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A publication of the Omicron Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity
at the University of Southern California
SPRING 2015
IN THIS ISSUE
THETAS
ABROAD
2
LEADING WOMEN
SPOTLIGHT
3
THETA
SENIORS
4-5
THETA
NEWS
6-7
THETA
ACHIEVEMENTS
8-9
UPCOMING
EVENTS AND
CONTACT INFO
10
Download the
current newsletter
online at:
www.usctheta.org
Omicron Theta Astounds at USC’s Greek Awards
Chapter Receives President’s Award for Overall Excellence
T
he Greek Awards, held on April
28th at the Caruso Catholic Center,
recognized members of
the Greek community for
their contribution to the
university. Greek chapters
from the Panhellenic
Council, Interfraternity
Council, and Multicultural
G re e k Co u n ci l we re
acknowledged for their
efforts in philanthropy,
s ch o l a r s h i p, m e m b e r
development, diversity
e n co u r a g e m e n t , a n d
campus involvement.
Beth Saul and Ray Carlos,
Directors of USC’s Office
of Fraternity and Sorority
Leadership Development,
presented awards to
many chapters from the
Panhellenic community.
These awards recognized
leading young collegians
of the Greek community,
as well as chapter advisors.
We were thrilled that
Omicron’s advisor Vicki
McCluggage won the
esteemed John Hubbard
Award for Exemplar y
Service to the Greek Community. Vicki, an
Omicron Theta herself, has served Omicron,
the broader USC Greek community, and the
national Kappa Alpha Theta organization in
countless ways. She currently serves on
the Board of Trustees for the Kappa Alpha
Theta Foundation. We were honored to
accept the award on her behalf and are
so grateful for her continuous service to
Omicron Theta.
We were also honored to
accept the Outstanding
Sorority President Award on
behalf of Kimberly Ostiller,
who led Omicron as Chief
Executive Officer in 2014.
Kimberly led our chapter
with poise, confidence,
and dedication. A double
major in Public Relations
and Spanish, Kimberly
spent the spring semester
studying abroad in Madrid,
and she has also served as
a USC Tour Guide for three
years. We cannot think of
anyone more deserving
of this award than Kim!
At the end of the evening,
our chapter was ecstatic
to receive the 201 5
President’s Award for
Overall Excellence. This
award is the most highly
esteemed award given
to a sorority or fraternity
chapter at the Greek
Awards, recognizing one
chapter for its overall
contribution and success.
Omicron last received this award in 2010,
so we were very excited to receive it again
for our achievement in 2014. Additionally,
Omicron was awarded Certificates of
Excellence for outstanding scholarship
programming, alumnae programming, and
risk management programming. Congrats,
Omicron Thetas!
by Fanny Anderson
Thetas Abroad
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Spring 2015
Adventures Around the World
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Alana Victor
Alyssa Wall Describes Her Experience in Europe
Melbourne, Australia
Chelsea Khakshouri, Makenna
Neal, Kate Lyon
Sydney, Australia
Caroline Dahl, Erica Demitroff,
Jessie Leventhal, Courtney
Rosselli, Charlotte Sewell
Vienna, Austria
Lexi Herzlich
London, England
Fiona Alfait, Alyse Binder, Nikki
Borchard, Camille Bradshaw,
Rachel Hall, Margaret Lenker,
Ellie Lewis, Michelle Martina,
Olivia Neagle, Sonum Singh,
Lauren Trainer, Alyssa Wall
Manchester, England
Alex Lin
Helsinki, Finland
Danielle Norton
Athens, Greece
Kate Kulaga
Galway, Ireland
Allison Jervis
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Tenaya Ende, Nikki Goldfarb,
Elena Kuhn
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Reni Carlson
Dunedin, New Zealand
Mady Renn
Edinburgh, Scotland
Whitney Evans, Gabi Horowitz
Capetown, South Africa
Katie Gregg, Anika Suddath
Madrid, Spain
Nicole Baqai, Alexa Brown,
Kimberly Ostiller, Emily Williams
T
his spring, many of my Theta
sisters and I packed our bags
and moved across the globe to
study abroad. While many Thetas
studied in Australia, Spain, and
even South Africa, my destination
was London. As a Public Relations
student at USC’s Annenberg School
of Communications, I enrolled at
London’s University of Westminster
where I could study alongside
students from across the world.
