Kappa Alpha Theta
Kappa Alpha Theta, also known simply as Theta, is an international Greek-letter fraternity for women founded on January 27, 1870, at DePauw University, formerly Indiana Asbury.
Kappa Alpha Theta was the first Greek-letter fraternity for women and was founded by four female students. The first women admitted to Phi Beta Kappa were Thetas. The organization currently has 147 chapters at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. In fact, the organization was the first women's fraternity to establish a chapter in Canada. Theta's total living initiated membership, as of 2020, was more than 250,000. There are more than 200 alumnae chapters and circles worldwide. Theta's colors are black and gold and the symbol is the kite. The official flower is the gold and black pansy. Across all college campuses, Theta's are known for being leaders in all fields of endeavors, this includes academics, athletics and within the greater community.
Kappa Alpha Theta is a member of the National Panhellenic Conference, an umbrella organization that encompasses 26 social sororities found throughout North America. The organization's own headquarters are located in Indianapolis, Indiana.
History
Founding
The Alpha Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta was founded at Indiana Asbury College, now DePauw University, on January 27, 1870. The university began admitting women in 1867 after 30 years of a male-only student body. However, women were excluded from male-only clubs and societies. In response to the lack of women's organizations, the fraternity's founding members Elizabeth McReynolds Locke Hamilton, Alice Olive Allen Brant, Elizabeth Tipton Lindsey, and Hannah Virginia Fitch Shaw established the first Greek letter women's organization.Bettie Locke developed the idea for a Greek letter women's society through the encouragement of her father, a professor at Indiana Asbury and a member of Beta Theta Pi, and the members of Phi Gamma Delta at Indiana Asbury, which included her brother. Initially, the collegiate men of FIJI offered Locke their badge as a token of their friendship, but voted against initiating her as a member. Locke refused to wear the badge as she did not know the secrets and purposes the badge represented, since she was unable to become a member. Ultimately, the fraternity gifted her a symbolic silver fruit basket instead to represent their relationship and fondness for her.
Upon discovering that there were no Greek letter fraternities for women in existence, Locke decided to create her own Greek letter fraternity for women. Kappa Alpha Theta's ritual, organizational structure, badge, and coat of arms were influenced by those of Beta Theta Pi and Phi Gamma Delta due to her familial connections. Locke and her friend Alice Allen wrote a constitution, planned rituals, designed a badge, and sought out women on campus to become members. Along with Hannah Fitch and Bettie Tipton, the first initiation was held in secret on January 27, 1870, establishing the Alpha Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta.
Expansion
In 1887, Theta became an international organization with the establishment of the Sigma Chapter at The University of Toronto. This became the first Canadian women's fraternity.G. William Domhoff, writing in Who Rules America?, listed Kappa Alpha Theta as one of "the four or five sororities with nationwide prestige" in the mid-1960s.
