Delta Sigma Chapter was founded at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma on April 12, 1947.
2,855 initiates (as of June 2018)
The movement to establish a chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College, later Oklahoma State University, was instigated by Jessa DeFoliart (Scott), Gamma Nu- Arkansas, and Melba Errebo (Cordell), Alpha- Monmouth. These two had enrolled at Oklahoma A and M and roomed together, but they missed the chapter life they had enjoyed, and so wrote to Kappa Headquarters about the possibility of establishing a chapter.
In 1946 Eleanore Goodridge Campbell, Beta Mu- Colorado, came to Stillwater to organize an alumnae club. Eliza Gaffney Leachmen, Beta Theta- Oklahoma, was elected the first president.
The Key for October, 1946, announced "a trio of potential chapters" at Tulsa, Stillwater, and Oxford, Mississippi. That fall Graduate Counselors Marjorie Cross (Bird), Beta Mu- Colorado, and H. Stuart Smith (Asquith), Gamma Iota- Washington University, were sent to Stillwater to start the colonizing process.
Membership for the colony was delayed until the established groups on campus had ended formal rush. When the Delta Sigma Colony enrolled its first members, 15 choice girls were pledged without compromising quality for numbers. Counselors were sent to work with the chapter for several years and the success of the chapter is due, in great part, to their work.
Installation took place in April 11 and 12, 1947, with Director of Alumnae Helena Flinn Ege, Gamma Sigma- Pittsburgh, as installing officer. The Fireside service was at the Kappa Sigma house; installation at the YWCA; and the banquet in Willard Hall. Beta Theta, University of Oklahoma, was the installing chapter. Sunday afternoon a reception for more than 500 invited guests was given at the Kappa Alpha Theta house and it seemed to the hostesses that at least 500 attended.
It had been recognized from the start that housing for a colonized chapter with two active members would pose a problem. The colony members lived in a dormitory and, thanks to Fred G. Drummond (president of the Board of Regents, and husband, later to be a father and grandfather of Kappas) they were able to occupy a complete floor of North Murray Hall and have their own hostess.
Lots were purchased in January, 1947, at the corner of Lincoln and College Avenues. Herbert and Frances Sutton Schmitz, Beta Delta- Michigan, were appointed to draw up plans for an attractive, but cheap, house for 45 girls...a difficult assignment. Two of the existing houses on the lots were sold and a third was converted into a lodge, attractively furnished. There the girls met and the two colonizers and a hostess lived. This house was torn down when construction started in 1948. During that school year the girls lived in a crowded rented house on Ramsey Street. When the girls moved in the fall of 1949, the new chapter house seemed immense and luxurious. However, the house, designed for 45 girls, was holding 65 in the 1960s with other members very unhappy about not being able to live in it. The house could not be enlarged because new city building codes required adequate parking space.
In 1965 this house was sold to the new Phi Gamma Delta chapter. Lots were purchased at the corner of Lincoln and Fourth Avenues. Gwendolyn Barnes Uzzell, Gamma Nu- University of Arkansas, was chairman of the house Building Committee and the Schmitzes were again the architects. Mrs. Uzzell was liasion person for more than two years, and seemed to devote every free minute to the project. Delta Sigma's Martha Puckett Miller accepted the responsibility of raising funds for furnishings and had moderately good results from three mailings to her up-dated alumnae file.
Delta Sigma moved into the new house in March, 1968.
Members of the local alumnae group have nearly all served as advisers, some almost continuously. Martha Miller; Eliza Leachman; "Gwen" Uzzell; Gladys Sullivant McGaugh, Gamma Nu- Arkansas; Jean Clark Berry, Beta Theta- Oklahoma; Shirley Love Murphy, Beta Theta- Oklahoma; and Delta Sigmas Althea Jacobson Wright, Ruby Eager Moore, Alice Cudd Bauter, Merna Jo Hart Robinson, Nancy Hamra Patton, and Alice Davis Waughtal have been especially loyal. These same women have served on the house board and been officers in the alumnae club.
There are good reasons for Delta Sigma's outstanding reputation at Oklahoma State. The Fraternity made special concessions to the needs, financial and otherwise, of the chapter. The high regard in which Beta Theta at the University of Oklahoma and other chapters in surrounding states have long been held has reflected favorably upon Delta Sigma.
Delta Sigma members served often as student government representatives and as presidents and vice presidents of Angel Flight, Blades, and Mortar Board, Many are members of honoraries.
The chapter has won the Zelma Patchin award as "outstanding sorority on campus" five times, and has received or been runner-up for the scholarship cup at least 10 times. During the 1950s, Delta Sigma won or took second place at the Varsity Review Show, judging campus talent. There have been numerous yearbook beauty queens, queens of fraternity dances, Who's Who selections, and "Top Student" choices from the chapter members.
Probably the best-remembered member of Delta Sigma is the late Mary Ann Stewart, who was killed in a plane accident the year after her graduation. She won numerous awards and honors on campus, and was president of the chapter in 1962-63. A scholarship providing money for fees to a deserving student was established in her honor. Mary Ann's younger sister, Nancy, was an outstanding accounting student, served as treasurer when the move was made into the new house, and was president of the chapter in 1969-1970.
