SIGMA KAPPA FOUNDATION

THROUGH ACTIVITIES THAT ENCOMPASS THE INDIVIDUAL CHAPTER, THE FRATERNITY/SORORITY COMMUNITY, THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY, AND SOCIETY IN GENERAL. THE SIGMA KAPPA FOUNDATION PROVIDES FUNDING FOR PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES DESIGNED TO PROMOTE PERSONAL AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TOTALING NEARLY $3 MILLION SINCE 1989. GRANTS ARE MADE PURSUANT TO APPROPRIATE GRANT DOCUMENTATION. NO GRANTS OR ALLOCATIONS ARE/OR INCLUDE FOREIGN GRANTS.SIGMA KAPPA EDUCATIONAL GRANTS:EDUCATIONAL AREA GRANTS. THE EDUCATIONAL AREA GRANT PROGRAM IS A SPECIAL INITIATIVE WHEREBY THE SIGMA KAPPA FOUNDATION MAY MAKE HOUSING GRANTS FOR PURELY EDUCATIONAL SPACES IN LOCAL CHAPTER HOUSES, AS LONG AS THE SPECIFIC REQUEST COMPLIES WITH INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE REQUIREMENTS. THE CHARITABLE PURPOSE OF THE EDUCATIONAL AREA GRANT PROGRAM IS TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES AVAILABLE AT ELIGIBLE CHAPTERS AND, AT THE SAME TIME, RELIEVE THE LOCAL COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY OF SOME OF THE BURDEN OF PROVIDING STUDY AND LIBRARY FACILITIES. EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP GRANTS. SEVERAL EDUCATIONAL AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS WERE SUPPORTED BY A FOUNDATION GRANT. NATIONAL CONVENTION. THE 91ST NATIONAL CONVENTION FOR SIGMA KAPPA SORORITY WAS HELD JULY 10-13, 2024, AT THE SHERATON BOSTON HOTEL IN BOSTON. CONVENTION IS A BLEND OF BUSINESS MEETINGS, SISTERHOOD OPPORTUNITIES AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. AT THE 2024 NATIONAL CONVENTION, EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS AND KEYNOTE SPEAKERS WERE DESIGNED TO BENEFIT COLLEGIANS, ALUMNAE AND NATIONAL OFFICERS, FOCUSING ON TOPICS RELEVANT TO ALL MEMBERS OF SIGMA KAPPA: DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND ACCESS, MENTAL HEALTH, BUILDING YOUR INDIVIDUAL CONFIDENCE, USING VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES TO FURTHER YOUR CAREER GOALS, AND NAVIGATING CHALLENGES THROUGHOUT LIFE. THIS CONVENTION ALSO INCLUDED ELEMENTS TO CELEBRATE THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF SIGMA KAPPA'S FOUNDING. THE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS FEATURED AT THE 2024 NATIONAL CONVENTION WERE CHOSEN BECAUSE EACH FOCUS ON AN AREA OF PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT IS RELEVANT AND IMPORTANT TO OUR MEMBERS. THEY SHARED THEIR EXPERIENCES AND EXPERTISE, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONVENTION ATTENDEES TO LEARN NEW SKILLS AND REFLECT ON THEIR OWN LIVES, CONSIDERING HOW TO USE NEW METHODS AND TOOLS TO IMPROVE IN AREAS THEY WANT TO. SUMMIT FOR COLLEGIATE LEADERSHIP. THE SUMMIT FOR COLLEGIATE LEADERS IS A LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR COLLEGIATE OFFICERS AND ADVISORS. THROUGH A CURRICULUM FOCUSED ON LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR ALL WOMEN, THE SUMMIT IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT OF COLLEGIATE LEADERS AND FACILITATORS IN ATTENDANCE. IN 2025, THE SUMMIT FOR COLLEGIATE LEADERSHIP CURRICULUM AND OVERALL EXPERIENCE IS WRITTEN TO FOCUS SOLELY ON LEADERSHIP AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT TOPICS SPECIFIC TO THE NEEDS OF CURRENT CHAPTER LEADERS. DESIGNED TO FILL A LEADERSHIP GAP, THE SUMMIT FOR COLLEGIATE LEADERSHIP STRIVES TO DEVELOP LEADERS, EXPAND ON LEADERSHIP SKILLS FOR OFFICERS AND LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR STRONG WORKING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN OFFICERS AND ADVISORS. VOLUNTEER TRAINING. A HALF DAY SUMMIT STYLE EVENT WAS HELD TO ENSURE SIGMA KAPPA VOLUNTEERS RECEIVE ONBOARDING AND DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION. THROUGH THE EVENT, NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVEL VOLUNTEERS WILL LEARN LESSONS PERTINENT TO BEING A SIGMA KAPPA VOLUNTEER. THE 2025 SUMMIT FOR VOLUNTEERS FOCUSED ON BUILDING STRATEGY THROUGH USING THEIR STRENGTHS.TRAVELING LEADERSHIP SPECIALIST (TLS) GRANT. THE GRANT FOR THE TLS PROGRAM IS USED TO CONDUCT THE INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP COUNSELING OF CHAPTER MEMBERS AND THE TRAINING OF INDIVIDUALS TO DO SUCH COUNSELING. GROUP DEVELOPMENT INCLUDES WORKSHOPS AND LECTURES ON LEADERSHIP AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ASSERTIVENESS TRAINING, ACHIEVEMENT OF HIGH SCHOLASTIC ATTAINMENT, CITIZENSHIP, CAREER DEVELOPMENT, ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION AND ADVANCED LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR SELECTED INDIVIDUALS. INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING INCLUDES ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS WITH SELECTED UNDERGRADUATE CHAPTER MEMBERS OF THE SORORITY REGARDING LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND