Letter from the President

Hello Sisters,

I hope you are all getting into the groove as you return back to class!

I find this time of year to be so exciting-- seasons are changing, routines are mixing up, and Kappa activities are in full swing! While some people thrive in an environment of change, others can be debilitated. I think this is important to remind ourselves that everyone has a different response to change as we continue to press forward. To be successful in adapting to the many changes that are thrown at us, I truly believe we can accomplish this by exercising kindness, devotion and pride.

Kindness is essential in today’s world. Of course, we continue to exercise our acts of kindness by supporting organizations we are passionate about through philanthropy, but, to adapt as a sisterhood, I believe we need to hone in on the qualities of being kind. These qualities include being friendly, generous, and considerate. While I think it’s pretty easy for us as Kappa women to be friendly, I think we can challenge ourselves to really look outside of our own four walls. We need to take into account the impact our actions and words have on other people. Each of us comes from a different background, and we need to embrace that. Being receptive to new ideas, respecting someone’s opinion (even if you don’t agree), and kindly communicating our own ideas and opinions are how we are going to develop new ideas that advance our sisterhood forward.

The technical definition of devotion is the love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause. My personal definition of devotion is always supporting that “”something” no matter what. While I think we typically focus on our devotion to Kappa as the time you dedicate, the roles you’ve served as and the events you attend, I believe we can be more resilient as a whole if we are devoted to one another. I know that sorority business needs to still happen, but we can exercise devotion to one another by reaching out, checking in when you see someone that is struggling and problem solving with them to create the best possible solution for that individual and the Chapter. No one person can keep the sisterhood alive and we need to work as a team to accomplish our goals.

As Kappa women, we always take pride in our organization, chapter or emerging chapter and ourselves, and what we as a group and as individuals accomplish. I’ve personally tried to be more prideful of any accomplishment, no matter how big or small. Sometimes, I think we can get in our own ways when it comes to taking pride in our successes. If you’re like me, I tend to fixate on the things I have not done or accomplished instead of appreciating what I have done. With all the change that has happened in the past year, I think it’s easy to be like me. I want to challenge everyone to recognize the great things that they are doing rather than the other thousand things that haven’t done yet. Everything is a process and takes time. We cannot burn ourselves out just to check off the boxes. We need to be fully present in the work we are doing and should respect our own (and other’s!!) limitations. That way, when we solve a problem, the solution is fully vetted out and sustainable.

All in all, to adapt to the changes, we need to dig into our roots of kindness, devotion and pride. Continue to focus on exuding kindness to yourself and others. Be fully present and dedicated to the works you want to prioritize this year. When good things happen, celebrate them! Don’t worry about the little things. Work as a team all while respecting yourself and others. Together, we are unstoppable!

May the Spirit Never Die,

Amanda Cronin National President