Kappa Delta

Kappa Delta (ΚΔ, also known as KD or Kaydee) is an American collegiate social sorority. Established in 1897, it was the first sorority founded at the State Female Normal School (now Longwood University), in Farmville, Virginia. Kappa Delta is one of the "Farmville Four", four now national sororities that were established at the university. It is a member of the National Panhellenic Conference. History Kappa Delta was founded on October 23, 1897, at the State Female Normal School (now Longwood University), in Farmville, Virginia. The founders were college students Lenora Ashmore Blackiston, Mary Sommerville Sparks Hendrick, Julia Gardiner Tyler Wilson, and Sara Turner White. Blackiston first suggested forming a sorority. She went on to attend Randolph-Macon Woman's College. At 23 years of age Hendrick was the oldest founder and stayed at State Normal until 1902, longer than any of the other founders. Wilson was the chief illustrator of the school's yearbook and designed the Kappa Delta badge. White would frequently host Founders Day festivities at her home later in life. The sorority expanded in 1902, chartering chapters at Chatham Episcopal Institute (now Chatham Hall), Hollins College, and Gunston Hall School. It joined the National Panhellenic Conference in 1912; however, three of its first four chapters were closed at the time because they were not at colleges. By 1907, Kappa Delta had initiated 350 members at ten chapters. In 1917, the sorority established a Student Loan Fund to help members complete college. In 1921, the sorority selected the Crippled Children's Hospital in Richmond, Virginia as its philanthropy. It created an endowment in 1923. By 1927, the sorority had chartered 68 chapters and had initiated 6,758 members. Sixteen chapters owned houses. It also had 48 alumnae associations. As of 2024, Kappa Delta has initiated more than 309,000 members. It is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. Kappa Delta is one of the "Farmville Four", four now national sororities that were established at the university. Symbols Kappa Delta's motto is Τὰ καλὰ διώκωμεν or "Let us strive for that which is honorable, beautiful and highest". Kappa Delta's coat of arms (often called the crest) is a white Norman shield, surmounted by a lamp of ancient design, against a background of ornamental scroll. A ribbon underneath the shield bears the date of the sorority's founding. Kappa Delta's tagline is "Building Confidence. Inspiring Action." Its insignia is a skull, cross bones, skeleton, dagger, and snake. The Kappa Delta badge is diamond-shaped with a dagger symbol and the Greek letters "ΚΔ" and "ΑΟΤ" in gold on a black enamel background. The sorority's new member pin is a white enamel Norman shield bearing a green enamel triangle that contains three stars. The sorority's symbol is the nautilus shell which symbolizes growth, renewal, and expansion. Its mascots are the teddy bear and the katydid. Its colors are olive green and pearl white. Its flower is the white rose. It has three official jewels: the diamond, the emerald, and the pearl. Its flag is a pennant shaped, in white with the Greek letters "ΚΔ" in olive green. Its publication is The Angelos was started in 1904. Philanthropies Kappa Delta Sorority's official philanthropies are the Girl Scouts of the USA and Prevent Child Abuse America. Kappa Delta national continues to support is historical philanthropies are the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU and Orthopedic Research Awards. Sorority members also host Shamrock events every year to raise money for Prevent Child Abuse America and local child abuse prevention efforts. To date, Kappa Delta has donated more than $23 million to prevent child abuse in the United States. Chapters Kappa Delta has 167 active collegiate chapters in North America. It also has more than 150 alumnae chapters around the world. Local chapter or member misconduct In 2022, Betty Jane Cadle, former treasurer of the sorority chapter at Mississippi State University, was convicted of stealing $2.9 million from the sorority. As a result of Cadle's wrongdoing, the sorority chapter struggled financially. According to court documents, Cadle began to intentionally divert funds from the sorority's bank accounts in 2012. She used handwritten checks to transfer large sums of money into her personal bank account and the account of Belles and Beaus, a downtown Oxford children's clothing store owned by Cadle and her daughter, Cathy Lowe. Prosecutors say the fraud continued until late 2019. Cadle will serve four years in prison and was ordered to pay $2.9 million in restitution to the sorority chapter. In 2013 and 2014, sorority women from multiple sorority chapters at the University of Alabama – including Kappa Delta, Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Omicron Pi, Phi Mu, Alpha Chi Omega, Pi Beta Phi, Delta Delta Delta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, and Chi Omega – alleged that either active members or some alumnae had prevented them from offering membership to black candidates because of their race. Students, including Kappa Delta members, held a campus march to integrate Greek life on campus, and following media and national outcry, the university held a second round of recruitment in hopes of offering membership to more women. Notable members Following are some of the notable members of Kappa Delta. See also List of social sororities and women's fraternities References External links Kappa Delta Website