SCHOLARSHIP AND STUDY TECHNIQUES, AND IN ADDITION EACH SPECIALIST SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO ADVISE ANY CHAPTER MEMBER SEEKING INDIVIDUALIZED COUNSELING REGARDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND PROBLEMS.THIS PROGRAM EMBODIES THE ORGANIZATION'S CORE VALUE OF PERSONAL GROWTH. THE PROGRAM CONSISTENTLY CHALLENGES PARTICIPANTS BY PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE TLS TO PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY GROW AS WELL AS BECOME MORE DIVERSE IN THEIR SKILLSETS ALL WHILE MOTIVATING AND INSPIRING OTHERS. TLS GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING AND SENSE OF INDEPENDENCE, PATIENCE, CONFIDENCE AND STRENGTH THROUGHOUT THIS EXPERIENCE. THE TLS PROGRAM TEACHES THE IMPORTANCE OF NETWORKING AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, ALL WHILE UTILIZING THE SKILLSETS DEVELOPED TO INSPIRE OTHERS. ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL PIECES OF THE PROGRAM IS LEARNING WHO YOU ARE AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND HAVING A STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEM ALONG THE WAY.CAREER DEVELOPMENT GRANT. IT IS ESSENTIAL NOW MORE THAN EVER FOR JOB SEEKERS TO KNOW AND ARTICULATE THEIR VALUE TO EMPLOYERS, ACCESS THEIR NETWORK, AND HAVE A RESUME THAT STANDS OUT. THE MISSION OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO SUPPORT WOMEN DURING A TURBULENT TIME TO CREATE A PLAN OF ACTION TO NAVIGATE THEIR CAREER. STUDENTS AND YOUNG ALUMNAE HAVE BEEN UNDER UNIQUE STRESS AS A RESULT OF CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES IMPACTING THE WAY THEY FINISH THE SCHOOL YEAR AND PREPARE FOR THE WORKFORCE. TOP THEMES THAT CAREERHOUSE HAS IDENTIFIED THROUGH RESEARCH CONVERSATIONS WITH CURRENT STUDENTS AND YOUNG ALUMNAE INCLUDE: NOT BEING ABLE TO COMPLETE EVERYTHING TO GRADUATE ON TIME DECLINING GRADES INTERNSHIP OR NEW POSITION OFFERS BEING RESCINDED OR CANCELLED LACK OF INTERNSHIP OR JOB OPPORTUNITIES BEING UNPREPARED FOR GRADUATION FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN AN EFFICIENT SCHEDULE AND GOOD QUALITY WORK UNDERSTANDING HOW THE JOB SEARCH PROCESS HAS CHANGEDTHIS PROGRAM PROVIDED YEAR-LONG ACCESS TO READY-TO-ACCESS CONTENT WHEN MEMBERS NEED IT MOST BASED ON WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR CAREER SEARCH PROCESS. MEMBERS ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER THROUGH PARTICIPATING IN THE CAREERHOUSE PLATFORM.NAME YOUR STORY MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES. AT LEAST ONE IN FOUR STUDENTS EXPERIENCES A MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGE. FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, OR ANOTHER MENTAL HEALTH CONCERN, CHANCES ARE THEY KNOW THOSE WHO HAVE. THE NAME YOUR STORY ONLINE EDUCATION PROGRAM GIVES STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY LEARN ABOUT THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF SOME OF THE MOST COMMON MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AFFECTING COLLEGE STUDENTS TODAY, IT ALSO PROVIDES TRAINING ON HOW TO TALK ABOUT THESE EXPERIENCES WITH EACH OTHER. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES ACCESS TO ONLINE MODULES COVERING 18 DIFFERENT TOPICS RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH, WITH MULTIPLE MODULES INCLUDED FOR EACH TOPIC. ADDITIONALLY, FACILITATION GUIDES FOR STUDENT LEADERS, ADVISORS AND OTHER VOLUNTEER FACILITATORS ARE ABLE TO BE CUSTOMIZED BASED ON OUR SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS. A RESOURCE GUIDE IS ALSO PROVIDED AS A QUICK REFERENCE TOOL FOR MEMBERS. GUIDANCE ON PRE- AND POST-ASSESSMENTS IS ALSO PROVIDED TO EVALUATE STUDENT UNDERSTANDING, THEIR OPINIONS AND ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. SERVICE IMMERSION EXPERIENCE. COLLEGIATE AND ALUMNAE MEMBERS PAIRED UP TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MISSION'S HOME REPAIR, COMMUNITY CLEANUP, FOOD SECURITY, AND CHRISTMAS PROGRAMS. WORKING SIDE-BY-SIDE TO AID THE CHERRYFIELD COMMUNITY IN DOWNEAST MAINE, THEY PROVIDED DIRECT SERVICE, DEVELOP CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER SIGMA KAPPA'S AND CREATED MEMORIES THEY WILL CARRY WITH THEM FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.

109 SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE TO OUTSTANDING MEMBERS WHO EXEMPLIFY SIGMA KAPPA'S VALUES OF INTEGRITY, LEADERSHIP, ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, AND OUR COMMITMENT TO SERVICE AND SISTERHOOD.SCHOLARSHIPS ARE PROVIDED BY THE FOUNDATION TO ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT THE SCHOLASTIC DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COLLEGIATE AND ALUMNAE SISTERS. THESE WORTHY OPPORTUNITIES COULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT SUPPORT FROM SIGMA KAPPA SISTERS, THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS, AND OTHER DONORS.