Kappa Tau Gamma was established as a social club, on October 7, 1953, after the Administration and Budget Committee of The Catholic University of America held a meeting.
The 15 founding sisters took KTG’s name from the first three words of the Greek phrase, “We can change the world” – and stated as it’s purpose: “to establish and provide a well-rounded social life and to foster spirit of social service among the undergraduate women of CUA.”
These first members elected as their President Beverly Skirnak, a sophomore. They also elected a Vice President to serve as the representative to the Spiritual Council and Inter-Sorority Council representative, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, a Treasurer and a Pledge Mistress. The founding sisters, most Speech and Drama (S&D) and nursing majors, were Joan Aurelius, Terry Tabor, Barbara Brown, Pat Smith, Ann Orlosky, Carole Macho, Sheila Manning, Lynn DeBeacke, Beverly Skirnak, Dee Colopy, Pat Sieber, Loretta Taymus, Jane Hill, Ellenore Kordick, and Bambi Stancioff.
Through the years after, the Greek Life on Catholic University’s campus has diminished to four establishments: Kappa Tau Gamma Sorority, Alpha Delta Gamma Fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega (Co-ed) Fraternity, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
Traditions:
The sorority has, over the years, come to acquire a number of activities, events and projects which it considers its own. Some of these have changed over the years, with new ones replacing the old, but all of them are a part of the sorority and as such, constitute its traditions.
The first pledges of Kappa Tau Gamma wore collars embroidered with the initials of the sorority. The collars in time were replaced with a red skeleton key, symbolic of pledge hood as the key to the door of sisterhood. The formal pledge pin has taken many shapes; before the 1960's it was a small rose of silver or gold in keeping with the rose as the sorority flower. During the 1960's the sisters voted on having the pledges wear red bows, which have been associated with the KTG sisters since the days of UMOC "Pope John" Innocenti. In the 1990's, these red bows began to be confused with AIDS awareness bows, so as a result, we changed to a red and blue bow as a symbol of the colors of KTG. In 1997, a vote was taken to restore the pledge pin of the rose. The pledges now wear a gold rose pin. In 2009, the sisterhood decided to vote on changing the term from pledge to potential new member (PNM).
Also traditional during the PNM process is the Spaghetti Dinner given by the PNM class for the sisters. Usually the PNM Show takes place during the Spaghetti Dinner.
Originally, the constitution called for each sister to fulfill a specific number of social work hours per semester, but that has changed to group events each semester – sacred to our hearts, the sisters of KTG volunteer in numerous walks including Relay for Life.
A Farewell Picnic is given at the end of the year for departing seniors.
The 15 founding sisters took KTG’s name from the first three words of the Greek phrase, “We can change the world” – and stated as it’s purpose: “to establish and provide a well-rounded social life and to foster spirit of social service among the undergraduate women of CUA.”
These first members elected as their President Beverly Skirnak, a sophomore. They also elected a Vice President to serve as the representative to the Spiritual Council and Inter-Sorority Council representative, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, a Treasurer and a Pledge Mistress. The founding sisters, most Speech and Drama (S&D) and nursing majors, were Joan Aurelius, Terry Tabor, Barbara Brown, Pat Smith, Ann Orlosky, Carole Macho, Sheila Manning, Lynn DeBeacke, Beverly Skirnak, Dee Colopy, Pat Sieber, Loretta Taymus, Jane Hill, Ellenore Kordick, and Bambi Stancioff.
Through the years after, the Greek Life on Catholic University’s campus has diminished to four establishments: Kappa Tau Gamma Sorority, Alpha Delta Gamma Fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega (Co-ed) Fraternity, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
Traditions:
The sorority has, over the years, come to acquire a number of activities, events and projects which it considers its own. Some of these have changed over the years, with new ones replacing the old, but all of them are a part of the sorority and as such, constitute its traditions.
The first pledges of Kappa Tau Gamma wore collars embroidered with the initials of the sorority. The collars in time were replaced with a red skeleton key, symbolic of pledge hood as the key to the door of sisterhood. The formal pledge pin has taken many shapes; before the 1960's it was a small rose of silver or gold in keeping with the rose as the sorority flower. During the 1960's the sisters voted on having the pledges wear red bows, which have been associated with the KTG sisters since the days of UMOC "Pope John" Innocenti. In the 1990's, these red bows began to be confused with AIDS awareness bows, so as a result, we changed to a red and blue bow as a symbol of the colors of KTG. In 1997, a vote was taken to restore the pledge pin of the rose. The pledges now wear a gold rose pin. In 2009, the sisterhood decided to vote on changing the term from pledge to potential new member (PNM).
Also traditional during the PNM process is the Spaghetti Dinner given by the PNM class for the sisters. Usually the PNM Show takes place during the Spaghetti Dinner.
Originally, the constitution called for each sister to fulfill a specific number of social work hours per semester, but that has changed to group events each semester – sacred to our hearts, the sisters of KTG volunteer in numerous walks including Relay for Life.
A Farewell Picnic is given at the end of the year for departing seniors.
Symbols & Insignia
{ crest }
Eye of God, ever watching
Hourglass of Time, ever running
Lamp of Knowledge, ever burning
Pen of Learning, ever flowing
{ motto }
"We can change the world."
{ prayer }
“O most sacred heart of Jesus, we stand humbly before Thee, placing our trust in Thee, That we may given the strength to carry out our duties on accordance with the ideals of true Christian womanhood; that we may overcome hatred, injury to others, doubt despair, and all the other evils of the world in which we live. Through our sisterhood we pledge ourselves to Thee and to the Immaculate Mother of God, whose help we implore in consoling others, understanding others, and pardoning others so that in dying we may be born again to eternal life with You and Your Immaculate Mother.”
{ colors }
Properly worn blue on top of red. The union of the two colors portrays the union of our ideals.
Blue : Our Lady’s Mantle
Red : The Sacred Heart of Jesus
{ flower }
The Rose represents the whole of Sisterly love, the ideal of true Christian Womanhood. The blossoming of the Rose from bud to flower symbolizes the growth from pledge hood to sisterhood.
{ animal }
: The Swan :
Represents changing from pledge hood into sisterhood with the growth from the “ugly duckling” into the beautiful and graceful swan.
{ jewels }
The Red Ruby and Blue Sapphire coincide with and embody our colors.
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