When I finally moved my bags and
boxes into my new flat, I realized I
was leaving the comforts associated
with living under the same roof as
sixty Theta sisters. But this was an
entirely new adventure, and like the
rest of my friends studying in every
corner of the world this semester, it
was time to break out of my comfort
zone.
My first months in England were
filled with runs through Regent’s
Park, strolls along the Thames River,
and more than a few museum visits
(a dozen in just the first month). I
took up a great interest in European
art, and decided to enroll in a
class called Art and Society, which
encouraged students to consider
the relationship between art and
broader culture of the time. My
museum visits became more and
more frequent, and soon it was a
weekly field trip for my roommates
and me. When I was not admiring
Van Gogh at the National Gallery,
I made time to attend plays in the
West End, visit every food market
possible, and (of course) try fish and
chips at the infamous local pubs.
London was familiar enough that
I could adopt a daily routine and
communicate (thankfully) in English,
but it was also a constant adventure.
Every neighborhood brought a new
surprise, from remnants of the 70s
punk scene in Camden to traces of
age-old royalty and regal tradition
in Kensington.
As the semester carried on, the
adventures began to cross borders.
I visited fellow Thetas in Madrid,
celebrated my heritage in Dublin,
picnicked at the Eiffel Tower, and
made it to the blue waters and
ancient ruins of Greece by May.
Each trip brought me into an entirely
new world, where I learned bits and
pieces of a new language, observed
the uniqueness of the culture, and
tried to live my days like a local.
By the end, my journal was
overflowing with entries and my
camera had six full memory cards.
It was time to pack my bags and
cross the pond, homeward bound
with many stories to tell. Living
abroad gave me a newfound
desire to explore and learn from
the unfamiliar. As I return to USC,
I hope to share this—and my 6,246
photos—with friends and fellow
Thetas thinking of taking the same
leap.
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Leading Women Spotlight
Freshman
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
Sarah
Allen
Nicole
Farage
Danielle
Norton
Nikki
Segal
Hometown: Overland
Park, Kansas
Hometown: New York
City, New York
Hometown: Kansas
City, Kansas
Hometown: La Cañada
Flintridge, California
Major: Arts,
Technology and the
Business of Innovation
Major: Communication
(Entrepreneurship
and Public Relations
Minors)
Major: Business
Cinematic Arts (BCA)
Major: Cinematic Arts
Involvement: Design
Chair of Theta, Creative
Department Intern
in USC University
Communications
Future goals: “I’m
very interested in the
intersection of design
and technology. I am
exploring web design
and how coding
can visually impact
viewers.”
Best part of Theta:
“The variety of talents
these women have is
unprecedented and
allows me to learn
something from one of
my sisters everyday.”
Involvement: Founder
of Victorywear Apparel,
Tamid Investment
Group, Trojan CEO
Network
Future goals:
“To continue my
entrepreneurial
adventure when I
graduate and have
successful ventures
throughout my career.”
Best part of Theta:
“Sitting downstairs
in the Theta house
surrounded by friends
telling stories and
laughing for hours.”
Involvement: Chief
Education Officer of
Theta, Society 53
Future goals: “I would
love to work in the
production department
of a media company.
Ideally, I would head
to San Francisco after
graduation!”
Best part of Theta: “I
have sisters in places
all over the world that
are willing and able
to give advice and
help me, whether it
be with professional
development or a
social adventure!”
Involvement:
SoCal VoCals, USC
Environmental Affairs,
miscellaneous student
film projects
Future goals: “To wake
up in every continent of
the world.”
Best part of Theta:
“Always having a place
to call home (even if it’s
at 2am) and discovering
how big the Theta
family really is.”
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THE THETA
Congratulations
to...
What will you miss
most about Theta?
Claire Adams
Hania Adib
“
I will miss laughing with all my sisters
during meals at the house, and Monday
night bonding with the Bachelor, popcorn,
and peanut M&Ms.” –Kaitlin Mogentale
Alissa Arnold
Kate Arnold
Lainy Barkley
Claire Becker
Amanda Bennett
Sarah Bergstrom
Caroline Brain
Savvy Brar
Alex Buckingham
Lexi Byron
Kate Cardone
Olivia Carroll
Shea Carter
Rayne Chapman
Gillian Cooper
Alex Daugherty
Holly Dickinson
Julia DiMartinis
Emily Dods
Kristin Frierichs
Evanne Friedmann
Ali Grenier
Jackie Hamilton
Sawyer Harris
Nina Harstad
Why are you proud
to be a Theta?