Throughout the 80’s there were a few events that Delta Sigma participated in each year. In the fall, we held Dad’s day. In 1980 our theme for Dad’s Day was “A day with Dad – Two-step in Style” where we were able to have a luncheon at the house with our dads followed by taking them to go watch a Cowboys football game. We also always participated in homecoming where we paired up with a fraternity to decorate a house deck. In 1980 we paired with Lambda Chi Alpha and our theme was “The Saturday afternoon Pokes”. Every year we also had a Big/Little Slumber party where the new members received their big sisters from the sophomore pledge class and had an owl pal that was usually a junior or senior. In the Spring, we held a Mom’s Day with themes like Wined and Dined where we had a luncheon with our moms and a silent auction. We also participated in fraternity philanthropy events like Sigma Chi Derby Days and Sigma Phi Epsilon “SigEp SuperStars”.
Every year the Greek community puts on shows in which sororities and fraternities compete to see who has the best singing and dancing skills. For the Freshman this is called follies and in 1981 the freshman of Delta Sigma chapter paired with the freshman of Farmhouse. The shows that the whole chapter participate in are called Varsity revue and Spring Sing. In 1983, we paired with Delta Tau Delta for Varsity Revue where we won best song and choreography and placed second overall. In 1981, we paired with Delta Chi for Spring Sing.
During these years we also won many awards at the provincial conference such as the gracias living award, scholarship award for highest GPA in province, award of excellence in chapter and house board, and the standards award. We also won many awards on campus such as The Dean Patchin Award for Outstanding Sorority, top chapter grades, and outstanding pledge class.
During 1980-1984 the Delta Sigma chapter was continuously growing and by 1984 we had more active members than our house could hold. For that year we had 94 house contracts with only 83 spaces for girls to live. The solution was that seniors would live out of the house until the house board could figure out how we would be able to fit all active members in the house. After long debate, it was decided that the basement would be remodeled in bedrooms. The old coke rom was turned into a four-girl room and the old study hall was turned into a new eight-girl room. They also turned a storage room into a bathroom for the girls living in these new rooms to use. The house board also did not stop there! They also remodeled the laundry room and bought all new washers and dryers for the members to use and the dinge hallway was turned into a lounge, giving the girls in the house more space to hang out together.
A significant event that happened in the Stillwater community in 1984 was that one of the other sorority houses on campus caught on fire. It happened during a thunderstorm. The house was struck by lightning and from what some of alumni remember there were some girls that were injured because they were on the phone at the time the house was hit. To help these girls out we collected donations for things they lost or things that were damaged in the fire. We collected things like shirts, jeans, shoes and toiletries to give them. We even had some girls stay with us while their house was being repaired.
As usual at Oklahoma State University, Delta Sigma was very involved and excited for Homecoming events during the 1990’s. The university theme for homecoming in 1998 was “Spirit Cowboy Style” and we paired with Phi Delta Theta winning several awards including Parade Marshall’s Cup for top parade entry, first place in Harvest Carnival, first place Greek float, and first place for overall spirit. In 1999 the campus celebrated homecoming with the theme “Timeless Tradition” and we paired up with Sigma Phi Epsilon for the weeks event. We placed first in the blood drive and safety award, second in the Harvest Carnival and fourth in house decoration.
Delta Sigma steadily remained a very social chapter on campus with Panhellenic and IFC groups. Throughout the 90’s we paired up annually with Kappa Alpha Theta for a “Kites and Keys” event and Pi Beta Phi for a “Monmouth Duo” semi-formal. One special event that happened in the year of 1990-1991 was that we received a new house mother named Paul McGee. Paul designed clothes for Hollywood movie star’s children and the chapter described her as a sweet, motherly type. She was a mother of 6 sons so she loved the change of living in a house full of ladies.
Delta Sigma has a for philanthropy and in 1998 and 1999 during philanthropy day of recruitment we shared this love with potential new members by making food care packages for the needy and in Stillwater. Delta Sigma continued to stay involved with “The Big Event” on the Oklahoma State campus throughout the 1990’s. This is a community wide service event and in 1999 the Kappas were sent to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame to do “spring cleaning” which included organizing their library, constructing shelves and hanging plaques of Wrestling Hall inductees.
After recognizing in 1999 the need to raise our chapter GPA, we took very positive steps towards improving our academic performance including mandatory study hours for all members and the addition of four new computers (two of which had internet access) in our study room.
Throughout the early 2000’s Delta Sigma promoted philanthropy with different events raising money for The Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation, RIF, The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and others. For many years throughout the 2000’s our spring philanthropy remained Kappa Kindness Week where we shared random acts of kindness to other Greek Chapters on campus. Our fall philanthropy on the other hand continued to evolved. In 2006 we started a new fall philanthropy of Kappa-Kickoff and extended this to include men in 2007. In 2009 our fall philanthropy migrated to a Kappa Cookout event where we served hotdogs and cookies. This event then evolved to Kappa Con Queso in 2011 and proved to be a success.
