Kappa Alpha Theta Iota Chapter - Cornell University

[2012-2013] A Year In Review

Semester Update
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Ingrids Jog For Jill . 2 Theta Senior Brunch ... 3 Thetas Abroad 4 Senior Send-Off .. 5 Alumna Spotlight .... 6 Announcements ...... 7

A Message from Dana Lerner 14 [ Alumni and Foundation Liaison ] & Kristen Powers 14 [ President (CEO) ]

Dear Alumnae and Parents, The sisters of Kappa Alpha Theta had a very busy spring semester! We started off January with a very successful formal recruitment period. We welcomed 57 New Members into the Iota Chapter and completed a 6-week New Member period. During this time, our chapter facilitated numerous sisterhood events as well as events with other Greek chapters. On a beautiful spring day in Ithaca, Kappa Alpha Theta and the men of Chi Psi Fraternity hosted our signature philanthropy event, this year a volleyball tournament, to benefit Court Appointed Special Advocates. We had a great turn out, hours of fun, and ended up raising over $600 for our local CASA. At the Fraternity and Sorority Awards Ceremony this year, we won four awards! We received the following: Outstanding Facilities Management, Outstanding Service to the Community, Outstanding Social Responsibility, and finally, the Outstanding Chapter Award. I would like to thank and congratulate everybody that played a part in our successes this year. Loyally in Theta, Dana Lerner and Kristen Powers

Dana Lerner

@Cornell Thetas

Kristen Powers

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Kappa Alpha Theta The Iota Story

Jog for Jill in Honor of Ingrid Nuez

On Sunday, September 29th, the sisters of the Iota Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta will bring the Cornell community together for the 3rd time to support the efforts of the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation with a 5K race. The Addario Foundation organizes these races as fundraisers for lung cancer research. This cause is very important to the Iota chapter as our sister, Ingrid Nuez 14, was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer in the spring of 2011. The arrangements for the event are already in the works with help from Katelyn Pippy 15 and Caroline Phillips 16 who have volunteered to help Ingrid plan the whole event. The entire chapter has come together in support of our sister and friend. Ingrid said, I am super excited for the jog as it's usually the highlight of the weekend. I can't wait to see all my Theta friends and family on this special day as we walk to beat lung cancer big time! We hope to see you there!

From left: Kat Juraschek 14, Katherine Olsavsky 14, Kristen Powers 14, Kristina Johnson, 14

Top: Ingrid Nuez 14

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Kappa Alpha Theta The Iota Story

Theta Senior Brunch!

The 2013 Kappa Alpha Theta senior brunch was a great success that was inevitably bittersweet. Seniors gathered at the Carriage House in Ithaca, NY for brunch on Sunday, April 28th to reminisce about stories from living in the house, philanthropic endeavors, our formal dances, (and what to wear!), as well as other memories. Each senior toasted one of her sisters, explaining her impact on others and fond memories shared. At the end of the brunch, each senior was presented a gold necklace with two charms: a small, gold heart and a gold circle engraved with a . The 33 graduating seniors will be missed, but we know they will do amazing things and we hope to see them at our Homecoming Alumnae event in the fall!

Congratulations, Seniors!

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Kappa Alpha Theta The Iota Story

Thetas Abroad
Alexandra Skinnion 14
I just got back from a semester abroad in Southern France in the city Aix-enProvence. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to go, and I learned so much, even apart from the language! For starters, I lived with a French host family who was very traditionally French - very Catholic, and very conservative. My host dad told me the French Revolution was a bad thing because it promoted the equality of everyone's ideas regardless of their wealth, social status, or education. As an American, this really shocked me! Even though I suffered from my host family on nearly every political issue, I still learned that I could come to care about them a lot! We were still able to have intellectual conversations and live in harmony. I also gained a new appreciation for Cornell. I will never complain again about having too much reading, because at least I'll know what to read! At my French university, I got no syllabi or reading lists! We didn't have to study until midterms & finals. While this may sound easy, it was really hard because I felt like I wasn't retaining any information. Each class ran only once a week, but for three hours! It was so hard to stay focused. Aside from the academic challenge and the adjustment to my new home life, I took advantage of the French culture by trying as many new foods as I could and getting involved with locals. I tutored English to some neighbors' children, which was an incredible experience. I had always wanted to teach English to French kids! I also loved having the opportunity to travel Europe. I went to: London, Edinburgh, St. Andrews, Dublin, and Venice, as well as many other areas in France. Traveling Europe gave me a new form of appreciation for the US There is really no place like home!

