Kappa Alpha Theta - University of Missouri

Fulfilling Your Pledge to Alpha Mu What You Can Expect I f you elected to take advantage of our pledge payment option, we appreciate you vowing to fulfill your commitment through monthly or annual giving. We understand you chose to structure your pledge over multiple installments as a way to stretch your giving and make the most of your contribution, so thank you! After submitting your pledge, or when considering if the pledge option is right for you, you may be wondering, but how does this work? PLEDGE SUBMITTED ON PAPER You will receive a payment reminder in the mail 60 days prior to each scheduled installment date. If we don't hear from you, a second notice will be sent 30 days prior. Any previous installments that we believe were missed will be included in the notice's summary. When submitting your payment by check, please include the provided tear-off form to ensure your payment is properly credited. If you would like to have your remaining payments paid by credit card, you may access the online portal at mizzoutheta. com. You may then opt to do a one-time payment or schedule your entire remaining balance. PLEDGE SUBMITTED ONLINE If your pledge was scheduled through the online portal at mizzoutheta.com, your payments will automatically pull on the date you outlined when submitting your pledge. You will get an email confirmation for your records when the transaction is complete. Please note the online portal is only for gifts to the Alpha Mu Association of Kappa Alpha Theta (non-tax deductible). Sara Scholes Morgan '63 Gives Back to Theta's Forever Home Campaign S ara Scholes Morgan '63 found a home at Kappa Alpha Theta. Coming from a small town and a graduating class of 36 people, Theta gave Sara a new perspective and allowed her to meet women from different walks of life. It also allowed Sara to connect on a deeper level with her family. As a legacy, Sara followed in the footsteps of her mother, Helen Woodson Scholes '39, as did her sister, Bess Scholes Schaberg '65. Many other family members have pledged Theta, including Sara's cousins, Chris Woodson McLarney '66 and Kim Woodson Miller '72; and her niece, Kari Schaberg Strang, Eta '91, at the University of Michigan. Most recently, her granddaughter, Emma Morgan, a freshman at Stanford University, pledged Theta! "It's really fun to have this connection," Sara said. "I remember my mother coming to my initiation ceremony and my sister's. Bess and I did the same for my cousins and my niece. It was truly a wonderful experience." Sara stays in touch with many of her Alpha Mu sisters, including some who live nearby in Houston. "Two of my pledge sisters, Anne Lamkin Kinder '63 and Judy Ayers Lay '63, were my roommates as an undergraduate, so we've had quite an association over the years. Other Houston alumnae who I see regularly are Kim Kabler Rootes '62 (who was our pledge trainer) and Margie Farmer Weber '61. When I lived in Kansas City, I saw many more Theta sisters than I do now as there's a large population who live in the area, but it's great to have such close connections in Texas as well." As a professional volunteer, Sara has been privileged to serve on many boards over the years. She credits the knowledge she gained from her Theta membership to helping her understand a community's needs and how to be an effective board member. "I'm most proud of starting a nonprofit organization in Houston, the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, which recently celebrated its 15th anniversary. The Center promotes the history, process, and product of craft. We have five studios with working artists, two galleries where we show museum- quality exhibits, and a sales gallery promoting the work of American craft artists. "Another organization I am very proud to work with is the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy at the University of Missouri. Rich Kinder, an MU graduate and my husband's business partner at Kinder Morgan, donated a sizeable gift to the university to found the Institute. This is of great interest to Rich as he was a history major, so given our close friendship over the years, and my degree in political science with a minor in history, he asked me to join the board. The director of the Institute, Justin Dyer, and his wife, Kyle Wilson Dyer '02 (who happens to be one of Alpha Mu's chapter advisors), are joys to work with. The Kinder Institute is only two years old and is off to a fantastic start!" It's clear that giving back is in Sara's nature. So it came as no surprise when she chose to support Alpha Mu's campaign, 603 Kentucky…Forever Home. "Alpha Mu has always been one of the top sororities on Missouri's campus. It's important to keep the house up to date and competitive with other chapters. So to keep Theta on top, this is something we have to do. The matching gift challenge that is currently underway is a way for me to hopefully encourage others to contribute, no matter how small the contribution, with the understanding that their gift will go twice as far. I have always found that to be a great incentive, especially toward the end of a campaign. "But what's really important is that people participate. It doesn't matter how much you give. I think it's great for the young women in the chapter right now to see how many alumnae still consider Theta a valuable part of their lives, both now and while they were at Mizzou. So the amount doesn't matter as much as your support. This is the best possible way for us to provide for the future of Theta at MU, and to ensure the best experience for the members now and those to come."

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