Homecoming consistently stayed an important tradition on the Oklahoma State Campus and for Delta Sigma. We always enjoy meeting members of many different chapters on campus through these events and continue to be top contenders for the house decoration competition as well as Harvest Carnival each year. In 2008 the theme for homecoming “Generation Cowboy, Just Do It” and we were teamed up with the men of Phi Gamma Delta. Delta Sigma also stays involved with other campus wide and Greek life events such as Relay for Life, Varsity Revenue, Dance Marathon, Freshman Follies and more. In 2009 Delta Sigma participated in Relay for Life and raised the second largest amount of money for the event. In the years of 2007, 2008 and 2009 we also received the Dean Patchin’s Outstanding Scholarship Award during the Greek Awards Banquet.
On top of philanthropy and campus events, Delta Sigma remains a very social chapter on campus holding many events with different Panhellenic and IFC chapters throughout the years. In 2009 one large event we held was called “The Olympics” which our event chairman planned with the women of Kappa Alpha Theta, the men of Beta Theta Pi, and the men of Sigma Phi Epsilon. Throughout the 2000’s Kappa has also kept their tradition of a “Monmouth Duo” social with the women of Pi Beta Phi. An event we held with multiple other chapters in Greek Life in 2010 was “What Used to be Cool” – we did this event with Alpha Chi Omega, Phi Delta Theta, and Sigma Alpha Epsilon. We also involved our families in events by holding both Mom and Dad’s Weekends separately and we had chairs that planned each of the events. For Mom’s day we always had a silent auction and luncheon and on Dad’s Day we had a luncheon and attended a football game.
It became clear in the early 2000’s that Greek Life was getting more popular at Oklahoma State as our new member classes continued to grow. Our classes grew from 49 new members in 2008, 57 new members in 2010 and up to 72 in 2011. In 2011 Panhellenic added a new sorority (AOPi) on campus to balance this growth.
In January of 2009 our chapter was presented with a focus letter and our chapter council began implementing many changes leading to a refocus letter at the end of that year. Unfortunately, in 2010 we had not improved as much as necessary and our chapter was placed on probation. Although this was seen as a challenge in the beginning, the Delta Sigma chapter came together and worked to improve our chapter as a whole. In order to do so we held monthly sisterhood event to promote unity and trained our officers from scratched to ensure every officer understands her job requirements. In 2011 we learned of our warning of probation which was a big step towards no longer being on probation.
Our spring semester started off great with a third place in Varsity Review with the men of Farmhouse. The theme was 'Where the Wild Things Are.' We participated in many of the spring philanthropies including Lambda Chi pledge pagaent, Sigma Chi's Derby Days, Kappa Sigma's Krazy Dayz, Greek Week and Relay for Life. Our chapter president attended Kappa National Convention, and the Delta Sigma chapter was awarded Most Improved chapter. We teamed up with Stillwater Elementary School, and a group of Kappas read to the children every Friday to support Reading is Fundamental. We also hosted legacy night; a night in which active members entertained upcoming Kappa legacies. The recruitment team did a great job planning this night including a fashion show, snacks and games. Legacy night was followed with Greek Discovery Day where Kappa participated in a mock recruitment for Potential New Members. Also, Kappa held the annual Mom's Day celebration. Kappas and their mothers attended a tea party brunch and a silent auction. We ended the semester with the Blue and Blue date party. It was a fun night of dancing and Kappa's dressing up in their favorite dark blue and light blue clothing. We also paired with the women of Pi Beta Phi and Kappa Alpha Theta for our PTK date party. It was a hippie-themed date party.
The fall semester began with work week in the last week of July and continued into formal recruitment. During recruitment, we decorated sacks and filled them with goodies for children participating in a run for Juvenile Diabetes in Oklahoma City. On bid day, we welcomed 62 new members. We also welcomed back 9 recruitment counselors from Kappa Kappa Gamma. Our dad's day chairmen did an excellent job of planning and executing dad's day. On this day, Kappas and their dads participated in an early lunch and silent auction before attending an Oklahoma State football game.
In October, we initated 62 new members following Inspiration Week. Following that week, Kappa participated in America's Greatest Homecoming where we paired with the men of Sigma Chi. Our house decoration was titled "Traditions," inspired by all of the traditions of Oklahoma State University. Also in October, we held our annual Founder's Day dinner, which honored our founders and the date of Kappa's establishment. Kappa held the annual philanthropy, Kappa Con Queso, to raise money for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Before the big night, numerous local busineses agreed to donate a small portion of each sale to our philanthropy. On the night of Kappa Con Queso, members fed mexican food to the OSU community. Kappa raised $10,000 for our philanthropy. We ended the month of November with the Monmouth duo formal date party with the women of Pi Beta Phi. The freshman did an excellent job in Freshman Follies this year with the men of Sigma Nu. They placed 4th overall with the theme of 'Tarzan.'
One of our biggest accomplishments was reaching the All Sorority Average after not reaching it for nine straight semesters. Overall, the entire year was filled with great accomplishments, and we were delighted with the successes of our chapter. This includes all the support and involvement from our House Board, Parent's Club, and especially our Advisory Board.
Oklahoma State University continues to be nationally recognized as one of the best universities in the Big 12. Oklahoma State hosts five campuses and currently has approximately 35,000 undergraduate students enrolled. Renovations took place in the Student Union and on Monroe Street throughout the 2012-2013 school year.