Aron Hendin
Linda Hsu
Mackenzie Hummel
Lilly Ibarra
Brittany Impellitteri
“
I’m so proud to be a theta because
of the diversity and passion that
exist within our house. We have
actresses, scientists, and future
CEO’s that are best friends because
of their open hearts and minds. I’ve
never felt more comfortable or more
cared about.” –Jackie Hamilton
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CLASS OF 2015
Why do you
love Theta?
Congratulations
to...
Tayler James
Nicole Jamgotchian
“
Having the best friends in
the world and being able
to travel around the state,
country, and world with them”
-Maggie Ridenhour
Sarin Khachatourians
Kylee Lessard
Julianne Levinson
Niki MacWhirter
Kate Magee
Nicole Matthews
Casey McCloskey
Jenny Michelman
Kaitlin Mogentale
Morgan Muhonen
Michelle Nabati
Melissa Norton
Chiara Nosse
Allie Obremskey
Maddy Peterson
Lindsey Pizula
Carlye Porrazzo
Kristen Randol
Emily Reinstein
Maggie Ridenhour
Katherine Samms
Cheyenne Samsel
Katie Scott
Nikki Segal
Zoe Siegel
What advice do you have for
the 2015 New Member Class?
“
If you have the chance, live in the house!
There is no better way to truly make Theta
your home. One of my most bittersweet
memories from college was waking up the
morning after graduation, seeing three of
my best friends in the bunk beds next to me,
and realizing I would never wake up to that
again.” –Kate Arnold
Corinne Spears
Lauren Steinberg
Brooke Turpin
Katie Yaru
Jerry (Ceren) Yuksek
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Spreading the Theta Family Love
Thetas Reunite with Parents for Special Events
Theta hosted two events during
Spring semester that allowed chapter
members to take a break from school
and friends and bond with their
parents. An annual tradition, FatherDaughter and Mother-Daughter
events offered parents from all over
the opportunity to travel to USC to
spend time with their daughters in the
L.A. area.
As fathers and daughters arrived
at Santa Anita Park, they were
welcomed with a three-course lunch
and a stunning view of the racetrack
with mountains behind it. A Santa
Anita Park employee explained to our
group how to interpret information
in the race program and use it to
choose horses to bet on. Some
father-daughter pairs placed several
bets, while others did not bet at all.
Mackenzie Hummel’s father won an
exacto box bet (correctly choosing
first, second, and third place) and
won $700! One race was dedicated
to Theta, and Sydney Klein and Hanna
Turley had the unique opportunity to
go into the winners’ circle with their
fathers after the race.
For the Mother-Daughter event,
Thetas and their mothers attended
a beautiful luncheon at the Biltmore
Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
Everyone watched a slideshow
filled with Theta memories from
throughout the year, which was
especially moving for this year’s
seniors and their mothers. There was
also a photo booth with tons of props
which which mothers and daughters
took tons of fun photos.
Theta Parents’ Club, we thank you for
these wonderful events!
by Emma Hyams
Theta Hits the Runway
A Sisterhood Trip to the Louis Vuitton Exhibit
I
n February, Thetas of USC visited
the temporary Louis Vuitton
exhibition in L.A. to check out some
timeless fashion and bond while
hanging out away from campus.
When they entered the exhibit,
they were immediately transported
into a world with black walls, red
carpets, and fashion everywhere.
Thetas had the opportunity to see
not only high-end, runway-ready
clothes, but also how the clothes
are made. With tons of perfect
places to take photos, no Theta
left without a picture for Instagram.
Before leaving the exhibit, each
young woman was given a Louis
Vuitton poster and Louis Vuitton
stickers. There is no better way
to spend a Saturday than learning
about Louis Vuitton and the
fashion industry while surrounded
by Theta sisters.
by Katie Gillette
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Founders’ Day
Women Celebrate Theta’s Beginning with Alumnae and Other Chapters
U
SC Kappa Alpha Theta alumnae
and current collegians were joined
by Thetas from UCLA and Occidental
College for this year’s Founders’ Day,
on which we celebrated the founding
of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority 145
years ago. While eating a beautiful
lunch at the Altadena Town & Country
Club, Thetas in attendance honored
members who joined the sorority 25
to 75 years ago. A volunteer from Court
Appointed Special Advocates (CASA),
Theta’s national philanthropy, spoke
during the luncheon about the positive
impact Kappa Alpha Theta has on the
lives of foster children by supporting
CASA. The luncheon concluded with
Omicron CEO Katherine Flynn and
her mother, Peggy Flynn (UCLA ’81),
leading the women in singing the
“Remember Song.”
by Lauren Brackmann
Letter From the President
A Message from Katherine Flynn
Dear Theta family,
I can’t believe another
semester is complete! It
has been an honor to lead
a chapter that thrives on
academics, community
service, sisterhood, and
campus involvement.