Symbols
Kappa Alpha Theta's colors are black and gold. The official symbols are both the kite and twin stars, while the official flower is the black and gold pansy. The fraternity does not recognize an official stone.Membership
''The Kappa Alpha Theta Magazine''
Theta's Grand Convention voted to establish a magazine in 1885 and place its editorship with Kappa Chapter at Kansas. In the intervening years, Kappa Alpha Theta's magazine has undergone a change of title, and a change of publication schedule. Today, The Kappa Alpha Theta Magazine is published in April, June, September, and December of each year.Chapters
Kappa Alpha Theta has more than 143 active college chapters and more than 212 alumnae chapters across the United States and Canada. Alumnae chapters are alumnae groups that have been granted charters from Grand Council. The following is a list of the chapters of Kappa Alpha Theta:| Collegiate Chapter | University | State/Province | Charter |
| Alpha | DePauw University | Indiana | 1870 |
| Beta | Indiana University | Indiana | 1870 |
| Millersburg College | Millersburg College | Kentucky | 1871-1872 |
| Indiana Gamma | Moores Hill | Indiana | 1871-1874 |
| Gamma | Butler University | Indiana | 1874-1886, reorganized 1906 |
| Delta | University of Illinois | Illinois | 1895 |
| Delta 1 | Illinois Wesleyan University | Illinois | 1875-1895 |
| Epsilon | College of Wooster | Ohio | 1875-1913 |
| Zeta | Ohio University | Ohio | 1876-1886 |
| Eta | University of Michigan | Michigan | 1879-1886, reorganized 1893-2016 |
| Theta | Simpson College | Iowa | 1880-1891 |
| Iota | Cornell University | New York | 1881-1965, reorganized 1980 |
| Kappa | University of Kansas | Kansas | 1881 |
| Lambda | University of Vermont | Vermont | 1881-2005, reorganized 2010 |
| Gamma deuteron | Ohio Wesleyan University | Ohio | 1881-1882, reorganized 1924 |
| Mu | Allegheny College | Pennsylvania | 1876-?, reorganized 1881 |
| Nu | Hanover College | Indiana | 1882-1899, reorganized 1959 |
| Xi | Wesleyan University | Connecticut | 1883-1887, reorganized 1989-2004 |
| Omicron | University of Southern California | California | 1870-1895, reorganized 1917 |
| Pi | Albion College | Michigan | 1887-1908, reorganized 1955 |
| Rho | University of Nebraska | Nebraska | 1887-1889, reorganized 1896 |
| Sigma | University of Toronto | Ontario | 1887-1889, reorganized 1905-1941 |
| Tau | Northwestern University | Illinois | 1887 |
| Upsilon | University of Minnesota | Minnesota | 1889-1891, reorganized 1892 |
| Phi | University of the Pacific | California | 1889-1892, reorganized 1959 |
| Chi | Syracuse University | New York | 1889 |
| Psi | University of Wisconsin | Wisconsin | 1890 |
| Omega | University of California, Berkeley | California | 1890 |
| Alpha Beta | Swarthmore College | Pennsylvania | 1891-1934, reorganized 2013 |
| Alpha Gamma | Ohio State University | Ohio | 1892 |
| Alpha Delta | Goucher College | Maryland | 1896-1950 |
| Alpha Epsilon | Brown University | Rhode Island | 1897-1912, reorganized 1984 |
| Alpha Zeta | Barnard College | New York | 1898-1915 |
| Alpha Eta | Vanderbilt University | Tennessee | 1904 |
| Alpha Theta | University of Texas at Austin | Texas | 1904 |
| Alpha Iota | Washington University in St. Louis | Missouri | 1906-1973, reorganized 1987-2000 |
| Alpha Kappa | Adelphi University | New York | 1907-1951 |
| Alpha Lambda | University of Washington | Washington | 1908 |
| Alpha Mu | University of Missouri | Missouri | 1909 |
| Alpha Nu | University of Montana | Montana | 1909 |
| Alpha Xi | University of Oregon | Oregon | 1909-1997, reorganized 2011 |
| Alpha Omicron | University of Oklahoma | Oklahoma | 1909 |
| Alpha Pi | University of North Dakota | North Dakota | 1911 |
| Alpha Rho | University of South Dakota | South Dakota | 1912 |
| Alpha Sigma | Washington State University | Washington | 1913 |
| Alpha Tau | University of Cincinnati | Ohio | 1913 |
| Alpha Upsilon | Washburn University | Kansas | 1914 |