Members of Delta Sigma are involved in a wide variety of organizations and committees on campus including academic clubs, sports and event committees. Several Kappas were key players in starting the first Dance Marathon event on Oklahoma State's campus. Nine members were selected as recruitment counselors during fall recruitment. New Members were eager to participate and represented Kappa in Freshman Representative Council, Junior Greek Life, Orange Pride and many other philanthropic committees. Members who participated in sports including soccer and cheerleading. In many areas of campus Kappas show their talents and provide leadership to support Oklahoma State's organizations.
2013 was a big year for the Delta Sigma chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. To start off the year we participated in an all-Greek show at Oklahoma State called Varsity Revue. We were paired with the men of Sigma Chi and used the theme The Grinch. The cast took home fourth place after 3 incredible shows and months of hard work.
Kappa was lucky to welcome 9 new initiates in April to the Delta Sigma chapter after participating in Continuous Open Recruitment. Women of the fraternity participated in many different campus wide events; including continuing the tradition of Dance Marathon that was started on the Oklahoma State campus by a Kappa two years ago.
Along with staying involved on campus, Kappas also did different events off of campus including supporting our philanthropy Reading is Fundamental by going to the local elementary school and reading them books and also donating books. Spring sing was another show that Kappa was heavily dedicated to in the spring of 2013 semester with the men of Farmhouse. We were lucky enough to win best vocals, best choreography, best song choice and placed second in the overall show.
We continued our hard work through the summer and had a successful recruitment giving out 59 bids, all of which were accepted. Our new member program was a success. The chapter was ready and excited to welcome them into our sisterhood on October 5th. Two weeks later was Oklahoma States homecoming, the largest homecoming in the nation. After several months of dedication, all of our hard work paid off when we got 1st in a community service carnival called harvest carnival, second in the sign competition and overall got third.
Kappa Con Queso was a huge success in 2013 when we raised around 10,000 for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, which was one of the largest amounts we have ever raised. This was a combination of different fundraisers and the event itself. We ended the year with a sisterhood event decorating cookies to take some stress before our finals began. This was a great way to bond with all of us together in one place.
We finished the semester strong with an overall chapter GPA of 3.349, which was above all sorority average. Also, last year we received outstanding standards awards and relations between house boards.
Our chapter strives to become more involved on campus and have been working hard to keep good relations with Panhellenic. We are a close chapter where everyone is friends with each other. It was announced that Alpha Xi Delta would be joining our Greek community in the upcoming years. During rush in 2013 some correspondents for the sorority came to oversee how Oklahoma State does recruitment. They were excited to become part of this campus and we look forward to welcoming them in the near future.
The Delta Sigma chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma had a very successful 2014 year. To kick the year off we participated in an all-Greek show at Oklahoma State called Varsity Revue. We were paired with the men of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and the cast took home the Most Philanthropic Cast Award. The women in the fraternity participate in many different events on campus and are apart of many clubs. At Oklahoma State there is a continuous tradition of numerous Kappas being apart of Dance Marathon, since it was started on campus by a Kappa three years ago. To give back to the community by supporting our philanthropy Reading is Fundamental, Kappas visited the local elementary school to read books to children and to also donate books to the school. One other all-Greek show that Kappa participated in was Spring Sing with the men of Sigma Chi. During Spring Sing, we received the Most Entertaining Cast Award. Delta Sigma was recognized at National Convention this summer by receiving the award Most Improved Academic Excellence and honorable mentioned for Risk Management and House Board Relations.
After returning from summer break our success and hard work paid off by having such a rewarding recruitment. 59 bids were given out, and all were accepted. Our new member program is very helpful and a great asset to the women who were excited to call Kappa their new home. The chapter welcome these 59 new members into our sisterhood on October 18th.
Oklahoma State's homecoming was just around the corner, which is the largest homecoming in the nation. Kappa Kappa Gamma was paired with the men of Lambda Chi Alpha. After several months of hard work and dedication, we had a very rewarding and successful homecoming. All of our hard work paid off when we placed third in the sign competition, third in a community service project called harvest carnival, third in a flag football game called football frenzy, and second in house decoration. By placing high in all of those events and taking home many trophies, we received first in homecoming sweepstakes over the rest of the Greek community. Kappa has not won homecoming sweepstakes in in the last 15 years, so this was a great accomplishment by the sisters in our chapter.
Our philanthropy event, Kappa Con Queso was a big success raising around $10,000 for JDRF. This amount keeps increasing every year that we do Kappa Con Queso at Oklahoma State. There were numerous events that helped to reach the $10,000 mark, and Kappa Con Queso was the main event. This past year, three of our sisters have held a position on Panhellenic Executive council, this is such a high honor at Oklahoma State. To finish up the year, we had a sisterhood event to decorate Christmas cookies and we went to purchase gifts for a local angel tree project. The women of Delta Sigma finished the semester with a 3.34 GPA, which was above the all sorority average. 2014 was such a great year for the Delta Sigma chapter and we are looking forward to seeing what 2015 holds for our sisterhood.