Spring kept us busy—from themed invite parties to
volunteering off campus. For many, the highlight of
the semester was our signature philanthropy event,
KAT at Bat. The tournament was a tremendous
success, and we raised double the amount from past
years! Other simple sisterhood events, like watching
the Oscars together on the couch or having other
sororities over for ice cream during finals week, were
some of my favorite nights. Still, at the end of the day,
there is nothing I enjoy more than eating dinner on
the roof of the house, complete with twinkling lights,
bite-sized treats, and sharing stories.
We love hosting alumni, faculty members, and our
families at the Theta house. We hosted USC Theta
alumna, Ceylan Yukler, as our honorary guest speaker
at our annual Scholarship dinner. Her stories of travel,
success, and determination were so inspiring and
we treasure her valuable advice. With over a dozen
faculty and staff in attendance at Scholarship Dinner,
we were so proud to recognize Theta’s commitment
to academics, service, and the university.
Prior to graduation in May, many of our seniors were
inducted into various honor societies. Some of our
women are headed to law and medical school after
graduation. Among Omicrons that will be returning to
campus this fall, there are five new USC Tour Guides
who were hired after an intensive application and
interview process. In addition, many Omicrons will
be active in the school’s theatrical productions. At
the annual Greek awards, we were also honored to
win many prestigious awards within the Panhellenic
community. This truly is a moment when I have to
pinch myself--I am so lucky to be a Theta, and also
so humbled and grateful to serve as Omicron’s CEO.
Although we have all been awaiting summer,
I can’t wait to be back in the fall. Here, I can wear
the goofiest costume, spend the night laughing for
hours with young women whose passion for life and
compassion for each other never cease to impress
me. I’m so thankful to have such dedicated officers
and members working with me. I am proud of what
we have accomplished, and know Fall will bring even
more amazing Theta memories. Hurry up August!
Theta Love and Mine,
Katherine Flynn
flynnk@usc.edu
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THETA ACHIEVEMENTS
Senior Recognitions and Awards
Claire Adams...
Hania Adib...
Kate Arnold...
Claire Becker...
Caroline Brain...
Olivia Carroll...
Gillian Cooper...
Student Recognition Award
Renaissance Scholar, Phi Beta Kappa Honor
Society, Dean’s List, Interdisciplinary Award for
Social Sciences Research, Student Opportunities
for Academic Research Grant, Provost Undergraduate Research Fellowship
Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Renaissance
Scholar, Student Recognition Award
Renaissance Scholar, Global Scholar, Cum Laude
Magna Cum Laude
Summa Cum Laude
Renaissance Scholar, University Honors
Mackenzie Hummel..
Nicole Jamgotchian...
Kaitlin Mogentale...
Morgan Muhonen...
Carlye Porazzo...
Maggie Ridenhour...
Corinne Spears...
Lauren Steinberg...
Emily Reinstein...
Departmental Honors from Annenberg, Phi Beta
Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi
Student Recognition Award
Mork Family Scholar, Student Recognition Award,
Academic Achievement Award, Dean’s List
Student Recognition Award
Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude
ISE Student of the Year, 1st in ISE Class of 2015,
Magna Cum Laude, Student Recognition Award
Lambda Pi Eta, Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa, Renaissance Scholar, Brittingham
Social Enterprise Lab Scholar
KAT at Bat 2015
Omicron Raises $43,000 with This Year’s Philanthropy
O
n Friday, February 27th, the
Omicron chapter of Kappa
Alpha Theta held their annual
philanthropy event, Kat at Bat. The
event was a huge success due to
planning done by Zoe Sunshine
(Kat at Bat chair), Kate Chulay
(Philanthropy chair), and Hannah
Roberts (Chief Marketing Officer).
Dubbed “Christmas in March” (or
February in this case) for being
one of Omicron’s most exciting
events, Kat at Bat this year met and
exceeded expectations. The event
consisted of five fun-filled days.
