Wow, is it February already?  What happened to January?   Anyone else wondering where the start of the year went?

Well, I can tell you that Theta Foundation’s 2012 is off to an amazing start and we are flurrying with activity.  It is already shaping up to be an incredible year for our organization, and it’s all because of YOU.

For the individuals and chapters who made donations last year and have already given this year – you are humbling us with your generous support.  We have already awarded several educational grants in January allowing Thetas to have varying professional, philanthropic, leadership and educational experiences in the United States and abroad, fulfilling our vision of giving every Theta every opportunity to make a difference.  We have also received over 600 scholarship applications from women seeking financial support for their education.   When it’s all said and done, we plan to award more than $500,000 to support Thetas of all ages in their pursuit of undergraduate and graduate degrees later this spring.

We’ve also supported the Fraternity, as well.  At the end of 2011, we issued a quarterly educational disbursement of more than $130,000 that supported Theta’s efforts in educating new members on alcohol and risky behaviors.  We also are supporting a wonderful program called Sisters Supporting Sisters which puts all college women and their advisors only a phone call away from a counselor or therapist to help them with any issues or problems they may be struggling with.  We continue to support the Educational Leadership Consultant program as well.  These eleven women are outstanding recent graduates who travel the country with the mission to keep Theta’s college chapters strong and are teaching and learning leadership skills that will last them a lifetime.

Whew!  That’s a lot for only two months – no wonder time has flown by.  I could go on and share more, but these are just a few examples of how we have recently impacted our members, chapters and the Fraternity at large. 

None of this is possible without your support.

As we approach Valentine’s Day and begin to think about the people that we love and that make a difference in our lives– for Theta Foundation, it’s the thousands of women who make what we do possible.  From those that apply to receive our support via scholarships and grants, to the women and chapters who give to make those scholarships and grants possible, YOU are the reason Theta Foundation has a big heart.  And whether you give, receive or share – I want to personally extend my heartfelt gratitude to you for remembering Theta Foundation.

Before I close, I also want to share with you something that I think is pretty special.  Did you know that all Fraternity Headquarters staff members are donors to Theta Foundation?  A few years ago, we decided it would be fun to challenge our HQ staff and encourage 100% giving.  What we found is that everyone had at some point supported Theta Foundation and most had payroll deduction gifts set up to provide continuous support to us!  I think it is pretty special that we have such a caring and supportive staff and many are not even members of our organization.  Proof positive that Theta Love reaches far and deep!

If you aren’t a donor to Theta Foundation or you want to learn more about our scholarship and grant programs and the resources made available to our members, please explore our give, receive and share tabs above. 

And me?  Well, I’ll be here behind the desk trying to figure out where January went.

Happy Valentine’s Day!  JEN

The Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation Nominating Committee is seeking individuals who understand that the continued success of Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation depends on the personal commitment and dedication of a select group of alumnae.  Foundation Trustees understand that it is a privilege to serve and are willing to assume the responsibility to lead.  Each member of the Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation Board of Trustees zealously advocates on the Foundation’s behalf, enthusiastically communicates the Foundation mission and vision, and plays a major role in fundraising and outreach. 

Candidates should be members of Kappa Alpha Theta in good standing with the Fraternity, and available to serve a two-year term on the Theta Foundation Board of Trustees, commencing July 1, 2012.  They should be able to fulfill the requirements outlined in the Board of Trustees Expectations & Responsibilities.  Review the expectations and responsibilities carefully before submitting a nominee or self-nominating.

If you or someone you know is interested in serving Theta Foundation on its Board of Trustees, please complete the application here.

Applications will be accepted through Monday, February, 20, 2012.

Candidates are to provide no more than three references to the committee (preferably one being a non-Theta).  A secure link to an online reference form will be sent to each reference and is due by February 24, 2012. 

Members of the 2012 Nominating Committee are:

Jill Pedicord Peterson, Chair

Retiring Trustee & Theta Foundation Vice President

Beta Gamma/Colorado State

Julie Ruffolo Gilpin

Grand Council, Fraternity Vice President  

Alpha/DePauw

Joyce Harrison Honeyman

Retired Foundation Trustee Beta

Zeta/Oklahoma State

Karen Albrech Ledbetter 

Past Fraternity President, NPC Alternate Delegate & FHC Interior Design Coordinator 

Gamma Tau/Tulsa          

The slate will be presented to the Foundation Board of Trustees by the Nominating Committee and voted on during the Trustee Spring Meeting in Indianapolis April 13-15, 2012.

Questions? Feel free to contact Theta Foundation’s Nominating Committee at FdnNomCom@kappaalphatheta.org or by contacting Jennifer Pendleton, Foundation Executive Director and Nominating Committee Liaison, at Kappa Alpha Theta Headquarters, 1-800-526-1870 or jpendleton@kappaalphatheta.org. 