Delta Sigma strives to get involved on campus in many clubs and activities, and to keep good relations with Panhellenic. At Oklahoma State, Delta Sigma holds a close relationship with everyone that is on campus. With Alpha Xi Delta being new on campus and participating in formal recruitment for the first time, a couple of recruitment officers from their chapter came to oversee how we practiced for formal recruitment. During the year of 2014, a member of another chapter passed away in an accident. Delta Sigma and the men of Delta Kappa Epsilon hosted a benefit cookout, and all the money that was raised was donated to a scholarship fund in her name.
The Delta Sigma chapter at Oklahoma State has been on campus since April 12, 1947. Our house has moved locations twice, we currently reside at 1212 W. 4th Ave in Stillwater, OK. All of our members have had the chance to live together in our chapter house during their years at Oklahoma State. The Kappa house is chapter owned. The house the we all call home is three stories tall and will house 90 women.
The Delta Sigma chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma had a very successful 2015-year. To kick the year off we participated in an all-Greek show at Oklahoma State called Varsity Revue. We were paired with the men of Alpha Tau Omega, and the cast took home the Most Philanthropic Cast Award, Best Theme Award, and received 4th place in the show. The women in the fraternity participate in many different events on campus and are apart of many clubs. At Oklahoma State there is a continuous tradition of numerous Kappas being apart of Dance Marathon and holding positions on the executive team, since it was started on campus by a Kappa six years ago. To give back to the community by supporting our philanthropy Reading is Fundamental, Kappas visited local elementary schools reading books to children, and donating books. There was a total of 350 books donated to local elementary schools. During the spring the women of Delta Sigma participated in the Oklahoma State University Relay for Life, where the Delta Sigma chapter received the Highest Fundraising Award and the Best T-Shirt Design Award. One other all-Greek show that Kappa participated in was Spring Sing with the men of Kappa Sigma. For the second annual philanthropy event between the women of Kappa and the men of Delta Kappa Epsilon there was $5,000 raised for Make Promises Happen. Make Promises Happen is a camp that provides outdoor recreational opportunities for individuals that have special needs. After returning from summer break our success and hard work paid off by having such a rewarding recruitment. 62 bids were given out, and all were accepted. Our new member program is very helpful and a great asset to the women who were excited to call Kappa their new home. The chapter welcomed these 62 new members into our sisterhood on October 3rd. Oklahoma State's homecoming was just around the corner, which is the largest homecoming in the nation. Kappa Kappa Gamma was paired with the men of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. After several months of hard work and dedication, we had a very rewarding and successful homecoming. All of our hard work paid off when we placed second in house decoration and fourth in football frenzy. This past year the women of Delta Sigma were paired with the men on Alpha Tau Omega to compete in an all-Greek house showing called Freshman Follies where only the freshman women and men from the chapters participate. Our philanthropy event, Kappa Con Queso was a big success raising around $11,000 for the Stillwater Medical Center Foundation, JDRF, RIF, and the Kappa Foundation. This amount keeps increasing every year that we do Kappa Con Queso at Oklahoma State. There were numerous benefit nights at restaurants and donations received helped the chapter reach the $11,000 mark, and Kappa Con Queso was the main event. This past year, two of our sisters have held a position on Panhellenic Exectuive council, and two more just got elected to serve for the Spring 2016-Fall 2016 semester. For 3 years in a row, Kappa has been represented on Panhellenic Council and that is such a high honor at Oklahoma State. During this past semester there were 5 Delta Sigma members initiated into Order of Omega and one freshman named to top 10 freshman men and women. These are incredible honors and we are thrilled to have Delta Sigma women be apart of it. The women of Delta Sigma paired with the men of Farmhouse to compete in the all-Greek showing called Varsity Revue. To finish up the year, we had a Christmas event with the men of Kappa Sigma to sponsor purchasing gifts for the local children involved with Big Brothers and Big Sisters. The women of Delta Sigma finished the Spring semester with a 3.41 GPA, which was above the all sorority average. 2015 was such a great year for the Delta Sigma chapter and we are looking forward to seeing what 2016 holds for our sisterhood.
The Delta Sigma chapter is one of the most highly respected chapters on campus with close relationships with every chapter on campus. The Delta Sigma chapter is always willing to go above and beyond for other chapters in time of need. This past semester Panhellenic paired sororities up with each other to make “sister sororities” Alpha Chi Omega was our sister sorority for the fall semester. By being sister sororities we attended their philanthropy event and even hosted a special defense class for both chapters. In the Fall of 2015, the Oklahoma State University and the community of Stillwater, Oklahoma experienced a tragedy that affected everyone in the town. With this tragedy, the Delta Sigma chapter reached out to those in the community that were involved. The women of Kappa Kappa Gamma attended a vigil lighting ceremony for those who lost their lives during the crash. The tragedy did not just affect the town, but the university also.
Chapter Philanthropy:
What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in your community?
Relay for Life, Kasey Waychoff Foundation, Stillwater Medical Center Foundation, Dance Marathon, Into the Streets, Big Event, Make Promises Happen, Up Till Dawn, Stillwater Food Bank, Reading is Fundamental, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and the Kappa Foundation.
Why did your chapter choose this organization(s) to support?
