On Oct. 23, Kappa Delta sisters and friends came together to celebrate 129 years of sisterhood and the third annual Founders Day of Giving! Inspired by our four founders — Julia, Lenora, Sara and Mary — Kappa Deltas across the country united to honor our shared legacy and invest in the experiences, opportunities and connections that help women grow in confidence. 

It was a day filled with sisterhood, generosity and friendly competition. If you missed the celebration, here are some highlights! 

YOUR IMPACT 

This year, we set out to make a difference for Kappa Delta women today and for generations to come, and our goal was even bolder than ever: we aimed to raise $500,000! Thanks to the generosity of 2,357 Kappa Deltas and friends, we raised $611,387.65! That’s $116,079 more than we raised together last year on Founders Day – because of you! 

Those achievements represent sisters choosing to show up for one another. They represent encouragement, support and the belief that every Kappa Delta has the opportunity to grow in confidence and discover what she’s capable of achieving.

Because of the gifts given on Founders Day of Giving, the Kappa Delta Foundation can:   

• Award more scholarships to sisters pursuing their educational goals.  

• Support leadership opportunities that help women grow in confidence and lead authentically.  

• Fund wellness initiatives that help sisters feel supported, valued and empowered.  

• Provide emergency assistance to sisters facing unexpected hardship.
  … and so much more! 

Missed the opportunity to give on Oct. 23? You can support Kappa Delta women and the programs that empower them year-round by making a gift to the Kappa Delta Foundation at donate.kappadelta.org. 

LEADING SUPPORTERS

Founders Day of Giving began with generous KD sisters who led the way, ensuring Kappa Deltas have opportunities to learn, lead, connect and grow in confidence. Many thanks to the following leading supporters:

Confidence-level donors (gifts of at least $10,000)

• Kimberly Greitzer, Beta Rho-San Diego State
• Brandi Cappaert Harper, Mu-Millsaps
• Kirsten Jakmas Kuykendoll, Gamma Nu-Miami
• Beth Martin Langford, Kappa Alpha-Florida State
• Michelle Parmley Rabideau, Sigma Omicron-Illinois
• Terry Schroeder Scherling, Sigma Psi-North Dakota State
• Jodi L. Scheurenbrand, Kappa Alpha-Florida State
• Avery Rhodes Schwartz, Zeta Alpha-Texas Tech
• Susan Stockton, Delta Gamma-Western Kentucky

Inspiration-level donors (gifts of at least $7,500)

• Dot Mears, Gamma Mu-Valdosta State
• Peri Andrus Sexton, Epsilon Phi-California/Santa Barbara
• Mary Stimpson Turner, Zeta-Alabama/Tuscaloosa

Empowerment-level donors (gifts of at least $5,000)

• Becky Mullin Armour, Epsilon-Louisiana State
• Dolly Bechtell, Beta Theta-Pennsylvania State
• Jennifer Weatherholt Hortz, Gamma Nu-Miami
• Bridgid Smith Kinney, Epsilon Iota-Missouri
• Shireen Lee, Friend of Kappa Delta
• Winsome Dunn McIntosh, Beta Pi-Florida
• Nicole Rutledge Regilio, Gamma Epsilon-Florida Southern
• Julie Capps Simmons, Delta Gamma-Western Kentucky
• Tricia Ruma Spence, Epsilon Alpha-Missouri S&T

Connection-level donors (gifts of at least $2,500)

• Corie Reeves Glenn, Epsilon Alpha-Missouri S&T
• Eric Hendrick, Friend of Kappa Delta
• Shae Keefe Jacobs, Delta Eta-South Florida
• Debra Lynn Koltveit, Alpha Xi-Louisville
• Rhonda LeGrand, Nu-Oklahoma State
• Susan Robinson O’Hare, Delta Upsilon-Tennessee Tech
• Jill Bellavia Smart, Sigma Omicron-Illinois
• Jodi Behrends Wallace, Epsilon Eta-Illinois State
• Drushelle Brennan Warnick, Sigma Tau-Washington State

Thank you to each of these generous supporters for inspiring others to make a gift in honor of our founders and the sisterhood they created.

