The Beta Xi chapter of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority at the University of Texas, whose sorority house is graced with a Texas Historic Marker, is one of two sorority houses actually on campus. Kappas have been a part of UT Greek life since 1902.
From their chapter page on the UT website: (
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2001 University Dr
Austin, Tx 78705
National: October 13,1870, Monmouth College, Monmouth, IL
Local: Founded 1902, Beta Xi Chapter"
An important initiative of the Texas Kappas was to build a school in Uganda. See here for more: (
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"BUILDING TOMORROW
Building Tomorrow and the Beta Xi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma have teamed up this year. The Building Tomorrow mission is to build schools in Uganda for children that desperately need them. The entire program is based on students helping students, and every dollar raised goes directly to building a school. (1 dollar = 9 bricks. $6,000 = an entire classroom!!).
WE DID IT! We raised $45,000!
Updates as Building Tomorrow breaks ground in Uganda for Building Tomorrow Academy of Kabasegwa funded by Texas Kappa!"
Also from the Texas Kappas website: (
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"HISTORY
Kappa Kappa Gamma was founded on October 13, 1870 at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois. Six young women were indeed pioneers when they dared to march into the most public part of the campus, its chapel, wearing golden keys in their hair. The College Courier reported on the event saying that the six were "on a voyage of discovery." This historic event is remembered every year on Founder's Day. It is a time for Kappa members of all generations to come together in sisterhood and friendship.
MISSION STATEMENT
Kappa Kappa Gamma is an organization of women, which seeks for every member throughout her life bonds of friendship, mutual support, opportunities for self-growth, respect for intellectual development, and an understanding of and an allegiance to positive ethical principles.
FACTS
Kappa has 131 collegiate chapters
More than 200,000 Kappas have been initiated since our founding at Monmouth College
Kappa is a womens fraternity, the word sorority was not coined until after our founding.
The Beta Xi Chapter House is one of two houses on the University of Texas' campus.
SYMBOLS
The Badge, a Golden Key, is one inch in length with the letters KKG on the stem and Alpha Omega Omicron on the ward. The badge may be either plain gold or jeweled. On the reverse side of the key are engraved the owner's initials, identifying symbol of her chapter and the date of initiation. The Badge is to be worn strictly as an emblem of membership and only by initiated members.
The New Member Pin of Kappa Kappa Gamma is a Delta of dark blue enamel on silver, one-half of an inch on each side enclosing a Sigma of light blue enamel. It is worn only by a person pledged to membership in the Fraternity and surrendered at the time of initiation to the current President.
The fleur-de-lis was chosen as the Fraternity flower in 1890 because of its general dignity, stateliness and grace, and because it combines the two blues of the Fraternity in one flower.
The owl is the bird of wisdom as well as the bird of Minervaa, the Goddess of Wisdom, and it was first used as a Kappa symbol in 1881.
The Fraternity Coat-of-Arms combines the well-known symbols of Kappa Kappa Gamma: the key, the Greek letters, the new-member pin, the fleur-de-lis, the owl, and the two blues.
The colors of the Fraternity of light blue and dark blue, adopted by the Alpha chapter two years after founding. These colors are sometimes described as "blue of sky and sea" in many Kappa Songs.
The sapphire jewel is recognized as a symbol of truth, sincerity and constancy. It is also the gem of autumn, the time of the birth of Kappa Kappa Gamma. In the lore of precious stones, the sapphire's blue hue is believed to embody the spirits of light and wisdom. The sapphire was adopted in 1890, along with the fleur-del-lis.
KAPPA FIRSTS
1881- First woman's council to utilize a Grand Council form of government, rather than a Grand Chapter form.
1882 - First women's fraternity to publish a magazine - The Key.
1891 - First to extend invitations to a Panhellenic convention.
1922 - First women's fraternity to establish a Central Office.
1928 - First to adopt the graduate counselor system - established as the Co-Organizer Program.
1942- First to set up Service Women's Centers.
1951 - First Women's Fraternity to establish a permanent Fraternity Headquarters.
1965 - First to join with another sorority in a co-housing venture (with Kappa Alpha Theta at the University of Pittsburg).
1976 - First fraternity to set up a career-networking program.
1981 - First women's fraternity to incorporate a Heritage Museum."