Kappa Alpha Theta - University of Missouri

10.75" K A P P A A L P H A T H E T A A T T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F M I S S O U R I THE THETA UPDATE SPRING 2015 Relaunching Our Alumnae Newsletter Get the Latest on the Alpha Mu Chapter and Greek Life at Mizzou A fter a several-year break, the Alpha Mu Facility Corporation Board is excited to reconnect with our alumnae. We look forward to catching you up on the ever-changing Greek climate at Mizzou and showcasing our leading women on campus. Greek life continues to thrive and grow at MU. The university now boasts 15 PHA chap- ters and 33 IFC chapters. An outstanding 27% of our campus is Greek, and Greek members remain active and engaged leaders across campus. Each year the cumulative all-Greek GPA soars above the all-student GPA, and for decades Kappa Alpha Theta has been in the top spot for academic excellence. Over the last decade, the number of women going through recruitment has nearly doubled. In fall 2014, 1,700 women sought to join a chapter through formal recruitment, making it one of the largest recruitments in the nation. Although the University continues to add PHA chapters to our community, it is a lengthy and complex process. Because Panhellenic seeks to provide spots for as many potential new members as possible, they establish pledge class sizes to make this happen. This means each chapter continues to see its membership numbers grow. Our 2014 new member class had 90 women total, and our total chapter membership is almost 320. Our Facility Corporation Board keeps pulse on these changes. We see it as our goal to maintain and expand our beautiful chapter house to provide the best living experience for our growing membership. In the last five years, the Facility Corporation Board has grown our surplus, paid off all remaining debt, and developed comprehen- sive long-term plans for the house. This spring, we will embark on the first phase of that extensive planning process. By recruitment 2015 we plan to have added valuable outdoor living space and a com- pletely renovated kitchen and dining room for our members. On the west side of the property and extending around to the front façade, we are adding a raised L-shaped brick patio. The patio will serve as outdoor gathering space with tables and chairs. It's easy to imagine our active members using the patio to celebrate on Bid Day or our alumnae mingling before a football game. The dining room will be expanded by taking out the middle pillars that divide up the space. This will allow us to seat even more women, whether for weeknight meals or for a special brunch with guests. We will also correct several foundation and aesthetic issues in our kitchen and provide our chefs with even more ways to serve the nutritional and dietetic needs of our active women. Our Facility Corporation Board is proud to represent our accomplished collegians and alumnae. We are thrilled about the upcoming changes and plans on the horizon and look forward to reinstating this newsletter to keep you all updated on the progress we're making. Loyally in Theta, Sophie Pyrtle Chambers '04 Alpha Mu Facility Corporation Board President thetafcb@gmail.com MEMBERS SEE SUCCESS ON ALL FRONTS Ranked First in Academics—Implemented New Philanthropic Events—Welcomed 90 Members O n September 27, 2014, Alpha Mu initiated 90 new members, welcomed two transfer students, and we're already preparing for recruitment in August. Chief Recruiting Officer Laurel Kasten '12 says, "I am so excited to be able to start planning recruitment! I know that all our hard work will let us attract the best potential Thetas to join Alpha Mu!" MEMBERS ACHIEVE 3.44 GPA In the fall Alpha Mu earned a cumulative 3.44 GPA while our new members earned a 3.438. We rank highest in GPA among the Greek community and have for the past three years. Alpha Mu has con- sistently held academics to a high standard and has not ranked below the third spot in over 20 years. NEW PHILANTHROPIC PROGRAMS SEE EARLY SUCCESS Our most recent addition to our philanthropic events is Santa's Breakfast, which was hosted for the first time this past December at Russell Elementary. Alpha Mu members served pancakes to com- munity members while children got the chance to take a picture on Santa's lap. This event was well Executive members Haley Schemmer '13, Kelsey Ethington '13, Rachel Jackson '13, Mariah Mathews '12, Sarah Gillespie '13, Maddie McMillian '13, and Laurel Kasten '12 brainstorm new programs at our executive retreat. Margaret Wendell '13 not pictured. (Continued on page 2)

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