The Delta Sigma chapter has raised money for these events / donated hours of service to the community for the members are very dedicated to serving others. This year for our annual Kappa Con Queso, a portion of the money went to the Stillwater Medical Center Foundation to help reduce the costs of hospital bills incurred by individuals from the accident. The Delta Sigma chapter felt as if this would be a great benefit for the community or for those individuals in their time of need. Each year there are members that dedicate their self to spending numerous hours serving to the Stillwater Food Bank, Up Till Dawn, and Dance Marathon. These are just a couple of the outreach activities that the chapter makes to help serve the community. With cancer being a prevalent disease in many individuals, some of the members and their families have personally been impacted by cancer and that is why we chose to set up a team for Relay for Life.
The Delta Sigma chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma had a very successful 2016-year. To kick the year off we participated in an all-Greek show at Oklahoma State called Varsity Revue. We were paired with the men of Farmhouse, and the cast received 3rd place in the show overall. The women in the fraternity participate in many different events on campus and are a part of many clubs. At Oklahoma State there is a continuous tradition of numerous Kappas participating in Dance Marathon and holding positions on the executive team, since it was started on campus by a Kappa at Oklahoma State six years ago. To give back to the community by supporting our philanthropy Reading is Fundamental, Kappas visited local elementary schools reading books to children, and donating books. There was a total of 350 books donated to local elementary schools. During the spring the women of Delta Sigma participated in the Oklahoma State University Relay for Life, which supports cancer research and survivors. One other all-Greek show that Kappa participated in was Spring Sing with the men of Sigma Phi Epsilon, and the cast won the Best Costumes Award. Kappa Kolor Run is Delta Sigma’s new spring philanthropy event. The 5K run/walk allows for everyone in the Stillwater community to come together for a cause. Participants get to enjoy food, music, and lots of color. The event helps raise money and awareness for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Reading Is Fundamental and The Kappa Foundation. Kappa plans to continue to do this event for many years to come. After returning from summer break, our success and hard work paid off by having such a rewarding recruitment. 56 bids were given out, and all were accepted. Our new member program is very helpful and a great asset to the women who were excited to call Kappa their new home. The chapter welcomed these 56 new members into our sisterhood on October 8th. Oklahoma State's homecoming was just around the corner, which is the largest homecoming in the nation. Kappa Kappa Gamma was paired with the men of Sigma Nu. After several months of hard work and dedication, we had a very rewarding and successful homecoming. All of our hard work paid off when we placed 1st in Football Frenzy and placed 3rd in Sweepstakes. This past year the women of Delta Sigma were paired with the men of Kappa Sigma CR-08 Page 2 of 3 13.1.a to compete in an all-Greek house showing called Freshman Follies where only the freshman women and men from the chapters participate. Our philanthropy event, Kappa Con Queso was a big success raising around $13,000 for JDRF, RIF, and the Kappa Foundation. This amount keeps increasing every year that we do Kappa Con Queso at Oklahoma State. There were numerous benefit nights at restaurants and donations received helped the chapter reach the $13,000 mark, and Kappa Con Queso was the main event. In 2016, two of our sisters held a position on Panhellenic Executive council. For 3 years in a row, Kappa has been represented on Panhellenic Council and that is such a high honor at Oklahoma State. During this past semester there were 3 Delta Sigma members initiated into Order of Omega and one freshman named to top 10 freshman men and women. These are incredible honors and we are thrilled to have Delta Sigma women be apart of it. The women of Delta Sigma paired with the men of Sigma Phi Epsilon to compete in the all-Greek showing called Varsity Revue this upcoming year. To finish up the year, we had a Christmas event with the men of Kappa Sigma to sponsor purchasing gifts for the local children involved with Big Brothers and Big Sisters. The women of Delta Sigma finished the Spring semester with a 3.461 GPA, which was above the all sorority average. 2016 was such a great year for the Delta Sigma chapter and we are looking forward to seeing what 2017 holds for our sisterhood.
The Delta Sigma chapter is one of the most highly respected chapters on campus with close relationships with every chapter on campus. The Delta Sigma chapter is always willing to go above and beyond for other chapters in time of need. Panhellenic paired sororities up with each other to make “sister sororities;” Alpha Chi Omega was our sister sorority for the fall semester and then Tri Delta was our sister sorority in the spring semester. By being sister sororities, we attended their philanthropy events and even hosted a special defense class for both chapters. What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in your community? Relay for Life, Kasey Waychoff Foundation, Stillwater Medical Center Foundation, Dance Marathon, Into the Streets, Big Event, Make Promises Happen, Up Till Dawn, Stillwater Food Bank, Reading is Fundamental, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and the Kappa Foundation.
The Delta Sigma chapter has raised money for these events / donated hours of service to the community for the members are very dedicated to serving others. Each year there are members that dedicate their self to spending numerous hours serving to the Stillwater Food Bank, Up Till Dawn, and Dance Marathon. These are just a couple of the outreach activities that the chapter makes to help serve the community. With cancer being a prevalent disease in many individuals, some of the members and their families have personally been impacted by cancer and that is why we chose to set up a team for Relay for Life. This year we created another philanthropy event in the spring, Kappa Kolor Run, in order to further raise money for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Reading is Fundamental, and The Kappa Foundation. Woman Behind the Badge:
As we look ahead to the Fraternity’s Sesquicentennial celebration in 2020, please tell us the story of any historic badge being worn by a member of your chapter. Such a badge might be worn by your chapter’s president, another officer or a member who is recognized for her high scholarship. We are compiling information about the fantastic women who have brought us to this point in our history, the Women Behind the Badge.
