VOLUME 26 * ISSUE 2* APR 2021
Passing the Baton Leadership Webinar Series News & Announcements Virtual Initiations New Life for URJHS Chapter Adviser Mentor Program Chapter Highlight: Kappa Alpha Member Highlight: Kitty Coffey
Passing the Baton By Ginger Phillips-Schiller Kappa Omicron Nu has seen a lot of change in the past decade. The leadership changes have moved us from much loved Executive Director Dorothy Mitstifer, who served for 50 years, to her protégé Lisa Wootton Booth, to me – as someone with a background in FCS and a doctorate in adult education. Having served two years, I now find myself in the position to pass the baton again to my very capable colleague Holly Roseski.
Looking back on my time as Executive Director of KON I could not be prouder. The past two years for KON have been some of the most interesting in the past decade. When I stepped into the role, some of the regular operational programs had stagnated. Processes, templates, and operational details were lost. I cannot underscore enough the value of standard operating procedures, knowledge transfer, and templates to an organization’s daily functioning. Being able to call a board meeting, decide on project priorities, update processes, or put out a simple newsletter moved from work that is operational to a project as we researched history, found tools to build, manage, or host, and recreated processes.
Working together with the Board of Directors we have done so much work and come so far. We have recruited new board members, reestablished healthy board term cycles, and added a Treasurer. Corporate operations have been updated, from the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws to updating our bookkeeping system. We have reestablished communications in social media, email outreach, and producing our Dialogue newsletter – not just annually, but quarterly. We are now getting quarterly detailed reports on our website’s performance. We have gone from badly wanting to update the website but not knowing where or how to Dr. Ginger Phillips tackle such a large job, to be able to back it up, quantify the size of the job, and begin to tackle the project by taking down duplicate links, reorganizing content logically, and beginning to archive old content. We created a series of educational content for the year in the form of five leadership webinars. We have held two annual meetings: Conclave in 2019 and Assembly of Delegates in 2020. KON has given out scholarships and grouped them into a singular timeframe to eliminate tracking down each one. Last but certainly not least, we helped guide chapter leaders through the pandemic with virtual initiations. These changes were critical steps in helping KON move forward. I was delighted to help in my role. Perhaps my best accomplishment was to recruit Holly Roseski to the team as it is her talent and dedication that has strongly contributed to many of these important changes and revivals of things dear to Kappa Omicron Nu members.
Though I will be stepping down as Executive Director, I will still be staying on in the role of Academic Director to help finish the project of establishing the new process for producing URJHS. This journal is so important to KON and the human sciences. Journal articles by our undergraduate members over time are outstanding, and it is imperative this content is secured to remain available and become indexed for others to view over the years. Though my role has
KAPPA OMICRON NU’S DIALOGUE 1 changed, I am looking forward to this new chapter in Kappa Omicron Nu’s book, as I work with Holly and we move forward into KON’s future. Leadership Webinar Series In February and March KON proudly presented a series of four free webinars on an assortment of leadership topics as selected by our chapter advisers in a recent survey. The administrative offices were delighted to have industry legend, Carolyn Jackson, as our distinguished speaker in this series. The topics covered ranged from writing skills to emotional intelligence to networking, and we had 28-47 registrants in each webinar. Our leadership hopes that KON students can use this valuable information to further their leadership skills and advisors can develop their annual program around this content.
Thanks to all of our attendees who came out to attend our sessions. For those who were unable to make the sessions, you can attend by finding the recordings at kon.org.
• You Are What You Write – Social Media Posts, Emails, Text Messages • Emotional and Social Intelligence in Facilitating Interactions • Networking for Fun and Effectiveness • Being Your BEST You – Authentic, Confident, and Self-Aware
In addition to the Carolyn Jackson series, Kappa Omicron Nu was also pleased to present Human Resources expert Katie Chick presenting a webinar on Left: Carolyn Jackson. Right: Katie Chick Tips From a Career Insider. The event on April 7th had 38 participants, who had an informative and engaging hour. Ms. Chick presented an honest, personal reflection on how potential job candidates can best position themselves for a strong and successful job hunt and career. The event brought tips and advice that our attendees are sure to find helpful for years to come.
