Student Affairs

Gift supports Piazza Center research on student leadership, health & well-being

Kappa Kappa Gamma international organization, one of the oldest women’s fraternities, has made a gift of $30,000 to support fraternity and sorority research through Penn State’s Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform. Credit: Provided by Kappa Kappa Gammer International OrganizationAll Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Kappa Kappa Gamma international organization, one of the oldest women’s fraternities, has made a gift of $30,000 to support fraternity and sorority research through Penn State’s Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform. This contribution, which was matched by the University, will help propel research aimed at creating stronger student leaders, safer chapters and successful fraternity and sorority communities.

“We are thrilled to begin a relationship with the Piazza Center,” said Mary Pat Rooney, who serves as Kappa’s fraternity president and as a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation Board of Trustees. “Together, we are trailblazing a path forward for sororities and fraternities. This transformational research will ensure Greek-letter organizations continue to provide meaningful and relevant experiences for current and future members.”

Kappa’s gift will support continued and new student-centered research studies, especially around student success, health and well-being, with the goal to create a research-informed professional practice to build students' capacity to flourish.   

"Kappa’s championing of the Piazza Center helps to further our shared missions to create an experience that enriches and empowers students. Kappa is leading the charge by supporting initiatives on the forefront of campus mental health and wellness,” said Stevan Veldkamp, executive director of the Piazza Center. “This generous contribution illustrates that by working together with research-informed practice, we will build a positive future for fraternity and sorority life.”

The Piazza Center is a multidisciplinary research initiative whose mission is to uplift fraternity and sorority life. The center’s research agenda is based on a change model focused on a two-pronged approach to stronger and safer organizations.

  • Stronger: Enhancing student learning, leadership and services; improving diversity, equity and inclusion; and increasing health and wellness.
  • Safer: Focusing on campus prevention and intervention, including prevention of hazing, substance misuse and dangerous drinking.

The center produces actionable data to give practitioners, campuses and headquarters the evidence needed to enact significant change on their campuses for the over 750,000 members across more than 770 campuses with fraternity and sorority life.   

For the last 152 years, Kappa has united women to learn, grow and inspire positive change throughout their lives. Together with the Kappa Foundation, Kappa provides a robust membership experience highlighting leadership opportunities, educational programs and the unwavering support of loyal sisters to help members pursue their potential. 

Penn State hopes to generate an endowment of $8 million to support the center's research. Toward that end, the University has committed $2 million in initial funding and will match up to $3 million in additional endowment funds committed for this purpose. Through this opportunity, organizations, alumni, parents and friends can leverage their gifts to secure matching funds that double the impact of their generosity. To learn more about supporting the center and the goal that students in fraternities and sororities have a safe and enriching college experience, visit the Piazza Center website

With the record-breaking success of “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence,” which raised $2.2 billion from 2016 to 2022, philanthropy is helping to sustain the University’s tradition of education, research and service to communities across the Commonwealth and around the globe. Scholarships enable our institution to open doors and welcome students from every background, support for transformative experiences allows our students and faculty to fulfill their vast potential for leadership, and gifts toward discovery and excellence help us to serve and impact the world we share. To learn more about the impact of giving and the continuing need for support, please visit raise.psu.edu.

Last Updated September 26, 2022