The Delta Sigma chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma had an eventful 2017-year. For starters, the chapter participated in Varsity Revue, and were paired with the men of Sigma Phi Epsilon. Many women in the chapter participate in different clubs and organizations around campus. Kappas at Oklahoma State have held positions on the Dance Marathon executive team for the last 7 years when the event was started by a Kappa. To give back to the community by supporting our local philanthropy, Reading in Fundamental, Kappas donated children's books to local elementary schools and also volunteered at the schools as well. During the spring semester, some of the Delta Sigma women participated in the OSU’s Relay for Life, an event that helps raise money to support cancer research and cancer survivors. Another all-Greek show that Kappa participated in during the spring semester was Spring Sing. Kappa Kappa Gamma was paired with the men of Sigma Nu, and after a lot of hard work and dedication, the pair placed 2nd overall. Delta Sigma’s spring philanthropy event is Kappa Kolor Run. This was the chapter’s second year to do the 5k walk/run and it was a success. The event helped raise money and other standing appreciation for Reading is Fundamental and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, our local and national philanthropies, and also for The Kappa Foundation. The chapter has plans to change this spring philanthropy event in the upcoming years. Upon returning from summer break for the 2017-2018 school year, Kappa had a very successful recruitment. 52 bids were given out and were all accepted. Our new member program guided these new members and allowed them to take the necessary steps in becoming official members of such a great sisterhood. These 52 new members were welcomed into the Delta Sigma Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma on September 30, 2017. Oklahoma State’s homecoming took place on October 14, 2017, which is the largest homecoming in the nation. Every year, Kappa participates in homecoming by pairing with a fraternity on campus to do different activities for the University’s homecoming. This year Kappa was paired with men of Alpha Gamma Rho. Hard work and dedication paid off because together we placed 3rd in Football Frenzy, 1st in House Deck, and 1st in Sweepstakes. This past year the women of Kappa were paired with the men of Farm House for an all-Greek house show called Freshman Follies, where only freshmen women and men can participate. Our 2017 fall philanthropy event, Kappa Con Queso, was a success. A good amount of money was raised for RIF, JDRF, and the Kappa Foundation. Kappa Con Queso continues to be more of a success and the dollar amount raised increases every year! Kappa holds many benefit nights at local restaurants and received numerous donations that helped the chapter raise the money. Kappa Con Queso was the chapter’s main philanthropy event of 2017. For the last few years, Kappa has been represented on Panhellenic Council, which is a high honor at Oklahoma State. The Delta Sigma Chapter has been known for having members initiated into Order of Omega and Top 10 Freshman Men and Women every year. These are excellent honors, and we are thrilled to have Delta Sigma be a part of all of it. To finish up the year, we had a Christmas event with the men of Kappa Sigma to sponsor purchasing gifts for the local children involved with Big Brothers and Big Sisters. The women of Delta Sigma finished the Spring semester with a 3.5039 GPA, which is above the all sorority average. The women of Delta Sigma finished the fall semester with 3.49 GPA, which is above ASA, and our new member pledge class finished the fall semester with the highest GPA out of all the new member pledge classes on campus. 2017 was a great year for the Delta Sigma Chapter, and we are looking forward to seeing what 2018 holds for our sisterhood.
Chapter Philanthropy: What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in your community?
The Delta Sigma chapter is one of the most highly respected chapters on campus with close relationships with every chapter on campus. The Delta Sigma chapter is always willing to go above and beyond for other chapters in time of need. Panhellenic paired sororities up with each other to make “sister sororities;” Alpha Chi Omega was our sister sorority for the fall semester and then Tri Delta was our sister sorority in the spring semester. By being sister sororities, we attended their philanthropy events and even hosted a special defense class for both chapters. What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in your community? Relay for Life, Kasey Waychoff Foundation, Stillwater Medical Center Foundation, Dance Marathon, Into the Streets, Big Event, Make Promises Happen, Up Till Dawn, Stillwater Food Bank, Reading is Fundamental, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and the Kappa Foundation.
The Delta Sigma chapter has raised money for these events / donated hours of service to the community for the members are very dedicated to serving others. Each year there are members that dedicate their self to spending numerous hours serving to the Stillwater Food Bank, Up Till Dawn, and Dance Marathon. These are just a couple of the outreach activities that the chapter makes to help serve the community. With cancer being a prevalent disease in many individuals, some of the members and their families have personally been impacted by cancer and that is why we chose to set up a team for Relay for Life. This year we created another philanthropy event in the spring, Kappa Kolor Run, in order to further raise money for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Reading is Fundamental, and The Kappa Foundation.