| Alpha Phi | Tulane University | Louisiana | 1914 |
| Alpha Chi | Purdue University | Indiana | 1915 |
| Alpha Psi | Lawrence University | Wisconsin | 1915 |
| Alpha Omega | University of Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | 1915-1999 |
| Beta Beta | Randolph-Macon College | Virginia | 1916-1960 |
| Beta Gamma | Colorado State University | Colorado | 1917-2006, reorganized 2014 |
| Beta Delta | University of Arizona | Arizona | 1917 |
| Beta Epsilon | Oregon State University | Oregon | 1917 |
| Beta Zeta | Oklahoma State University | Oklahoma | 1919 |
| Beta Eta | University of Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | 1919-1979, reorganized 1988 |
| Beta Theta | University of Idaho | Idaho | 1920-1986, reorganized 2001 |
| Beta Iota | University of Colorado | Colorado | 1921 |
| Beta Kappa | Drake University | Iowa | 1921 |
| Beta Lambda | The College of William & Mary | Virginia | 1922 |
| Beta Mu | University of Nevada, Reno | Nevada | 1922 |
| Beta Nu | Florida State University | Florida | 1924 |
| Beta Xi | University of California, Los Angeles | California | 1925 |
| Beta Omicron | University of Iowa | Iowa | 1925 |
| Beta Pi | Michigan State University | Michigan | 1926 |
| Beta Rho | Duke University | North Carolina | 1928 |
| Beta Sigma | Southern Methodist University | Texas | 1929 |
| Beta Tau | Denison University | Ohio | 1929 |
| Beta Upsilon | University of British Columbia | British Columbia | 1930-1980, reorganized 2003 |
| Beta Phi | Pennsylvania State University | Pennsylvania | 1931 |
| Beta Chi | University of Alberta | Alberta | 1931 |
| Beta Psi | McGill University | Quebec | 1932 |
| Beta Omega | Colorado College | Colorado | 1932 |
| Gamma Gamma | Rollins College | Florida | 1933-2000 |
| Gamma Delta | University of Georgia | Georgia | 1937 |
| Gamma Epsilon | University of Western Ontario | Ontario | 1937 |
| Gamma Zeta | University of Connecticut | Connecticut | 1942-1971, reorganized 1979 |
| Gamma Eta | University of Massachusetts | Massachusetts | 1943-1979 |
| Gamma Theta | Carnegie Mellon University | Pennsylvania | 1944 |
| Gamma Iota | University of Kentucky | Kentucky | 1945 |
| Gamma Kappa | George Washington University | Washington, D.C. | 1946-1975, reorganized 2017 |
| Gamma Lambda | Beloit College | Wisconsin | 1947-1970 |
| Gamma Mu | University of Maryland | Maryland | 1947 |
| Gamma Nu | North Dakota State University | North Dakota | 1947 |
| Gamma Xi | San Jose State University | California | 1948-1975 |
| Gamma Omicron | University of New Mexico | New Mexico | 1948-1978 |
| Gamma Pi | Iowa State University | Iowa | 1948 |
| Gamma Rho | University of California, Santa Barbara | California | 1950 |
| Gamma Sigma | San Diego State University | California | 1951-2011, reorganized 2016 |
| Gamma Tau | University of Tulsa | Oklahoma | 1951 |
| Gamma Upsilon | Miami University | Ohio | 1951 |
| Gamma Phi | Texas Tech University | Texas | 1953 |
| Gamma Chi | Fresno State University | California | 1953 |
| Gamma Psi | Texas Christian University | Texas | 1955 |
| Gamma Omega | Auburn University | Alabama | 1957-2000, reorganized 2009 |
| Delta Delta | Whitman College | Washington | 1957 |
| Delta Epsilon | Arizona State University | Arizona | 1959 |
| Delta Zeta | Emory University | Georgia | 1959 |
| Delta Eta | Kansas State University | Kansas | 1961 |
| Delta Theta | University of Florida | Florida | 1962 |
| Delta Iota | University of Puget Sound | Washington | 1963 |
| Delta Kappa | Louisiana State University | Louisiana | 1963 |
| Delta Lambda | University of Utah | Utah | 1965-1988 |
| Delta Mu | University of Rhode Island | Rhode Island | 1965-? |
| Delta Nu | University of Arkansas | Arkansas | 1966-1989 |
| Delta Xi | University of North Carolina | North Carolina | 1966-1991 |
| Delta Omicron | University of Alabama | Alabama | 1967 |
| Delta Pi | University of Tennessee | Tennessee | 1969-1985 |
| Delta Rho | University of South Florida | Florida | 1969-1980 |
