Leading fraternal organization and liberal arts college embark on scholar-in-residence program

MONMOUTH, Illinois (December 19, 2018) — The Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation and Monmouth College announce an innovative and creative scholar-in-residence program that will build upon an already strong relationship between the college and the Fraternity. The purpose of the program is to create a one-of-a-kind partnership between academia and a Greek-letter organization that will provide expertise and research on topics of interest and importance to both the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation and Monmouth College. The scholar-in-residence will teach one course per semester to Monmouth College students while conducting research at The Stewart House Museum in Monmouth, Illinois.

Mary Osborne, Ph.D., has been named the inaugural scholar-in-residence. She currently serves as the Museum Specialist at The Stewart House Museum. Osborne notes that her course American Home Front During World War I “explores the American response to the war, including how alumnae of Greek-letter organizations contributed to the war effort. Women’s fraternities cultivated leaders who were involved in nearly every aspect of war work from investigating conditions at the front to raising money for refugees.”

Monmouth College, a selective and private liberal arts college of about 1,000 students, is proud of its history. It is the founding home of the women’s fraternities Kappa Kappa Gamma and Pi Beta Phi, known as the Monmouth Duo. The college has a strong history of providing equal opportunity to both men and women students and was one of the first colleges in the U.S. to not only admit women but to open all classes to women.  

“The original dream was to provide a scholar the opportunity to go back in time to the birthplace of the women’s fraternal movement by living and teaching in the place where the idea was given life,” noted Gail Owen, Kappa Kappa Gamma President.  

Both Kappa Kappa Gamma and Monmouth College have a tradition of developing strong women leaders and a history of mutually beneficial relationships for students between academic scholarship and membership in a Greek-letter organization. This partnership is a logical next step to the momentum already generated by new programming provided by the Kappa Foundation at The Stewart House Museum for students, faculty, visiting scholars, and the Monmouth community.

Both organizations are forward-looking and eager to provide opportunities for students and faculty to research and share the significant and lasting impact the women’s fraternal movement has had on women in higher education, women’s voting rights, and equal access for women in all areas of life.

Elizabeth Smith, Monmouth student and member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, recently interned at The Stewart House Museum and is pleased to be part of this collaboration. “Having the chance to work with the scholar-in-residence is a real treat! Professor Osborne is so knowledgeable of everything regarding the women’s fraternal movement and her dedication inspired me to keep studying the Victorian era and women’s history. I’m so proud of what women’s fraternities have done to help create leaders in our midst.”

The scholar-in-residence will have full access to Kappa Kappa Gamma’s archives and The Stewart House Museum for research on women’s history and the women’s fraternal movement. The scholar-in-residence program provided by the Kappa Foundation and Monmouth College is the only one of its kind nationwide and provides a model for increased academic cooperation between Greek-letter organizations and academic institutions.