Kappa Alpha Theta - Purdue University

Theta Kite Alpha Chi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta • Established at Purdue University in 1915 • Spring 2018 Alpha Chi Chapter House Survives West Lafayette Winter Security System Added, Renovation Plans Continue T he long, hard winter has finally come to a close. Our Theta house had four water overruns from either frozen pipes or broken plumbing. Our attentive House Director, Mary Guckien, with the help of the actives, managed to keep the damage to a minimum. Insurance will help with some of the expenses and we can afford the rest because of the generosity of the Alpha Chi Thetas and their families. Our Century of Sisterhood campaign is in its final year and the Facility Corporation Board is in the process of collecting the final pledges. The Board has also invested in improvements to our security system. The actives enter through the use of a fingerprint system. Closely managed keys are distributed to staff and some local board members and vendors when necessary. In addition, we now have cameras at all five ground floor entrances connected to video monitoring inside. We will be redoing the stairwells and upstairs hallways this summer. Our goal is to have less industrial looking stairwells, without becoming too formal. Of course, all the composites will have to come down and then be rehung. Much to our chagrin, the composites of our current board and 50-year Thetas are in very bad shape. The class of 1969 board members will try to get the composites in shape for our 50th next January. Any of our pledge sisters who want to join the 12 already planning to attend, please contact me. Part of the renovation of the public areas includes three sketches of the Theta house over the years. These sketches are mounted in the new dining room. We also have a few photos from the Debris of the Thetas in front of the Littleton house. My mother, Janet Glatz Rush '39, loved the Littleton house and I remember commotion at my home over the building of the Russell Street house in 1957 and the purchase of the two houses next door for the parking lot. Our board has great respect for the Thetas who have come before us and excitement and enthusiasm for those who will come after. Loyally, Elaine Rush Haehl '69 Facility Corporation Board President erhaehl@comcast.net Madonna Cornelissen '80 Thankful for Alpha Chi Chapter Alumna Gives Back to Theta M adonna Cornelissen '80 knew Theta was her only choice when she was going through recruitment. As she visited other chapter houses, there was something at Alpha Chi Chapter that Madonna felt. "The chapter was smaller than most with a warm and welcoming atmosphere," she recalls. "The Thetas were academically oriented and independent minded." Being a mechanical engineer at Purdue in the '80s, Theta gave Madonna a special part of her college experience that she would not have had otherwise. Her course of study limited the interactions she had with women at Purdue because most of her engineering classes were with all men. "I hardly met other women in my classes. My Alpha Chi experiences brought a richness to my college life. Sometimes it felt that I was living in two very different worlds!" Because of the sense of community Madonna found at Alpha Chi Chapter, she wanted to ensure future generations of Thetas at Purdue felt that way too, which is why she gave to the Century of Sisterhood campaign. "It's simply one way to live out the values of Theta and make a positive difference," she says. Madonna encourages alumnae to get involved in any way they can, no matter how big or small. Theta was able to bring out sides of Madonna that weren't always apparent at first. Her introverted personality soon grew, with the support of her Theta sisters, into a more outgoing and confident one. Madonna is thankful to Alpha Chi Chapter for pushing her outside of her comfort zone, eventually allowing her to meet some of her best friends. Madonna says her biggest takeaway from her Theta experience is she learned to value her relationships. "Old friends are the best friends," she says, and some of her oldest and best friends are the ones from Theta at Purdue. Madonna lives in Corning, N.Y. She has a son who attends Penn State and a daughter in high school. Her favorite activity is fishing with her family. She recently retired after 34 years as an engineering director but stays busy by advocating for STEM programs in her community. Madonna can be reached at mcornelissen@stny.rr.com. K ay Murphy Yeomans '64 has been a dedicated volunteer to the Alpha Chi Chapter since 2012, when she joined the Facility Corporation Board. The Board set three goals: to reduce the mortgage on the property, to establish a five-year plan to upgrade the facility, and to strengthen alumnae relations. Kay has been instrumental in all three areas. In 2013, together with Ann Fawcett Murphy '72, Kay co-chaired the Century of Sisterhood capital campaign, which had a $1 million goal. Under their leadership, $1,158,000 was raised and the chapter house is now debt free, with the first floor remodeled! The campaign culminated in May 2015 with a multi- day centennial celebration with Kay deeply involved in the planning process. If those efforts were not enough, she also oversaw the rebirth of the Theta Kite newsletter. She produces each issue, writing articles, gathering news, and coordinating printing and mailing. This issue is her last before she "retires." Kay, your tireless efforts on behalf of the Alpha Chi Chapter are greatly appreciated by all alumnae. Ring Out thRee CheeRs fOR Kay MuRphy yeOMans '64

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