| Delta Sigma | Ball State University | Indiana | 1970-2008 |
| Delta Tau | Montana State University | Montana | 1971-1983 |
| Cincinnati Wesleyan | Ohio Wesleyan Female College | Ohio | 1870-1871 |
| Delta Upsilon | Eastern Kentucky University | Kentucky | 1972 |
| Delta Phi | Clemson University | South Carolina | 1972 |
| Delta Chi | University of Virginia | Virginia | 1976 |
| Delta Psi | University of California, Riverside | California | 1976-1998 |
| Delta Omega | Texas A&M University | Texas | 1976 |
| Epsilon Epsilon | Baylor University | Texas | 1976 |
| Phi deuteron | Stanford University | California | 1892-1944, reorganized 1978 |
| Epsilon Zeta | University of Mississippi | Mississippi | 1979-2018 |
| Epsilon Eta | Centre College | Kentucky | 1980 |
| Epsilon Theta | Stetson University | Florida | 1981-1993, reorganized 2016 |
| Epsilon Iota | Westminster College | Missouri | 1982 |
| Epsilon Kappa | Dartmouth College | New Hampshire | 1982-1992 |
| Epsilon Lambda | Dickinson College | Pennsylvania | 1982 |
| Epsilon Mu | Princeton University | New Jersey | 1983 |
| Epsilon Nu | Virginia Tech | Virginia | 1983-2003, reorganization 2017 |
| Epsilon Xi | Villanova University | Pennsylvania | 1983-1994 |
| Epsilon Omicron | Randolph-Macon College | Virginia | 1984 |
| Epsilon Pi | Bucknell University | Pennsylvania | 1984 |
| Epsilon Rho | Lehigh University | Pennsylvania | 1984 |
| Epsilon Sigma | University of California, Irvine | California | 1985 |
| Epsilon Tau | Yale University | Connecticut | 1986 |
| Epsilon Upsilon | Columbia University | New York | 1986 |
| Epsilon Phi | University of Chicago | Illinois | 1986 |
| Epsilon Chi | Guelph University | Ontario | 1987-1998 |
| Epsilon Psi | University of Richmond | Virginia | 1987 |
| Epsilon Omega | Washington & Jefferson College | Pennsylvania | 1988 |
| Zeta Zeta | Colgate University | New York | 1988-2008 |
| Zeta Eta | Wofford College | South Carolina | 1989 |
| Zeta Theta | California Polytechnic State University | California | 1989 |
| Zeta Iota | Washington & Lee University | Virginia | 1989 |
| Zeta Kappa | University of South Carolina | South Carolina | 1990-2001 |
| Zeta Lambda | College of Charleston | South Carolina | 1990 |
| Zeta Mu | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts | 1991 |
| Zeta Nu | University of California, Davis | California | 1992 |
| Zeta Xi | Harvard University | Massachusetts | 1993 |
| Zeta Omicron | Wake Forest University | North Carolina | 1993-2002, reorganized 2013 |
| Zeta Pi | Furman University | South Carolina | 1994-1996 |
| Zeta Rho | University of California, San Diego | California | 1994 |
| Zeta Sigma | Ohio Northern University | Ohio | 1994 |
| Zeta Tau | University of Delaware | Delaware | 1995 |
| Zeta Upsilon | University of Texas at Dallas | Texas | 1996 |
| Zeta Phi | Pepperdine University | California | 1997 |
| Zeta Chi | Johns Hopkins University | Maryland | 1997-2009, reorganized 2013 |
| Zeta Psi | University of Southern Mississippi | Mississippi | 1998-2008 |
| Zeta Omega | Loyola Marymount University | California | 2000 |
| Eta Eta | College of Idaho | Idaho | 2000 |
| Eta Theta | University of Central Florida | Florida | 2000 |
| Eta Iota | University of San Diego | California | 2001 |
| Eta Kappa | John Carroll University | Ohio | 2001 |
| Eta Lambda | Santa Clara University | California | 2003 |
| Eta Mu | Occidental College | California | 2004 |
| Eta Nu | Lake Forest College | Illinois | 2004 |
| Eta Xi | Quinnipiac University | Connecticut | 2006 |
| Eta Omicron | University of North Florida | Florida | 2007 |
| Eta Pi | Case Western Reserve University | Ohio | 2007 |
| Eta Rho | James Madison University | Virginia | 2007 |
| Eta Sigma | Chapman University | California | 2008 |
| Eta Tau | University of Tampa | Florida | 2010 |
| Eta Upsilon | University of San Francisco | California | 2011 |
| Eta Phi | Belmont University | Tennessee | 2011 |
| Eta Chi | Boston University | Massachusetts | 2012 |
| Eta Psi | Tufts University | Massachusetts | 2013 |
