Kappa Kappa Gamma - University of Kentucky

BETA CHI NEWSLETTER 2 TRANSFORMATION THROUGH BETA CHI How Bev Moore Perdue '67 Grew through Her Experience W hen Bev Moore Perdue '67 thinks of her time with Kappa Kappa Gamma, a kaleidoscope of memories come rushing forth. "It is a lifetime bond that is not through genetics but through a choice. We wiped each other's tears and celebrated each other's joys." There are many memories that Bev wishes she could relive. "I would love to hear the Kappa song again, be part of a recruitment party, or do another service project with my sisters. Every single experience was incredible." Bev found in Kappa the opportunity to grow into the person she wanted to be. "My experience in Beta Chi was transformational. I found a group of young women who encouraged me to be whoever I wanted to be. My sisters encouraged me to dream big dreams. The experience I got through service and leadership built the character and risk taking skills that led to the successful life I have," she shares. Bev is the former governor and lieutenant governor for North Carolina, and is now the founder and chairman of DigiLEARN, a non-profit organization dedicated to the accelerating of digital learning for all ages. "I want people to have access to good education no matter their zip code. Education is what allowed me to do the things I've done, and I want everyone to have those same opportunities." Being such a successful woman, Bev has some advice for young Kappas. "I hope young women today realize that their generation will face transitions, change, and opportunities that have not happened for previous generations. The first few jobs they get shouldn't be about the summit of a career; they should be about adventure, building skills, risk taking, and learning to be adaptive." Many of the women that Bev was close to during her undergraduate years are still her best friends today. There are several that she keeps in close contact with on a regular basis. "It's interesting that 35-45 years later, we're as close as we were back then. We still have all of those same connections from our time in Beta Chi." The Greek system has remained a part of Bev's life. Her husband, Bob, is a member of Phi Delta Theta, and her sons, Garret and Emmett, are both members of Phi Gamma Delta. There is a running joke in the family about which group is the best. "The Greek system is an important tradition in this country. I'm very passionate about the need for colleges to understand the important role Greek opportunities provide young women and men." Bev and Bob split their time between their homes in Chapel Hill, New Bern, and Trent Woods, North Carolina. Garret is an attorney and an entrepreneur and Emmett is an environmental engineer. Bev can be contacted at bev@ perduestrategy.com. "The Greek system is an important tradition in this country. I'm very passionate about the need for colleges to understand the important role Greek opportunities provide young women and men." The Greatest Four Years of Her Life Maggi Moss '70 Encourages Sisters to Remember Their Beta Chi Roots M any people have a place that they call their home away from home, and for Maggi Moss '70, that place is Kappa Kappa Gamma. However, even fewer can say that they are surrounded by people who are truly friends for life. "Beta Chi was the catalyst that helped me learn to develop loyalty, friendship, and structure to shape the paths in my life. It was the first time that I witnessed the beauty of real, meaningful friendships. Joining Beta Chi was clearly one of the best moves I have ever made in my life," she says. As an undergraduate, Maggi learned valuable life skills and lessons during her time in Beta Chi. "Being a part of such an extraordinary organization taught me discipline, maturity, and how to deal with people of different backgrounds and fields of interest, which have proven to take me far in life. Most of all, I learned that success takes hard work, friendships take sacrifice and sharing, and that thriving in life comes from our passions." Maggie treasured the memories she made during her time in Beta Chi, and she encourages undergraduates to do the same. "You will look back on your college years as some of the most cherished times of your life. Embrace each day, be patient, and be generous with your heart and time. Never take for granted how lucky you are to be where you are, and care for those around you without losing your own individuality." Maggi has had a lifelong interest in competitive horse racing, and in 1998, she turned her passion into a career. She balanced her horse racing career with her career as a lawyer and became well known in both fields. "Both of my careers, as a lawyer and a horse owner, are interestingly both 'male orientated' worlds that are very tough and not always user friendly to women. I think breaking the glass ceiling as a trial lawyer and a horse owner, along with being able to compete on a high level, is something that has been very rewarding. Working on behalf of victims as a lawyer and working with rescue horses seemingly is the giving back that builds the karma to succeed," she says. Maggi has been named the first woman to lead the country in wins in horse racing. As an alumna, Maggi maintains strong connections with Beta Chi sisters, notably with one of her best and most trusted friends, Debbie Long '70. Maggi encourages alumnae to reconnect with the chapter because "these relationships ultimately become the backbone of our lives. When you are blessed to have this experience, and all it gives to us in life, you give back." When she is not hard at work practicing law or racing horses, Maggi loves to garden, read, walk, and spend time with her beloved Jack Russell, Storm. "I am eternally grateful for my four years as a Kappa at the University of Kentucky. As I look back at all I have done and the places I have been, I will always look at that time as the greatest four years in my life." Maggi lives in Des Moines, Iowa, and can be contacted at mmoss98202@aol.com.

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