Kappa Delta - University of Alabama

7 The Katydid A FA SHIONABLE FUTURE Smith Sinrod Diano '05 on Her Life As a Fashion Designer and KD Beginnings B eing part of a sorority can change your life. It can shape ones future in ways they never imagined. Smith Sinrod '05 knew what to expect when it came to the Greek experience, as her older sister, Holland Sinrod Williams '02, was already a senior in Kappa Delta. When she came through formal recruitment, Smith found true friendship, everlasting support, and the inspiration to transform her dreams of becoming a fashion designer to reality. "These sorority sisters not only encouraged me to design my own clothing line, but even modeled for me at my first fashion show," Smith said, "I think my friends and the community in the Chapter House allowed me to really take risks and push the limits in my designs, due in part to the support my friends, and KD sisters, gave me." Since she was young, Smith has been utilizing art as a means of self- expression, transitioning from watercolor painting to fashion design. With her artistic talents, experimentation with her own personal style and wardrobe, and degree in apparel design, Smith began laying the foundation for a promising career in the fashion industry. "I was able to combine my love for the arts and fashion by developing pieces of clothing that reflected not only my personal style, but would be items that my pledge sisters would wear too," Smith said. Designing her collection, by SMITH, has been a rewarding experience for Smith, as she works to create pieces in which women can feel comfortable and confident. "Being a designer has allowed me the opportunity to spread my own creative wings, while also producing pieces that people are drawn to and want to incorporate in their wardrobes," Smith said. "I've loved being able to develop pieces that help women feel beautiful and confident." The support of Kappa Delta and the friendships Smith made with her sisters allowed her to explore her own identity as a designer and provide her skills needed to create collections for confident women; the same sort of women who helped drive her as an undergraduate. She regularly returns to Tuscaloosa to work with mentors and give back to the university, which helped spur her success in her profession. Kappa Delta and The University of Alabama can always serve as a reminder to Smith as the place her dreams truly developed. Smith and her husband, Harris, recently relocated from New York to New Orleans. With their switch in scenery, new forms of inspiration, which are sure to lead to wonderful new collections for by SMITH. In her free time, Smith loves getting to know New Orleans, where her husband is from, by soaking up the culture and food. You can contact Smith at smith@bysmithcollection.com and visit her collection at bysmithcollection.com. W e have been very busy in the past few months at Kappa Delta, from moving into our gorgeous new Chapter House, to recruitment, to beginning school, to football season, to Homecoming, and, most recently, initiation. All of our members have continued to excel in academics, campus and community involvement, and all the while maintaining an invested and meaningful membership in KD. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS Last semester, our GPA was a 3.33, placing us above the all-women, all-undergraduate, and all- Greek GPAs. Overall, our GPA ranked 12th out of all of the sororities on campus and rose 0.11 points from the previous semester. We also had 40 members who earned a 4.0 GPA. Currently, the number of members we have on bad academic standing is half of what it was last spring, and we are working extremely hard to help all of our members excel academically. We are utilizing a new source, Applied Tutoring, this year, giving our members the opportunity to work with qualified tutors in any class which they require additional help. We are also hosting our first academic fair, which will allow our freshmen to receive feedback and advice from upperclassmen about majors and organizations on campus that they are interested in. DEDICATED TO PHILANTHROPY This year, we raised the most donations for the Tuscaloosa Walk to End Alzheimer's, raising a total of $3,175. Maddie Ault '14 and Ann Bradford Hansen '14 were both recognized as Grand Champion Donors for the funds they raised. We also created a team to raise money benefitting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, raising $5,057. As a Chapter, we have provided weekly food donations to the West Alabama Food Bank, worked alongside other Greek chapters on campus to create an event benefitting Caring for Camo, participated in a school supply drive for the Police Athletic League, aided with the Black Warrior River Clean Up, helped with Habitat for Humanity, and hosted an event to benefit The Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation. We take pride in showing support for so many incredible causes. RECRUITMENT SUCCESS With the help of our beautiful new Chapter House, we recruited 134 new Kappa Deltas. These new sisters were initiated on October 11, bringing our Zeta Chapter Thrives This Fall Sisters Dedicated to Philanthropy, Academics, and Campus Activities Zeta Chapter welcomed 134 new women into the Kappa Delta sisterhood and celebrated Bid Day on the front lawn of the new Chapter House. (Continued on page 10)

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