Kappa Delta Chi

Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc. (ΚΔΧ), also known as K-D Chi (pronounced Kay-Dee-Kie), is a Greek letter, intercollegiate Latina sorority founded at Texas Tech University in 1987. It is a member of the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations.

Purpose
''The Purpose of Kappa Delta Chi is to promote the traditional values of Unity, Honesty, Integrity, and Leadership among women at colleges and universities. Through numerous service events, sisterhood retreats, and academic and cultural workshops, KDChi's learn more about themselves and each other. They sprout into impacting leaders and help guide the next generation to success. KDChi is a Latina-founded, community-service-driven sorority full of sisters of all backgrounds and professions.''

Mission statement
Kappa Delta Chi Sorority is a Latina founded, 501(c)7, national sorority that aims to achieve professional development, academic excellence, and graduation of all its members; an organization dedicated to community service to their local university communities with an emphasis on the Hispanic/Latino population.

Founding
Kappa Delta Chi Sorority was established at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas in 1987 by four friends, Cynthia Garza Fleitman, Irene Montoya Robinson, Melissa Montoya Cannon, and Nellie Flores Ledesma, who recognized the need to unify and promote leadership amongst Hispanic women at the university. The founders are, however, no longer active within the organization. Their dream was to create something more lasting than a club that would extend beyond their college days. They sought to incorporate the principles of unity, honesty, integrity, and leadership into this organization.

The four founders began the steps to become recognized as an organization at the university and asked Marlene Hernandez, Associate Director of New Student Relations to be their adviser. The founders enlisted the aid of ten women to help promote the ideals and philosophy of the sorority to other Hispanic women at Texas Tech. These ten women are known as the Charter members of Kappa Delta Chi. They are as follows:


 * Rocio Briseno
 * Melissa Chavez
 * Mary Garza
 * Maria Pando
 * Christella Rivera
 * Carline Soto
 * Theresa Reyes
 * Doris Mendiola
 * Suzanna Cisneros
 * Dahlia Cavazos

Kappa Delta Chi was recognized as an official organization at Texas Tech University on April 6, 1987, now considered the sorority's founding date. It became a national sorority with the induction of the first chapter outside of Texas in 1991, Delta chapter at the University of Arizona. Over the years, Kappa Delta Chi has grown to include women of various ethnicities and cultures and has inducted other chapters in eight states.

Kappa Delta Chi was recognized as a community service-based, nonprofit corporation by the State of Texas on September 25, 1997. Subsequently, the organization became known as Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc.

NALFO
KDChi is a member of the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO). In 2010, Kappa Delta Chi won the awards from NALFO:


 * National Philanthropic Organization of the Year – Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc.
 * National Undergraduate Chapter of the Year – Alpha Sigma chapter at Florida State University
 * Professional of the Year – Delia Garcia, Kansas State Representative and Alpha Alpha chapter alumnus
 * Rising Professional – Mary Gonzalez, Pi chapter alumnus

In 2011, Kappa Delta Chi won the following awards from NALFO:


 * Organization of the Year – Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc.
 * Campus Leadership Excellence – Diana Pena, Pi chapter at the University of Texas at Austin
 * Undergraduate Chapter of the Year – Alpha Sigma chapter of Florida State University.
 * Organizational Leadership - Mary Gonzalez, KDChi Vice President of Collegiate Affairs and Pi Chapter alumnae
 * Professional of the Year - Gina Garcia, KDChi Vice President of Public Affairs and Pi Chapter alumnae

Symbols
KDChi's colors are pink and maroon. Its mascot is the penguin and its flower is the pink rose. The official KDChi motto was chosen in 2008 and it is "Leading with Integrity, United through Service."

Philanthropy
KDChi supports two National Philanthropy endeavors, the Kappa Delta Chi Foundation and the American Cancer Society. Undergraduate chapters hold an annual Bowl-A-Thon or KD Kickball event that funds the majority of the projects that the National Foundation sponsors. The Foundation receives, manages, and distributes scholarship funds, annual gifts, and other donations.

The money raised by the Kappa Delta Chi Foundation is used for educational and leadership development programs for the sorority's local communities as well as for scholarships. The Kappa Delta Chi Foundation High School Scholarship was established in 1999 to help graduating high school women enter their first year of college. The scholarship is available on a competitive basis and is a one-time award. The Foundation has also added the Irene Montoya Scholarships to include members pursuing their undergraduate and graduate careers. Since its beginning in 1999, the Kappa Delta Chi Scholarship Fund has awarded over $25,000 in educational awards. The Foundation has also integrated grants that undergraduate and alumnae chapters can apply for so that they can implement service learning projects such as educational and leadership programming.

Governance
Annually, KDChi holds a National Conference where leadership, training, and special events take place. KDChi's National Headquarters is in Lubbock, Texas.

Chapters
KDChi has collegiate, graduate, and alumnae chapters across the United States.

Notable members

 * Natalia Anciso – Artist and educator
 * Delia Garcia – Kansas Secretary of Labor
 * Mary E. González – Texas State Representative
 * Dolores Huerta (Honorary, Alpha Alpha chapter) – Civil and human rights activist
 * Angela Salinas – Retired United States Marine Major General