Members of Theta covered Greek
Row in chalk, invited fraternities
over to the Theta house for snacks
and to watch the classic baseball
film Sandlot, and held a dance
competition. Finally, the best and
last day of the philanthropy event
included the annual whiffle ball
tournament. Nineteen fraternities
came out to USC’s McAllister Field
to participate in the tournament.
After a long day filled with hot dogs
and whiffle ball, Sigma Nu went
home as the champions of the
event. Their prize was an exclusive
brunch with Theta members on
the Theta house’s rooftop.
This year, Theta aimed to raise
$25,000 to support Court Appointed
Special Advocated (CASA) and the
Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation.
Funds were raised through recordbreaking t-shirts sales, raffle tickets,
participation fees, partnerships
with local businesses (Amazebowls
and Smiles Café), and generous
donations from alumni, friends,
and family members. This year,
the Omicron chapter exceeded
its goal, raising an unprecedented
$43,000.
CASA is an organization that
supports children who are victims
of abuse or neglect by pairing
each child with a trained citizenvolunteer. This volunteer acts as
the child’s support system, mentor,
and advocate in courtrooms and
the community. The volunteer
gives the child a voice and ensures
that he/she is treated well.
“We were thrilled to be able to
donate the money to CASA and
to raise awareness about such a
worthwhile cause,” said Roberts.
“Thanks to all the support from
donors, KAT at Bat 2015 was a
huge success.”
by Macaul Hodge
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Sisterhood and Social
Invites, Exchanges, and Nights Out Together
T
his Spring, Caroline Brooks
(External Event Director) and
Maddie Carnow (Internal Event
Director) worked tirelessly to foster
relationships with fraternities up
and down The Row for Omicron,
scheduling fun events for every
pledge class. The events team
organized a diverse group of
activities that chapter members
could look for ward to. For
example, members showed their
patriotism at the AEPi “AmErican Pi”
exchange, pretended to fight crime
(but mostly danced and mingled)
at the Sigma Chi “Superheroes vs.
Villains” exchange.
Theta also hosted two invites.
The first was a Holiday-themed
event that took place at Red O’s in
Beverly Hills. Thetas and their dates
showed up in all kinds of festive
holiday costumes. The second
invite was Theta’s formal. Girls and
their dates dressed to the nines, and
took buses from USC to Whiskey
Red’s in beautiful Marina del Rey,
which overlooks the ocean.
by Alex Burns
Scholarship Dinner 2015
Omicron Celebrates Highest Panhellenic GPA
O
n April 8th, Omicron held its bi-annual Scholarship
Dinner for members and their favorite USC
faculty to attend. For this particular
event, the guest speaker was USC
Omicron Alumna Ceylan Yukler.
In 2003, Yukler graduated magna
cum laude with a B.S. in Business
Development with a concentration
in Marketing Communications. She
went on to travel the world, working
in advertising in Los Angeles,
Istanbul, Paris, and Amsterdam.
Currently, Yukler serves as an
Account Director at Media Arts Lab,
Apple’s external advertising agency.
In addition to having the privilege of hearing Yukler
share her experiences, the night was a celebration of
the Kappa Alpha Theta Omicron Chapter’s academic
accomplishments during the fall semester. Twenty girls
received a 4.0 in the fall semester, and
over 68 girls received a 3.75 or above.
Theta was proud to announce that the
“all house” fall GPA was a 3.52, which
was above the women’s average
at USC, Greek average at USC, and
overall USC student average. Once
again, Omicron received the award
for highest Panhellenic GPA. We are
so proud of our house full of scholars!
by Alex Burns
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PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
c/o Kappa Alpha Theta
653 W. 28th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90007
Pasadena, CA
PERMIT #740
Address Service Requested
RECRUITMENT 2015
Calendar
Recruitment References and Volunteering
Convo Days House Tour Days
Slideshow Day Preference Bid Night August 23-24
August 25-26
August 27
August 28
August 29
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Please send reference letter to the chapter house by
August 20th (address above).
If you have any questions regarding Recruitment or
reference letters, or you would like to volunteer during
Recruitment, please contact 2015thetareference@gmail.
com.
THE CHAIN THAT BINDS US
LINKS US HEART TO HEART...
Please join the
Kappa Alpha Theta Omicron
Linked In and Facebook pages!
Contact Alumnae and Foundation Liaison
Lauren Brackman with questions lbrackma@usc.edu
MADE WITH THETA LOVE
This edition of Thetas of Troy was created by:
Natalie Mogentale, Editor
nmogenta@usc.edu
Special thanks to:
Ari Uhalde