Epsilon Tau Chapter | Clemson University

Prevent Child Abuse America

Since 1981, Kappa Delta has been a proud supporter of Prevent Child Abuse America, an organization founded by the late Donna Stone, one of our own Kappa Delta sisters. To date, Kappa Delta has donated over $7.1 million to help prevent child abuse in our country.Thousands of KDs in hundreds of communities nationwide host "Shamrock Events" every year to raise money for national and local child abuse prevention efforts. This year Epsilon Tau hosted the first annual 18-hole captain's choice golf tournament in conjunction with a silent auction in the spring to raise money for the local Pickens County chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America. Sisters helped recruit teams, fundraise, set up the tournament and score for teams playing in the tournament. This tournament was considered a success by all participants and raised over $10,000!

Girl Scouts of the USA

In 1998, Kappa Delta Sorority welcomed Girl Scouts of the USA as one of its four national philanthropies. Through this one-of-a-kind partnership, Kappa Delta members are making great things happen in the lives of countless girls across the country. The Kappa Delta Foundation also contributes more than $10,000 annually to the Girl Scout Gold Award program, providing each Girl Scout Gold Award Young Woman of Distinction award recipient a $1,000 scholarship toward their college tuition. 

Epsilon Tau Chapter of Kappa Delta works with several different troops in the Clemson community. Sisters attend meetings and help girls earn badges. Girl scouts trick-or-treat on the KD hall, sell girl scout cookies during chapters and support our phialnthropies as well. The Clemson chapter of Kappa Delta has a strong and lasting bond with girlscouts throughout the community.

Children's Hospital of Richmond

Kappa Delta's support of the Children's Hospital in Richmond, Virginia dates back to 1921. The sorority became interested in the work being done in our founding state by William Tate Graham, M.D., a pioneer in the field known for treating polio victims. Dr. Graham had become renowned for his revolutionary approaches and never turned away a patient for their inability to pay.

Beginning with our initial pledge of $1,200 to support two beds, Kappa Delta's commitment to Children's Hospital over the years has never wavered. The sorority's monetary and tangible gifts have totaled more than $2.2 million. Contributions have gone to develop a motion clinic, purchase hospital equipment, medical braces and neurosurgical instruments, provide playground equipment and purchase vans to transport patients.

Orthopaedic Research Awards

Kappa Delta's partnership with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) evolved out of its work with Children's Hospital in Richmond, Va. After getting to know children with crippling diseases, Kappa Deltas wanted to make a difference not only in treatment, but in prevention.

In 1947, the sorority established the Kappa Delta Research Fellowship in Orthopedy (now known as the Kappa Delta Orthopaedic Research Awards). Starting with a $1,000 contribution in 1950, Kappa Delta now presents three $20,000 awards annually to leading orthopaedic researchers, for a total of over $1.1 million since the partnership began.

Often referred to as the Nobel Prize of orthopaedic research, the Kappa Delta Orthopaedic Research Awards have gone to researchers who have made key discoveries pertaining to bone grafting, treatment of polio, surgical correction of scoliosis, knee replacement, prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, arthorscopic surgery--in short, most of the leading orthopaedic advancements of the past 60 years.

This year one of Epsilon Tau's sisters was selected for a very prestigious Orthopaedic Research Internship at the VA Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.  Kristen MacDonald will complete a volunteer experience for five weeks in an orthopaedic research laboratory on a daily basis under the supervision of trained research personnel at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.  She will participate in weekly research data conferences, journal clubs, and attend an orthopaedic training conference at the Campbell Clinic.