For more information, or to apply online, visit our Apply Now page.

Deadlines and Late Materials

When is my scholarship application due?

Will my scholarship application be considered if my References do not submit their recommendations by the application deadline?

I need to gather more information for my application. Will Theta Foundation accept late material?

What happens if my computer crashes while I am working on the application?

Application and Reference Information

My Reference did not receive the link to the recommendation form. What should I do?

How do I know if my References have submitted their recommendation forms?

My Reference says she has submitted her recommendation form, but I haven't received a confirmation email. What should I do?

Can I update my application after I hit “Submit?”

Eligibility

Do I have to read the Scholarship Application Instructions guide?

I qualify for multiple Theta Foundation scholarships. Do I have to submit a separate application for each award?

I have already completed my degree.  Can I use a Theta Foundation scholarship to pay my student loans?

I have previously received a scholarship from Theta Foundation. Can I apply again?

I forgot my Member ID number. What should I do?

Recipient Notification

When will I be notified if I have been selected to receive a Theta Foundation scholarship?

Deadlines and Late Materials

When is my scholarship application due?

Scholarship applications, including complete recommendations from References, are due February 1, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

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Will my scholarship application be considered if my References do not submit their recommendations by the application deadline?

No. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Theta Foundation will not accept late application or acceptance materials for any reason. These include, but are not limited to applications, recommendations, and award acceptance documents.

In order for your application to be considered, it must include complete recommendations from a Theta Reference and an Academic Reference. As the applicant, you are responsible for submitting your complete application and verifying that your References have submitted complete recommendation forms.

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I need to gather more information for my application. Will Theta Foundation accept late material?

Theta Foundation will not accept late application or acceptance materials for any reason. These include, but are not limited to applications, recommendations, and award acceptance documents.

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Application Information and Requirements

My Reference did not receive the link to the recommendation form. What should I do?

First, make sure your Reference adds automated.email@scholarselect.com to his/her email address book. Then, sign in to your application to re-send the recommendation request.

If you have NOT SUBMITTED your application:
1. Check the box next to "Re-Send Recommendation or Information Request" in the corresponding Reference section.
2. Select "Next" at the bottom of the page.

If you HAVE SUBMITTED your application:
1. On the first page of the application, select the green “Update Application” button in the top right hand corner.
2.  Navigate to the References page.
3. Check the box next to "Re-Send Recommendation or Information Request" in the corresponding Reference section.
4. Select "Save" or "Update Application" at the bottom of the page.

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How do I know if my References have submitted their recommendation forms?

After your References have submitted their complete recommendation forms, you should receive an email from ScholarSelect confirming submission. You can also view the status of each of your Reference’s recommendation forms at the top of each Reference section.

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My Reference says she has submitted her recommendation form, but I haven't received a confirmation email. What should I do?

Some References will have completed much of the information required for a recommendation form, but have not officially submitted them. If your Reference is confident she has completed the recommendation form, but you have not received a confirmation email and the recommendation is still showing as "Pending" within your application, you should suggest that your Reference return to the recommendation form and click "Submit this Request" to submit the completed recommendation form. If she does not receive an on-screen confirmation after hitting submit, she should scroll through the recommendation form to find any areas highlighted pink and address those errors before selecting “Submit this Request” again. After she has successfully submitted a recommendation form, she will receive an on-screen confirmation message and you, as the applicant, will receive an automated email from ScholarSelect confirming receipt.

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I qualify for multiple Theta Foundation scholarships. Do I have to submit a separate application for each award?

One great aspect of applying for Theta Foundation scholarships is that you do not have to select the individual scholarships for which you would like to apply. Rather, upon submitting a scholarship application, you are automatically a candidate for any scholarships for which you qualify. We encourage all interested candidates to submit a scholarship application and allow Theta Foundation to consider you for any awards for which you are eligible.

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I forgot my Member ID number. What should I do?

You can verify your Member ID number by visiting the Fraternity website at http://bit.ly/ThetaID. Please note that you must enter the Reference Code FdnScholar2012.

If you have requested your Member ID number from the Fraternity website but have not yet received it, please double-check that you entered the Reference Code with your request.

New Members are encouraged to submit applications after receiving Member ID numbers. If you are initiated November 1, 2011 or after and will not have a Member ID number by the application deadline, please enter the Member ID number 1111111.

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Can I update my application after I hit “Submit?”

Changes to a submitted application may be made up to the application deadline by logging in to your application, completing changes, and resubmitting. The updated application will replace the original submission.

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What happens if my computer crashes while I am working on the application?

To protect your application information from being lost, we recommend that you save all of your responses in a separate document. Also, as you work on your application, periodically save your changes. Application information is only saved when the applicant saves the content, so, unfortunately, there is no other way to retrieve information that was not saved by the user.

