the history of the kappa mu chapter
The Kappa Mu Chapter is a brotherhood dedicated to the UGA Bands through service, support, leadership and appreciation for music; operating in a respectable and enjoyable manner, with integrity and pride.
The Kappa Mu chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi was chartered at the University of Georgia on April 22, 1999. The founding members were Matt Cotton (President), Nikki Baldwin (Vice-President), Heather Folsum (Secretary), Mary Tate (Treasurer), Lanie Adams (Historian), Michael Buckelew, Jessie Jameson, Jennifer Adair, Angie Harrell, and Kristina Lee. Kappa Mu's Big Brother chapter was Kappa Beta (Clemson University). The installing officer was Michael Golemo, National Vice-President of Colonization and Membership. Due to the small size of the fledgling chapter and the lack of funds, the Brothers were very close-knit and worked together through much hardship.
The chapter began to grow and take hold, bringing in larger classes of higher-quality members. The chapter began such traditions as the Crown Pearl Ball and the beginnings of much of the extensive service we do today. Early on, the chapter began assisting with marching uniforms -- something that would later become a very large project handled entirely by Kappa Mu.
As the chapter continued to grow, so did its abilities to serve the band. More and more projects were undertaken by an increasingly large and capable membership. The chapter began to be noticed on the district level, publishing the Eighth Note in 2001 and having Lanie Adams serve as SED Vice-President. The Membership Education Program became more robust and traditions such as the MC recital were begun.
In 2002, the opportunity and inspiration came to embark on bigger projects. The Band Banquet was proposed at this time, the constitution redrafted and the Chapter Daily Operations Guide begun. The chapter reached out more and more on the district level. The spring of 2003 saw a leadership workshop taught by SED Governor Chris Haughee, and continued work of building upon strong foundations.
That work did not go unnoticed, as the Kappa Mu Chapter was honored with the Chapter Leadership Award for the 2001-2003 biennium. Kappa Mu was one of the youngest chapters to ever receive this honor.
The next biennium began with the desire to strive even higher -- to craft and complete even larger projects and to change the band fundamentally. Kappa Mu reworked its service program to focus more directly on the bandmembers themselves, and as a result, membership grew over the first half of the biennium and exploded in the second half. Rob Izzo served as 2003-2004 SED Secretary-Treasurer, and Kappa Mu was honored with an Outstanding Achievement Award from the SED. This time period also saw Kappa Mu serve as advising chapter for Fort Valley State, now the Lambda Zeta Chapter. In Spring 2004, Past National President Kirk Randazzo visited Athens and worked with the chapter to develop leadership and the first official Strategic Plan.
During the Fall of 2004, Kappa Mu welcomed what was to become the largest membership class. This in itself was a big challenge for the chapter. However, on November 21, sixteen new brothers were initiated, enabling the chapter to reach new levels of service and leadership. Kappa Mu continued helping with Midfest and Janfest, serving refreshments to the concert bands, stuffing thousands of envelopes for alumni and Redcoat mailouts, and providing snack bags for every member of the marching band during our longest bus ride. This fall saw the largest increase in band service this chapter has seen. An overhauled band camp produced the most efficient registration ever.
The future holds great things for Kappa Mu -- Marching Exhibition, Parents' Day, and other projects are constantly being thought of and put into action because of the dedication and commitment of its brothers. Kappa Mu has written -- and is writing -- a storied history for itself, building a foundation that will support the efforts of others for years to come. The brothers of Kappa Mu are striving to achieve new heights and new goals.