Much thanks to our excellent speakers for their time and for sharing their wisdom with our KON members! News and Announcements Conclave 2021 Date CORRECTION: Note that the date for this year’s Conclave has moved from September 25 to October 2nd. We look forward to seeing you then! Look for more information on kon.org/events. Chapter leaders don’t forget to elect or appoint your Chapter Delegate now in the spring! As the program is being developed, suggestions of speakers and topics are invited. Send suggestions to [email protected]
Call for News and Photos: We would like to highlight the accomplishments of our members and chapters! Send us photos, videos, or just words telling us about your recent accomplishments. This may be content for social media, a promotional video, or the next edition of Dialogue. Please send your news to [email protected]
We Want YOU! They say you get out of a volunteer organization what you put into it. Please join us in participating in some of our excellent volunteer and research opportunities.
Call for Research: Think fast! May 1 is the due date for the Coordinating Council of Honor Societies (CCHS) call for research presentations in the human sciences. The winner will receive a $1,000 prize and will present their research in a national event. Learn more and apply at https://kon.org/awards KAPPA OMICRON NU’S DIALOGUE 2
Call for Research: KON has announced an Undergraduate Student Research Competition. Though it takes place at Conclave in October, we request your abstract submissions over the summer on a rolling submission basis. If you’re looking for an extremely low-pressure way to present at a national conference – this is it! Take an hour, submit your abstract, and add an impressive accomplishment to your resume. Learn more and apply at https://kon.org/events/
Call for Volunteers: KON is now accepting applications for the below listed roles. Learn more and apply at https://kon.org/board/
• Board of Directors: Second Vice Chair • Board of Directors: Treasurer • Board of Directors: Student Board Member (1) • Committee Member: Nominations and Elections (2) • Committee Member: Publications Committee (2) • Committee Member: Awards (multiple)
Virtual Initiations With pandemic quarantine impacting our chapters across the nation, many chapter advisers had the challenge of figuring how to carry on with initiations. How does one give the appropriate solemnity and official feel to a ceremonial occasion when conducting proceedings via Zoom? To lend a hand the national office offered three virtual initiation ceremonies for the office to coordinate and lead in February, March, and April 2021. Though certainly unusual, the events went off beautifully. We were honored to have journal writing expert Sue McGregor speak on fundamentals in journal writing as compared to a class research paper. Also in attendance were esteemed department heads and faculty as well as the appropriate KON advisers and chapter leaders, and close family and friends. Ten KON chapters participated, initiating 123 students (56 at the first, 39 at the second, and 28 at the third). There was a wide range in the number of students per chapter ranging from 1 to 40.
Congratulations to all of our new initiates at the represented schools:
• Omicron Alpha Beta at the University of Maine • Omicron Alpha Psi at California State University Long Beach • Kappa Delta Psi at University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff • Nu Alpha Epsilon at Georgian Court University • Omicron Alpha Upsilon at University of Delaware • Kappa Beta Epsilon at Prairie View A&M University • Kappa Delta Rho at Olivet Nazarene University • Nu Alpha Nu at Oswego State University at New York • Nu Alpha Omicron at the University of Florida • Kappa Delta Mu at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University New Life for URJHS Ginger Phillips and KON’s Publications Committee are working hard on resurrecting URJHS. For any new members unfamiliar with the publication, URJHS or the Undergraduate Research Journal for the Human Sciences.
URJHS was first created in 2001 by Dorothy Mitstifer leading a group called the Undergraduate Research Community (URC) composed of strong Universities, and non-profit organizations. The URC and journal have largely fallen by the wayside, it was truly a personal passion of KON’s former Executive Director Dorothy Mitstifer.
