Gardiner Tyler, and Sara Turner that Kappa Delta began. And today, the ideals of friendship, fellowship and sisterly love have remained constant and strong for 106 years, just as our four founders envisioned it in the beginning.
In 1912, Kappa Delta Sorority was the only Sorority to become a member of the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) immediately upon petition. However, this did not come without sacrifice. NPC required all chapters to be four year institutions, and two of our chapters were not, one being our beloved founding chapter (Alpha). The sisters of these two chapters selflessly relinquished their charters for the sake of the future of Kappa Delta. Joyfully, Alpha chapter was re-colonized in 1949 when (now) Longwood University became a four-year baccalaureate institution.
As of January 2004, Kappa Delta has 206 chartered chapters. In addition, Kappa Delta has 487 chartered alumnae associations, the most of any NPC group. With active chapter sizes ranging from 40 to 200, membership has grown to approximately 10,000 collegiate members and over 180,000 alumnae. Our chapter, Epsilon Lambda was founded at UAHuntsville in 1977.
academics
Whether this is your first semester or last semester, this is your chance to have the BEST semester you have ever earned! Each new term always brings fresh possibilities for the greatest academic success ever. Kappa Delta is dedicated to assisting its members to be the best person they can be and achieve all that life has to offer, beginning with academic excellence.
Starting your college career off on the right track with the proper time management and study skills will generate lifelong habits of organization and learning that will serve you well in your life. Getting good grades now will make sure that you can get accepted into any field of study you want. Take personal accountability now for your future success. Academic excellence involves strength of character and perseverance with an eye on your final goals. It is not always easy, but the truly important things rarely are. Kappa Delta wishes you the best as you strive for your honorable, beautiful and highest academic goals!
-Kappa Delta Academic Excellence
Kappa Delta Academics: Highest Greek Organization GPA.
GPA higher than the all women's average.
Epsilon Lambda is a proud supporter of Girl Scouts of America and it's Grow a Daisy Program.
This year alone, Epsilon Lambda raised over $5,990 at our annual Shamrock Shuffle for Prevent Child Abuse America and the local Stop Child Abuse and Neglect.
We have girls in Alpha Lambda Delta (National Freshman Honor Society), Tau Beta Pi (National Engineering Honor Society), Psi Chi (National Psychology Honor Society), Phi Kappa Phi (Multi-Discipline Honor Society), and others.
Kappa Deltas are on the Pi Kappa Alpha Sweetheart and Dreamgirls list.
philanthropy
Kappa Delta has four national philanthropies. Girl Scouts of the USA, Prevent Child Abuse America, Children's Hospital of Richmond, Virginia, and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Research Awards. Epsilon Lambda, along with the rest of the Kappa Deltas across the nation, have these and other local philanthropies that they are involved in.
Dove Campaign for Real Beauty
In early 2006, Kappa Delta joined the groundbreaking Dove Campaign for Real Beauty to help raise self-esteem in girls and women. The campaign is a global effort intended to serve as a starting point for societal change and act as a catalyst for widening the definition and discussion of beauty. Girls and women of all ages benefit from the campaign as we explore what it is to be beautiful with our friends, coworkers, mothers and daughters.
The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty has included controversial ads of real women with real curves in their underwear, a SuperBowl ad promoting self-esteem among girls, activity booklets, a comprehensive Web site and more. Kappa Delta is proud to join forces with Dove to make a difference in the lives of women and girls across the country.
Stand Up Stand Out
College sororities are taking a stand on the issues that affect women on the campuses of America's colleges and universities. Stand Up! Stand Out! Why Settle For Fitting In When You Were Meant to Stand Out? offers college women a forum to discuss the effects of negative peer pressure and explore ways to make a difference on campus.
The program encourages participants to explore the issues that are particularly relevant to their campus, such as alcohol abuse, hazing, low self-esteem, sexual promiscuity, pressure to overachieve and more. Participants will be challenged to ask themselves, "Why do I and other women make bad decisions when we have been taught better?" They are encouraged to explore their value systems and come up with concrete ways to stand up for what they believe.
Girl Scouts of the USA
Each year Epsilon Lambda help the Girl Scouts sell their famous cookies. We also participate in the "Pajama Jam" held by our local Girl Scout troop. We spend the evening playing games and bonding with the younger girls, and with the girls of our chapter.
Prevent Child Abuse America
Every year, Kappa Delta has a Shamrock Event that raises money for Prevent Child Abuse of America and Stop Child Abuse and Neglect. Of the money raised through these events, a full 80 percent of the proceeds stays in the local community and is donated to local child abuse agencies; the remaining 20 percent is donated to PCA America's national office for its national prevention efforts. Since the Shamrock Event's inception, National Kappa Delta has collected over $5 million and has donated nearly $1.5 million to PCA America.