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Kappa Alpha Theta The Iota Story

Senior Send-Off [OUR 33 NEWEST ALUMNI]

On May 26th, 2013, 33 beautiful Iota Thetas graduated from Cornell University. They have truly embodied the meaning of Theta sisterhood during their time at Cornell, and have served as incredible role models for each class that as joined our sisterhood after them. Not only were they a wonderful group of women to look up to, but I was truly amazed to see their bond with one another develop throughout this year. They developed into a tight knit senior class and embraced their last year of Theta undergraduate life by joining each other for as many activities as possible. Exploring the Ithaca gorges, celebrating holidays, joining together for community service and enjoying the beautiful spring weather outside of CTB are just some examples of our senior bonding this year, but my favorite part of this senior class was that there was no where on campus I could go without seeing at least 5 or 6 of them traveling from class to class together or grabbing lunch at their favorite table at Terrace. They were an inseparable group and I truly hope that my senior class next year can follow this example that they set for us. During formal recruitment this past semester I overheard one of our sophomores who hadn't previously gotten the chance to get to know the seniors saying "Wow, our seniors are so amazing." Another followed with "I hope the sophomores think that we are as incredible when we are seniors..." The other said, "Not a chance, but I hope we come close." To all of the 2013 graduates: I would like to echo this sentiment and say that you have set the stakes very high, and I hope that the alumni reading this newsletter are as excited as they should be to welcome you into their alumni network. Congratulations, Seniors- it has been a pleasure getting to know you all. With all the Theta Love in the world, Kristen Powers Iota Chapter President (CEO)

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Kappa Alpha Theta The Iota Story

Alumna Spotlight:
Esteemed Alumna Mari Rossi 11 shares her story of keeping in touch and giving back
After graduation, the class of 2011 dispersed to a bunch of different places. When Christmas was approaching, we decided that a great way to stay in touch was to donate a small amount of our newly earned "working adult" money to build a well in Cambodia. These wells help a family, as well as an entire village, have clean water to drink... which in turn, saves lives. Once the money was collected, we sent it to the group that organizes the well building. They can only afford to send the money once a year in January, and since we missed the cut off in 2012, our money was sent this January. Below, I have attached the pictures of the Kappa Alpha Theta well that was successfully built in Cambodia!! I just wanted to pass the story on as the class of 2013 graduates, because even though your friends may be spread out across the world, there are still so many great ways to stay in touch! It has been two full years since graduating from Cornell, and I still feel like I have a freaking awesome pledge class ('08).

Water well donated by Kappa Alpha Theta Pledge Class (USA) March 2013

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Kappa Alpha Theta The Iota Story

Announcements
Reunion 2013
th If you will be Stewart here forAve your Cornell reunion this summer, please join us for a gathering at the Theta house at 519 from pm on Saturday, June 8 . Hope to 4-6 see you there!

To Our Alumnae
On behalf of every member of Iota, I would like to offer our deepest gratitude to our alumnae. We truly appreciate getting to know each and every one of you through your emails, letters, and various events such as the Alumnae Homecoming brunch and the Reunion Weekend held in June. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at dml334@cornell.edu or Diane Miller 88, Advisory Board Chairman at djm15@cornell.edu Loyally, Dana Lerner, Alumnae and Foundation Liaison Do you know a woman attending Cornell and potentially participating in Panhellenic recruitment? If you would like to recommend her as a Potential New Member, you may complete an on-line Letter of Reference form at www.kappaalphatheta.org, or you can print the form and send the letter to: Kappa Alpha Theta c/o Beth LeBow, Recruitment Director 519 Stewart Ave. Ithaca, NY 14850 While Letters of Reference are no longer required for membership in Kappa Alpha Theta, they are extremely helpful in allowing us to get to know a PNM before she walks into our house during recruitment.

As always, we sincerely appreciate your support of the Iota Chapter and value your membership and contribution. If you would like to become more involved with the Iota Chapter, we urge you to send us your pictures, memoires, advice, favorite Theta traditions and any general feedback or questions. Please visit our newly revamped website at https://www.kappaalphatheta.org/chapters/iota/page/home Like us on Facebook at Cornell Kappa Alpha Theta Follow Us on Twitter @CornellThetas