In the past several months KON has been taking steps to resurrect URJHS. We are looking to not only have the publication produced again but are also looking to officially move all issues to an official publishing house. As part of this effort, KON has signed an agreement with the publication house New Prairie Press. We are working with their staff to create a website where our URJHS articles can live today and into the future. Also, be sure to see the call for editorial
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URJHS' old logo
URJHS' new logo staff currently posted on kon.org. Volunteer opportunities are available for an editor, associate editors representing different areas of the human sciences, and many reviewers. Find the application for an editorial position on kon.org and submit it by May 10th. We are excited about this initiative and looking forward to honoring this part of Dorothy’s life work by protecting and salvaging this outstanding outlet for undergraduate research publication. Keep your eyes open as this project progresses! KON Chapter Advisor Mentor Program Surely any honor society or Greek society’s greatness is built on great advisers. Through the years we have come to appreciate them as a core of strength in our organization. However, as we are updating our systems and processes, we have noticed that not all advisers are in the same situation when stepping into the role. Some chapters have a long history, more resources, tried and true practices, strong chapter membership to collaborate with, and tenured volunteers. Others – do not. For that reason, we are starting an Adviser Mentor Program. In this initiative, we are hoping that our seasoned advisers would be willing to lend a hand to new or struggling advisers to help guide them.
We suspect that much of the work will involve suggestions on operational practices and processes: from how to interact with chapter leaders or get a list of candidates from their school administration to tips and tricks to filling out national paperwork. If you are an adviser who has your chapter operations well in hand, we want YOU. Learn more at https://kon.org/advisers/ or volunteer by emailing us at [email protected].
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Chapter Highlight: Kappa Alpha When it comes to programming, KON’s Kappa Alpha chapter can teach us all a thing or two. Recently I spoke with Karen E. From MS, RD, LD, who is the Chapter Advisor of Kappa Alpha at Northwest Missouri State University, School of Health Science and Wellness about the programming detailed in their Chapter B report. In reading over their programming report to the national office, I was caught by the following line: “30th year of nut sales completed offering three scholarships for members.”
I called Karen to ask her about it. She laughed, “nut sales have been going on since 1990 and were run by then adviser, Beth Goudge. Beth was the adviser for 23 years. She was remarkable. We have an annual fundraising event selling nuts that we source through a small local business about two hours outside of town. The chapter gets a percent of what we sell. This way we’re supporting local businesses and Missouri agriculture. It also lets us focus on health because our program is dietetics. We even sold during COVID.” The results speak for themselves. Their largest sale to date was 1,020 pounds of nuts under Beth’s reign. That wasn’t a one-time anomaly though, a couple of semesters ago they had over 900 pounds to distribute. Most years, they raise between $1,500 to $2,000, and of that amount, $900-$1,000 goes into three scholarships for active committee participants that are given out in the fall.
The best part about Kappa Alpha’s programming is that it doesn’t stop there. They have a monthly activity at each of their chapter meetings. At the beginning of the year, each member signs up for a month’s meeting to create appropriate programming. Members usually sign up for more than one month, and often there are 3- 4 members to work on each program idea. This way, all the chapter members take turns planning programming for their chapter. They have to select programs that meet one of KON’s ideals of research, leadership, or scholarship. The Vice-President is in charge of programming and makes sure things are on track. Karen reports that they try to use some of what the KON national office has on the website, but also delves into things the members like to make it interesting for them. For example, one of their students teaches Pumpkin painting at Kappa Alpha Oct 2020 yoga at the fitness center. To take advantage of that skill, they made a yoga event for the last month before the winter holidays. This provided an activity that would give back to the members.
Without their nut sales, they were coming up short on a philanthropic activity. Then they learned about a fellow college student Bearcat who had brain surgery. The procedure hadn’t gone as hoped, and the patient was struggling at a local rehabilitation facility. Kappa Alpha used their funds to make a “basket of hope and happiness.” We got her inspirational cards and made a gift basket. She was having trouble reading so we got appropriate books, writing and drawing things, snacks, and socks for her feet. We sent notes too just to say we’re thinking of you and praying for you.
