Sigma Kappa - Missouri State University

Delta Upsilon Chapter of Sigma Kappa at Missouri State University Fall 2021 W hat a relief it has been to gather once again this fall after the challenges the pandemic brought during the 2020-21 academic year. The joy in every Delta Upsilon sister's face has been palpable as we safely mingle in the chapter house and proceed with our tradi- tional events. Spring 2021 started with Bid Day (held over Zoom) and the initiation of six members in February and March—then April came in with a bang! We partnered with Sigma Pi for a street cleanup event, then had our formal dance and Ladies Day the next weekend. On April 24, we partnered with Sigma Pi again, this time also welcoming Delta Sigma Phi, to participate in Greek Jam, where teams choreo- graphed dance routines to perform to a packed audience. Our hard work paid off, as we came in first place for that event! One celebra- tion turned into another, although this one more bittersweet, as we said farewell to our graduating seniors the next day as they transi- tioned to alumnae during Order of the Triangle. This August, Delta Upsilon welcomed 37 new members to Sigma Kappa. This time, recruitment was done via Zoom the first two days, but then we were able to meet in person! It began with work week in mid-August and Bear Bash on August 21 to welcome freshmen and talk with them about joining Fraternity and Sorority Life. After formal recruitment over the last weekend in August, we celebrated with a "golden hour" Bid Day theme on August 30 in which the new members ran home to the front lawn and enjoyed music and dancing, eating pineapple whip, and much more. The new members have since been initiated, and we're beyond excited to see how they flourish as sisters of Sigma Kappa. The Walk to End Alzheimer's was also back in person and extremely exciting for all our members. The chapter's goal was to raise $35,000, and we proudly exceeded it raising a total of $37,457.18. The walk was on September 25, and our chapter had such a fun time volun- teering for this amazing event. We can't wait for next year! For other philanthropy events this semester, we held a Walking Taco Bar with Delta Chi Fraternity followed by a grill n' chill. Each of these events helped us raise money for the Alzheimer's Association—so much, in fact, that the association recognized us as a recipient of their Champions Club award! Of course, we're also thrilled to invite alumnae back to the chapter house once again! Please feel free to stop by when you're in the area, and we look forward to sharing future events with you. Loyally, Vanessa Braune '20 Sisterhood Chairman FALLING FOR SIGMA KAPPA Chapter Looks Back at Spring 2021 and Celebrates Return to In-Person Recruitment and Philanthropy this Fall Sisters enjoy a movie together on one of their first nights in the house this semester. Our Greek Jam participants celebrate their first-place trophy! S igma Kappa National Headquarters (NHQ) made several notable announcements this year regarding our sorority. At the 2022 national convention, the National Council will recommend a bylaws amendment to transition itself to a governance board (president, national vice president for finance, and six general vice presidents). The recommendation will be voted on by the convention body. This shift will create more opportunities for members to engage at all phases of their membership experience. More than two-thirds of National Panhellenic groups have transitioned to a governance model. You can view the volunteer team structure diagram at https://tinyurl.com/sk-governancemodel and FAQs about the proposed governance model at https://tinyurl.com/ sk-governance-faq. An Update on Sigma Kappa's Legacy Policy After careful consideration, National Council has voted to eliminate Sigma Kappa's legacy policy. This empowers our collegiate chapters to make their own membership selections and gives each potential new member (PNM) equal opportunity to receive an invitation to Sigma Kappa. The update went into effect January 1, 2021, and is consistent with the objective outlined in our strategic plan to eliminate barriers to diversity, inclusion, equity, and access (DEIA) at the point of entry and throughout the membership experience. National Headquarters Updates for 2021 (Continued on page 2)

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