| Eta Omega | Saint Louis University | Missouri | 2013 |
| Theta Theta | North Carolina State University | North Carolina | 2013 |
| Theta Iota | Georgetown University | Washington, D.C. | 2014 |
| Theta Kappa | University of Louisville | Louisville, KY | 2014 |
| Theta Lambda | University of Rochester | Rochester, NY | 2015 |
| Theta Mu | Colorado School of Mines | Golden, CO | 2016 |
| Theta Nu | Georgia Institute of Technology | Atlanta, GA | 2016 |
| Theta Xi | University of California, Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz, CA | 2017 |
Notable alumnae
Some notable alumni of Kappa Alpha Theta include Laura Bush, Barbara Bush, Jenna Bush, Tory Burch, Amy Holmes, Sheryl Crow, Gretchen Whitmer, Kerri Stug, Rue McClanahan and Amy Grant. Laura Bush was a member of the Beta Sigma chapter at Southern Methodist University. Her daughters Barbara and Jenna Bush were members at Yale University and University at Texas at Austin, respectively. Tory Burch, an American fashion designer, businesswoman, and philanthropist was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta at the University of Pennsylvania. Amy Holmes, an American journalist and political commentator was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta at Princeton University. Sheryl Crow was a member at the University of Missouri. Gretchen Whitmer, Governor of Michigan, was a Theta at Michigan State University. Amy Grant, a famous American singer, was a member at Vanderbilt University to the chapter Alpha Eta.Philanthropy
The Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation was founded in 1960 and is the philanthropic arm of the organization. The Theta Foundation awards annual undergraduate and graduate scholarships to its members, awarding more than $1.1 million per year. In addition to scholarships, the Theta Foundation also supports the sorority's educational programs as well as its international philanthropy, Court Appointed Special Advocates. Court Appointed Special Advocates are community volunteers who serve as the voice for abused and neglected foster care children who are going through the court system. CASA's are appointed by a judge and their purpose is to ensure all legal actions made are in the child's best interest. In order to be able to directly volunteer at CASA you must be 21 years of age or older.Notable controversies
In 2000, the chapter at the University of Cincinnati was temporarily suspended for hazing. The pledges were forced to endure several demeaning tasks, one of which included crawling up the steps of the sorority house for the amusement of their big sisters.In 2000, the chapter at Rollins College was shut down after a drinking party sent newly pledged members to the hospital. One member passed out and was placed on a respirator that night.
In 2008, the chapter at Colgate University was suspended for four years after an alcohol-hazing related incident.
In 2014, the chapter at Columbia University was under national scrutiny after hosting a racially and ethnically insensitive event that went viral. Some of the costumes worn by sorority members were based on stereotypes meant to represent Mexico, Japan, the Netherlands, Ireland, Jamaica and other countries. The sorority publicly apologized for the event.
In 2016, the 137-year old chapter at the University of Michigan was suspended by the university for underage drinking and hazing. The chapter was disbanded by the national organization a few weeks later for violating the suspension.
In 2018, the University of Mississippi and Clemson's chapters were closed for failure to meet quota. There was a great deal of opposition, since members felt they were being unfairly punished, simply for being less popular than other National Panhellenic Conference sororities on campus, and not for risk management or academic issues.
In 2019, the Randolph-Macon chapter's new president was found to have hazed members of the organization living within the chapter facility.