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With all of this programming, it’s easy to assume Kappa Alpha is a large chapter. But they have just 11 members, including six initiates. Karen left us with words of wisdom. “Working with the students is fun. It has taken me until the last couple of years to learn to step back and let them lead and plan, by choosing the activities and working out the monthly programming. It is a great learning opportunity for them, and they enjoy the interaction.” What’s Karen’s favorite kind of nut? Almond. She notes though that the most popular option for the students is dark chocolate-covered coffee beans. The word is that they’re good for finals!
This article is abridged! Learn step by step details about how Kappa Alpha puts together their programming overall, and how they put together their nut sales fundraising program at KON’s blog under the publications tab of kon.org.
Member Highlight: Kitty R. Coffey, Ph.D., CFCS Kitty was invited to join Omicron Nu (ON) in 1963 at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK). She earned BS and MS degrees at UTK and was an instructor in higher education for a few years, before returning to UTK for her PhD. She moved on to Carson-Newman, where she was invited to join another scholastic honor society, Kappa Omicron Phi. A few years later, ON merged with KOΦ to create Kappa Omicron Nu. Over the years she has been a highly involved member: having acted as a chapter adviser, published articles in our publications, and having been a board member, to name a few of her accomplishments.
Her career is impressive. As a Food Science and Nutrition major, she presented her master’s thesis, The Effects of Cooking on the Phospholipid Content of Lean Ground Beef, at the Institute of Food Technology. She went on to teach at the University of Alabama, and then became an assistant professor in the Nutrition Department at the University of Tennessee Medical Units’ Child Development Center (CDC). The focus of her research and career interests changed to food and nutrition. Kitty and her team evaluated and treated patients with inborn errors of metabolism, eating disorders, developmental feeding disorders, and more. She developed a research interest in childhood obesity and she moved to direct the CDC Obesity Clinic. Kitty was also a critical member of the CDC Interdisciplinary Team Approach to Poverty Dr. Deborah Tippett, Dr. Deorah Sullivan, Dr. Kitty Coffey at the AAFCS Annual Meeting community outreach research project, co- authoring their findings and recommendations to end the cycle of inner-city poverty. She obtained her doctorate in socio- cultural food science. Her doctoral research and dissertation was, Food Behaviors of Adolescents Relative to Adiposity and she presented her research at the annual meeting of the American Dietetic Association and the Society for Nutrition Education.
I asked how KON helped her, Kitty reflected “KON helped me transition my scholarly efforts from bench and field research to perspectives in practice. That was a better fit for me as a professor, department chair, and later division coordinator and school dean in a small liberal arts college with emphasis on excellence in teaching. Through acquaintance with KON’s programs of work, I reframed my scholarship to leadership in quality faculty, programs, and facilities development in higher education.”
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She also reported at several CAFCS and AAFCS programs, co-authored numerous self-study reports for initial and reaccreditation for AAFCS, and co-authored a book, A Handbook to Guide Educational Institutions Through the Accreditation Process. Her work was also published in KON’s Forum, KON’s Dialogue, and her biography was included among a selected 130 notable scholars in Leaders in Family Consumer Sciences, published by KON in 2016.
Recently retired, I asked Kitty what contributions can be made by retired members. She answered “I can contribute by sharing my thoughts and insights with KON leadership as someone who has been with KON a long time and has seen the history of our programs and projects. This is one of the many perspectives needed as you move our organization forward. As we regenerate, I can offer some perspectives on what I have seen as valuable from the past that might help shape our future. It’s so important for our alumni to be just as engaged as our students. We can encourage alumni members to sponsor today’s student scholars by mentoring them and helping them build their leadership skills and develop their own networks. It also wouldn’t hurt to always have an alumnus on the board.” This article is heavily abridged! Learn more about Kitty’s background and her suggestions for how KON can move forward at KON’s blog under the publications tab of kon.org.
Kappa Omicron Nu * PO Box 798, Okemos, MI 48805-0798 KON.org * (727) 940-2658 x2003 * [email protected]
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