Please keep in mind that Theta Foundation will not accept late submissions, even in the event of a technology glitch.

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Eligibility

Do I have to read the Scholarship Application Instructions guide?

Yes! When applying, all applicants must certify that they have read and understand the Scholarship Application Instructions guide.  The guide provides thorough instructions and other information to help you complete and submit a Theta Foundation scholarship application.

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I have already completed my degree.  Can I use a Theta Foundation scholarship to pay my student loans?

Recipients of 2011-12 Theta Foundation scholarships must be enrolled (part-time or full-time) in a degree-granting program during the 2012-2013 Academic Year. Theta Foundation’s scholarships are only available for future opportunities and are not meant to reimburse for previous expenses. For more information about eligibility, please refer to the 2011-12 Scholarship Application Instructions.

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I have previously received a scholarship from Theta Foundation. Can I apply again?

Yes, of course! The primary consideration is that you are enrolled (part-time or full-time) in a degree-granting program during the 2012-2013 Academic Year. For more information about eligibility, please refer to the 2011-12 Scholarship Application Instructions.

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Recipient Notification

When will I be notified if I have been selected to receive a Theta Foundation scholarship?

On the first recipient notification date, May 1, 2012, Theta Foundation will notify each scholarship applicant via email whether or not she was selected as a scholarship recipient. Notifications will be sent to the preferred email address listed on your official Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity record. This information can be updated at any time by logging in to the Fraternity website at www.KappaAlphaTheta.org.

Applicants who do not receive email notification within 24 hours of the first recipient notification date should contact the Theta Foundation Manager of Programs at gmerritt@kappaalphatheta.org regarding their selection for a scholarship.

In the event that any initially-selected scholarship recipient can no longer accept an award or fails to submit award acceptance documents by the deadline, a new recipient will be selected. New recipients will be notified via email on the second recipient notification date, June 1, 2012.

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Jill Pedicord Peterson (Chair), Beta Gamma/Colorado State

Julie Ruffolo Gilpin, Alpha/Depauw

Joyce Harrison Honeyman, Beta Zeta/Oklahoma State

Karen Albrecht Ledbetter, Gamma Tau/Tulsa

These dedicated volunteers will work in the first quarter of 2012 to develop a slate to present to the Board of Trustees at their April board meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana.  The board will vote at this meeting and will install Theta Foundation's new trustees at Grand Convention in Tucson, Arizona in late June 2012.

Information regarding how to become a candidate for Theta Foundation’s Board of Trustees will be posted on www.kappaalphathetafoundation.org  in early 2012.  Any additional questions can be directed to Jennifer Pendleton, Theta Foundation’s Executive Director, by calling 317-876-1870 or emailing jpendleton@kappaalphatheta.org. 

For a full job description see below. This position reports to Executive Director, Jen Pendleton. Forward cover letter with fundraising track record, resume, and salary expectations to:  Jen Pendleton, Executive Director – jpendleton@kappaalphatheta.org by Jan. 10, 2012.  No calls please.

Long Term Goal and Focus of Position:  Responsible for Theta Foundation’s long term fundraising goal of endowing  Kappa Alpha Theta’s educational and leadership programs.  Theta Foundation also intends to raise funds for an endowment to establish a needs-based scholarship program. 

Short Term Goal and Focus of Position:  By 2015, lead the effort with staff, board and volunteers to establish a $4 million dollar endowment to support the Educational Leadership Consultant (ELC) program and raise $650,000 for needs-based scholarships.

Responsibilities: 

Design the overall strategic fundraising/campaign plan and timeline, including budget and naming/recognition opportunities in partnership with Executive Director and Board of Trustees.

Is the staff liaison to campaign leadership and committees.

Holds own prospect portfolio of donors for fundraising/solicitation.

Position may require up to 50% travel (will vary depending on phase of campaign and budget) for donor visits (discovery, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship), volunteer training, donor events and other duties that lead to the successful completion of the campaign.

Develop compelling case for support for the campaign in partnership with appropriate staff and volunteers.

Develop structure, recruitment, training, accountability and retention of all campaign/development volunteers and their work with prospect portfolios.

Develop and oversee methods and systems of effective prospect research to support the campaign. 

Is a key member of the Development Team whose focus is on fundraising strategies that grow Theta Foundation’s endowments through major and planned giving programs.

Develops and oversees comprehensive recognition/stewardship/donor relations plans for endowed/major donors/prospects.  Makes effective stewardship a fundraising strategy in and of itself.

Works with Communications and collaborates on effective campaign collateral material, as well as appropriate messaging in newsletters, website, etc. to support campaign strategy and calls to action.  Collaborate/advise Communications on potential outreach/educational opportunities to feed the donor and prospect pipeline.