CELEBRATING OUR FOUNDERS

This year 32 donors made gifts of $1,897 to honor Julia, Lenora, Sara and Mary — four women who created a sisterhood rooted in friendship, encouragement and the belief that women are strongest when they lift one another up. Thank you:

• Helen Watt Alston, Beta Pi-Florida
• Cindy Gereau Bailey, Epsilon Alpha-Missouri S&T
• Kalli Jo Artz Black, Sigma Psi-North Dakota State
• Amanda Binns Chagnon, Zeta Gamma-Arkansas/Fayetteville
• Cheryl Smart Erman, Beta Epsilon-Tulsa
• Ellise Estes, Lambda-Northwestern
• Joy Farmer Dunlap, Delta Delta-Troy
• Elizabeth Metz Fuchs, Zeta Omicron-Wake Forest
• Jaynee Drange Groseth, Sigma Omega-Montana State
• Melissa Wahl Hammer, Eta Beta-Bradley
• Karen Keaton, Delta Theta-Samford
• Tiffany Gulledge Koza, Zeta Alpha-Texas Tech
• Heather Matthews, Friend of Kappa Delta
• Cynthia Blewitt Mayes, Beta Epsilon-Tulsa
• Joy McVey, Delta Eta-South Florida
• Katharine Canady Owen, Alpha Pi-William & Mary
• Julianne Johnson Paunescu, Alpha Delta-Rhodes
• Linda Norris Petersen, Gamma Nu-Miami
• Anna Green Rich, Kappa Alpha-Florida State
• Loretta Wilhelm Rieth, Alpha Iota-California/Los Angeles
• Krissy Tolle Taylor, Delta Gamma-Western Kentucky
• Wendy Folk Vizek, Beta Pi-Florida
• Marian Walla Wenker, Sigma Psi-North Dakota State
• Robin Wells-Kassman, Alpha Kappa-Oregon State
• Linda Abdi Wilson, Alpha Rho-Maryland
• Jennifer Kurtz Wolf, Zeta Gamma-Arkansas/Fayetteville
• Jennifer Priebe Wood, Zeta Gamma-Arkansas/Fayetteville
• Sandy Etz Wysocki, Epsilon Iota-Missouri
• Michelle Calkins Zimmermann, Gamma Nu-Miami
• Anonymous, Sigma Lambda-Auburn

CHAPTER CHALLENGE

Across the country, Kappa Delta sisters rallied their chapters for the Founders Day of Giving Chapter Challenge! 156 Chapter Champions encouraged members and friends to participate, shared the excitement on social media and reminded their sisters that every gift is an opportunity to invest in the future of Kappa Delta.

The competition brought chapters together around two goals: securing the most donors and raising the most dollars. More than a friendly competition, the Chapter Challenge showed what is possible when sisters unite around a shared purpose. We are so thankful for each Chapter Champion for her hard work!

So, who came out on top??

Congratulations to the 2026 Founders Day of Giving Chapter Challenge winners!

Nu-Oklahoma State (championed by Nicky Harman Howell) raised $72,842 – the most funds of any of the 187 chapters participating this year.

Zeta Gamma-Arkansas/Fayetteville (championed by Amanda Binns Chagnon and Jennifer Priebe Wood) had 178 donors, topping that leaderboard!

Huge congratulations to ALL chapters who made it into the top ten for dollars raised and/or number of donors, too!

You can check out the full leaderboard here to see how your chapter stacked up against the competition!

LOOKING AHEAD TO 130 YEARS

Mark your calendars to celebrate 130 years of Kappa Delta and the fourth Founders Day of Giving on Oct. 23, 2027! Together, we’ll build confidence, inspire action and strengthen the sisterhood we share. Here’s to our founders, our sisterhood and all that we’ll accomplish together next!