Kappa Delta - University of Alabama

Springing Forward HOW KAPPA DELTA CELEBRATES AND PLANS FOR CONTINUED PROGRESS W hat an exciting semester it has been for Kappa Delta! Unfortunately, our spring semester didn't end how we planned due to COVID-19, but we are thrilled to come back in August stronger than ever. From hosting our first ever Emerald Ball to a successful Parent's Weekend and Shamrock Run, we are so thankful for the memories we leave spring 2020 with. ACHIEVING SUCCESS This past March, we were awarded the Alabama Panhellenic Association 2020 Outstanding Alumnae Relations Award at the Greek Excellence Awards. We are so grateful for our wonderful alumnae and all that they do for our Chapter! We are so proud of our 271 members who were recognized on the Dean's List and President's List for maintaining a 3.5 GPA or higher over the course of the fall! Our overall Chapter GPA has also risen from 3.47 in spring 2019 to a 3.51 overall for fall 2019. It is only up from here, and we are beyond excited for these major academic improvements among our Chapter members! ADAPTING TO THE NEW NORMAL COVID-19 has prompted change that has allowed KΔ to grow as a whole as we learned to navigate through the remainder of the semester as a team. Chapter Council is eager for the months to come, and we are looking forward to continuing to strive for greatness in serving Kappa Delta. As our school year ended unexpectedly and prematurely, plans for the spring changed quickly, prompting our Chapter to think in a way we never have before. For our seniors, their last months on campus were cut short. Although we were all so devastated, it allowed us to come together as a resilient Chapter to grow even stronger. We implemented different engagement initiatives to keep in touch with our members. From "Senior Spotlights" highlighting our seniors and their exciting plans after college on Instagram to sisterhood virtual workout classes on Instagram, we have been able to connect in a new way that has brought a little bit of normalcy back to our members. We have had "Can you guess?" competitions where photos of candy bowls were posted on Instagram for our members to virtually guess the number of candy in the bowl for a prize. This friendly competition had almost 200 guesses as a way to kick off the first week back of online classes. Seniors will receive individual packages in the next few weeks with a gift from the A s a senior after graduation, my hope was to use my gap year to go out of the country to serve and do mission work, but since all this happened, I realized I could more effectively serve my own country within the medical field. When this all first started, I educated myself on the virus. I learned I wasn't in the vulnerable population, and since I had my own apartment, I could distance myself from anyone else who was vulnerable. I looked all over for opportunities to get help with COVID-19, from respiratory therapy to delivering groceries. I registered with MRC, the Medical Reserve Corps and contacted all the testing centers in the area. I considered going to some of the more affected cities on the East Coast, but I found that I was just as needed near my home. Ross Bridge Medical Center in Birmingham told me I could come in the next day. I drove an hour to Birmingham. When I got there I felt a lot safer than I expected. They dressed me with a coat, a face shield, gave me gloves to put on top of my gloves, and a mask to put on top of my mask. To make the swab more contained and convenient, we walk right up to the car and test them there. To me, that's the best part, getting to interact with all the different patients throughout the day. Then, after every interaction, we disinfect everything and give ourselves a nice Lysol shower. Since the COVID-19 swab is relatively uncomfortable, I try to make the interactions with patients as light-hearted and informative as possible. My motto through all this has been to bring the most good out of the situation. Amber Cargill Chapter, surprise letters from their loved ones and other Chapter members, and alumnae information to bring into their next phase of life. Although we would have loved to have ended the semester on campus surrounded by each other, these little avenues gave our members the opportunity to connect from at home, all over the country. We truly can't wait to all be back together this August! I am so proud of the progress we have made this past semester. We are all looking forward to what the fall will bring and will continue to strive to provide the best experience for our members. I am elated and honored to serve this amazing group of women every day. Kappa Delta will continue to grow our rich sisterhood, academic excellence and philanthropic service as we finish up this school year and move to the next. Your support and love means the world to us! Love in AOT, Lizzie Bonhaus '17 Chapter President

• Cover