I have been thinking for some time about starting a blog about my work as Executive Director of Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation, and I’m very excited to finally get it started.  My goal for this blog is to be the Theta Foundation equivalent of the “Look Inside” button on Amazon.com.   I see so many amazing things happen here at Theta HQ every day that I want you to be able to “look inside” and see all the wonderful things our members make possible.  There are so many moving pieces (both literally and figuratively) here at Theta Foundation, that I want to bring you, our special friends and followers, along for the ride in our quest to help our members attain the highest scholarship and widest influence for good.

I have a few “thankful” musings to share with you as we enter the holiday season.

This past Nov. 4-6, we welcomed the Theta Foundation Board of Trustees to Theta’s International Headquarters in Indianapolis for one of their two in-person meetings a year.  These eleven amazing Thetas are from chapters all over the country and of varying ages, professions and skills.  What they each have in common is their passion for the work of Theta Foundation.   They are not only some of our most loyal supporters, but they also help us award scholarships and grants, raise the funds we need each year for our educational and leadership programs, and set the strategic direction for our organization.  I’m so very thankful and proud of the commitment and talents each of these women share with us each year.  They give of their time, treasure and talent as volunteers and make us a strong organization.  Thank you, Board of Trustees for all you do for Theta Foundation.

I am also very thankful for a mentor of mine who is stepping down from the Delta Tau Delta Educational Foundation after 30 years of service (yes, you Ken File!)  Ken is the Executive Director and has worn many Delt hats over those 30 years.   You may not know this, but Theta Foundation is very well networked among our other brother and sister fraternal foundations.  Through the work of the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) Foundation (of which I am a board member), we organize professional development opportunities for fraternal foundation staff members and volunteers to learn from each other and take away best practices for each of our organizations.   Ken File has been at the forefront of fostering these strong relationships over the years and currently serves as the NIC Foundation President.  I remember attending my first NICF seminar and Ken was one of the first hands outstretched to me welcoming me to the community.  I had no idea what impact this group of professionals would have on my work here at Theta Foundation.  These colleagues are always here to support one another, and I would be remiss if I didn’t give a public thanks to Ken for his leadership in the Fraternal Foundations community and for being such a good friend and mentor to both me and Theta Foundation through my six years here.  And Ken, if you read this – we’re not going to let you get too far away!

Can I just tell you how utterly fulfilling my daily work can be some times?  One of the best things about my job is reading the thank you letters we receive from scholarship and grant recipients.   One recent thank you was from a woman who received a scholarship and is now studying abroad in Ghana, Africa.  Her note was very lovely and emphasized how encouraging it was to have Theta Foundation’s support in making her career aspirations attainable.  But, it was the closing part of her letter that put a lump in my throat.   She shared that she was the first member of her family to join a Greek organization and that her parents had always been skeptical of her participation and membership in Theta.  She thanked us for:

 “…helping me show them that Theta is for a lifetime, that the opportunities are unparalleled and that this institution is far from a mere ‘social club.’”

When I receive handwritten notes like this it makes me proud to know Theta goes much deeper than any of us really ever knew when we made those first promises.  That our hard work here at Headquarters makes a real difference with real people, far beyond what we can ever expect.   Gifts to Theta Foundation make a difference not only in the lives of women we support, but to all the people that these recipients will touch through their work and educational goals. And, knowing Kappa Alpha Theta played a role in that, is an amazing feeling. 

In honor of Thanksgiving, I want to personally take this opportunity to thank you for your role in making Theta Foundation what it is today. Thank you also for reading my first blog entry, stay tuned for more updates from behind the desk here at Theta Foundation!

Fall 2011 Publication

Sarah hopes to be a doctor someday. She has a dream of helping impoverished countries gain better access to healthcare. With the help of a Theta Foundation grant, her dream became a reality. Last June Sarah traveled to Tanzania, Africa to partake in a medical internship in which, as a member of the maternity unit, she assisted in more than 30 childbirths, as well as helped educate patients about the prevention and treatment of prevalent diseases in the area such as HIV, TB, and Malaria. Sarah’s experience has inspired her to pursue a new specialty in her future career: obstetrics and gynecology.

Sarah is just one of Theta Foundation’s 274 grant and scholarship recipients this past year. Each year, we empower Theta women of all ages to have experiences that were once only tiny fragments of their imaginations, as part of our ongoing mission to help every Theta reach her fullest potential and make a difference in the world. But we cannot fulfill our mission alone.

Now more than ever, your donation counts.

Just think of all of the people and places your donation could touch through the hands and work of a Theta thanks to the vast and varied scholarship, grant, and leadership programs you can make possible through Theta Foundation. 

Won't you join us in our mission to make a difference?

Donate Now

2011 Theta Foundation Scholarship Recipients