In the Spring semester, the Delta Sigma chapter took part in our first-ever Kappa Kupcakes where we were able to raise money for RIF and Multiple Sclerosis. Additionally, seven women from our chapter were awarded scholarships through the national Kappa scholarship and our chapter's own scholarship, with a couple receiving both. We welcomed ten new members through spring recruitment and they were initiated on April 14th. Over the summer, seven women from our chapter council attended the national convention in Denver. It was a great experience and those that attended learned so much. During fall recruitment, the Delta Sigma chapter welcomed 55 new members. These girls were initiated on October 6th. In this fall semester, our chapter spent hundreds and hundreds of hours on America's Greatest Homecoming and we recently wrapped up our annual Kappa Con Queso philanthropy event. We look forward to the upcoming year and achieving new goals as a chapter.
As a chapter, we feel that the overall nature of Kappa's on campus are amiable, extremely involved, kind, helpful and eager to accomplish tough tasks. The chapter supports Multiple Sclerosis. We chose this local philanthropy because of the number of women in our chapter whose family members are affected by this horrible disease. We felt that, if we made our local philanthropy something that more people could connect to, we'd be able to have greater outreach and overall impact.
The chapter meets in the basement of the chapter house.
Oral History
Nancy Ruby - House Board
Laura Castleberry - House Board
For Delta Sigma, the year 2019 has consisted of growth and involvement. Over 20 of our members participated in a campus show and philanthropy event called Varsity Revue. This spring, the second year of our philanthropy event, Kappa Cupcakes took place. Also in the spring, five members attended Kappa Leadership Council in Dallas, Texas. Five members received scholarships through the national Kappa scholarship and our chapter’s own. We also had one member attend Kappa Leadership Academy in Ohio this September. On bid day, 55 women ran home to Kappa Kappa Gamma.The new pledge class was initiated on September 28, 2019. Our fall season was full of activity. Countless hours were spent by members of all pledge classes on America’s Greatest Homecoming here at Oklahoma State. Kappa Kappa Gamma and their fraternity pairing (Sigma Phi Epsilon) took 2nd place overall in “Sweepstakes”. Fifteen members of PC 19 participated in a show and philanthropy event on our campus, “Freshman Follies”. Our first ever “Queso Jam with Kappa Gam” took place in October. Between philanthropy events, Delta Sigma raised $11,325. Throughout the year we had “Kappa Acts of Kindness” on our campus, handing out free Kind bars. For a hands on activity that supports Reading is fundamental, we also had groups of members volunteer at a local elementary school to read and take books to students once each semester. We look forward to what our next semester has to offer, as well as the year ahead for our newly installed council. Describe the recent changes on campus and describe the chapter’s overall nature. Overall, we feel that our chapter has been eager when it comes to involvement on campus. The efforts are kind yet powerful, as our school and its traditions are important to members of Delta Sigma.
Multiple Sclerosis Why did the chapter choose this organization? We chose this organization due to the impact the disease has had on members of our chapter. We felt that having this as our local philanthropy would provide a way for members to connect, giving greater chances for overall involvement and outreach.
Founders Day We had trivia with prizes, cupcakes and a balloon release. (photo attached in email)
Sesquicentennial Celebration How has the chapter begun to celebrate Kappa's 150th anniversary? This year, we have celebrated with a balloon release and trivia.
As it was for all, the year 2020 was one like never before. In the spring semester (pre COVID-19), Delta Sigma paired with the men of Farmhouse for Oklahoma State University’s annual Homecoming celebration. Members volunteered at Will Rogers Elementary School by reading to 1st graders and donating books (as part of our national philanthropy, RIF). The Kappa Krush date party was held in February with the women of Kappa Delta. At a sudden close of chapter facility due to COVID-19, members were then separated as was most of the country to quarantine and prevent the spread of the virus. Through our Instagram (@okstatekkg), we were able to participate in a virtual candlelight, spirit week and other activities. Upon arrival back to campus in the fall, recruitment was held via Zoom. We welcomed 57 new members into our sisterhood. Bid Day was held social distanced and in shifts. While it was apparent that life was different, 70 girls were still able to reside in our chapter facility. The University held football games and other events, and panhellenic relations stayed in tact. Our initiation was virtually held via Zoom. As Freshman Follies and Homecoming were canceled due to the coronavirus, members were able to participate in a new virtual event, The Greek Showdown. Kappa placed 1st in Skit and 4th in Choreo! We were able to social distance and have a big/little night. A new drive-thru philanthropy event for our chapter took place, Kappa Kappaccino. We raised $3,524! Before parting ways for the holiday break, we inducted our 2020-21 council. Members of Delta Sigma will remember when a bat flew its way in our house on bid day, when the house flooded right before initiation and fun times during meals with our house mom, Mob Rob. 2020 is one for the books!
Multiple Sclerosis Foundation is our philanthropy. We chose this organization due to the impact the disease has had on members of our chapter. We felt that having this as our local philanthropy would provide a way for members to connect, giving greater chances for overall involvement and outreach.
Our chapter created a diversity committee that gives presentations and creates awareness among different cultures in our world today. The committee educates and promotes diversity among the chapter.
We virtually held the ritual ceremony and purchased cookies that were available at the chapter facility. The most memorable and chapter favorite was the birthday banner for Kappa that hung outside our house to celebrate Kappa's 150th anniversary.