The Epsilon Lambda Shamrock event is a great and enjoyable experience for our chapter, our university, and our entire community. Shamrock for our chapter is held on March 13. We hold a 5K run that is held on our campus. The winning runners are given prizes, and there are also fun door prizes for everyone to enjoy. This run allows us to invite many students on campus and many people in our community to join our fight against child abuse. It is a wonderful day that we use to share our chapter's accomplishments and goals with others, and gain our community's support. Our Shamrock run is also a wonderful sisterhood event that every member looks forward to. Some girls run the race, some organize the event, and others aid the runners, however we all work together to make the event a success. Shamrock is a wonderful day that our chapter fills with remarkable memories.
Epsilon Lambda Chapter Recognition
The Epsilon Lambda chapter was recognized in this year's Alabama Higher Education Day. This award was given by the Higher Education Partnership. Our chapter was awarded for our East Clinton Street School Outreach Program. We were acknowledged as an outstanding organization for local community service.
Other Local Philanthropies
Bag A Bargain
Each year the Junior League of Decatur, Alabama organizes an event known as "Bag a Bargain." Our chapter is able to participate with the Junior League members by assisting them on the day of the event.
Liz Hurley Ribbon Run
This was the first annual Liz Hurley Breast Cancer Run. Liz Hurley, who is herself a Kappa Delta, is a news anchor for a local news station in Huntsville. Ms. Hurley survived a difficult battle with breast cancer and won. Last October she organized and sponsored a 5K run to honor those who have been touched by the horrors of breast cancer. The profits from the run go to the Liz Hurley Cancer Fund at the Huntsville Hospital Foundation. Our chapter was able to raise $500 for this foundation, and volunteered time to help with the event. The girls in our chapter were proud to volunteer at this event, and some chose to actually participate in the 5K run. We were able to assist at this event by helping runners in signing in to run. We also participated by handing out sponsored gifts to runners. Many girls in chapter volunteered at the children's section of the event. They played with children whose parents were participating in the run or volunteering. At this event our chapter was recognized with an award as the largest group of volunteers to participate.
Trick or Treat for Cans
This past October our chapter spent time collecting canned foods for needy families in our area along with the fraternity brothers of Alpha Tau Omega. Instead of trick or treating for candy, we spent the day taking up food and other necessities to give to the less fortunate people who live in our community. All of the cans we collected were given to the Salvation Army and then donated to families.
Can-A-Thon
The Volunteer Center of Madison County organizes an annual Can-A-Thon each December for needy families in the community. Stations are set up at local grocery stores and shopping centers. Our chapter aided in donating and collecting cans at Madison Square Mall. The Can-A-Thon put everyone in the Christmas spirit and gave us an opportunity to truly reach our community.
Samaritan's Purse
This holiday season the girls in our chapter decided to take part in a program that aids unfortunate children. Girls in chapter paired up and bought presents and necessities (such as toothbrushes, underwear, socks, etc.) to fill shoeboxes that would be sent to needy children. The shoeboxes were given to children in other countries. The children who received these boxes would not have been able to have a Christmas if it were not for this program.
East Clinton Street Elementary School Tutoring
East Clinton Street Elementary School is a local school that has children from kindergarten up to the fifth grade. During January of this year our chapter began working with students and teachers at this school. Each week a few Epsilon Lambda members visit the school to aid teachers and other school officials. We are at the school each Thursday from eight in the morning until around two in the afternoon. Girls usually go to the school in pairs and stay for an hour or two hour sessions. Some weeks we are asked to aid teachers or the librarians. At other times we are asked to read to small or large groups of students. We also are able to work one on one with children when they need special tutoring in a certain subject. The faculty and student of the school, as well as their PTA have been wonderful in supporting this program. They clearly appreciate our help, and we enjoy a weekly reminder of what it is like to be a kid. This tutoring program gives Epsilon Lambda a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in the future of our community by positively influencing its youth.
Focus First
Focus First is a new program that originated in Alabama. It is a program that works to promote good eye care for the youth of our state, especially in poor areas. To help complete this goal volunteers are taught how to assemble and use professional eye camera equipment. This camera is used to take photographs of a child's eyes that can detect if there are any visual problems. If problems are found the Focus First organization aids in eye care for the child.
Sisterhood is what links us all in Kappa Delta. This past year at school we have had many Sisterhood Events.
Some of them include a Christmas party, Pottery by You party, and Bowling.
As a Kappa Delta, there are many opportunities to socialize and meet new people. We have numerous events throughout the year ranging from sisterhood retreats, going out on the weekends, and even having movie nights. We also enjoy going to ACE events and every Kappa Delta is involved in atleast one club outside of KD. Kappa Delta's main social event each year is our legendary Crush Party.