Notable Sigma Kappas

Anna Burke addressing the convention crowd

Notable
Sigma Kappas

Honoring Excellence

Our organization is proud to recognize members whose leadership, service, and achievements leave a lasting impact. This page highlights those individuals and the contributions that set them apart. Interested in being considered or nominating someone?

Learn more about the award process

Dr. Lori S. White

Dr. Lori S. White

Lambda, University of California, Berkeley

Dr. Lori S. White is the 21st President of DePauw University. She is the first woman and the first person of color to serve as DePauw's president. Dr. White has spent 30 years working in higher education. Most recently, she was the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and a Professor of Practice at Washington University in St. Louis. At DePauw, she also holds the rank of professor of education. In 2016, Dr. Lori S. White was awarded Sigma Kappa's Colby Award to honor her incredible achievements in the field of higher education.

Dr. Maria Carrillo

Dr. Maria Carrillo

Theta, University of Illinois

As Chief Science Officer, Dr. Maria Carrillo sets the strategic vision for the Alzheimer's Association gobal research program. Dr. Carrillo oversees the Association's portfolio of research initiatives, manages the Worldwide Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, and plays an instrumental role in lobbying both the public and private sectors for increased funding for the disease. She earned her Ph.D. from Northwestern University's Institute for Neuroscience and completed a postdoctoral fellowship focused on Alzheimer's brain imaging and risk factors at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

Glennon Doyle

Glennon Doyle

Delta Rho, James Madison University

Glennon Doyle is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, blogger and nonprofit founder. She is the author of Untamed, the #1 New York Times bestselling memoir Love Warrior, which was selected as an Oprah’s Book Club pick, as well as the New York Times bestseller Carry On, Warrior. She is the founder and president of Together Rising, an all-women led nonprofit organization that has revolutionized grassroots philanthropy – raising over $20 million for women, families and children in crisis.

Margaret Chase Smith

Margaret Chase Smith

Alpha, Colby College

Margaret Chase Smith was the first U.S. woman senator, first woman to sit in both houses of Congress and the first woman to represent Maine in either. She is recipient of the U.S. Air Force's most prestigious award and has been presented with 96 honorary degrees and presented with a Presidential Medal of Freedom Award by President George Bush in 1989.

She was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination in the 1964 presidential election, but was the first woman to be placed in nomination for the presidency at a major party's convention. Upon leaving office, she was the longest-serving female Senator in history, a distinction that was not surpassed until January 5, 2011, when Senator Barbara Mikulski was sworn in for a fifth term.

Nina Davuluri

Nina Davuluri

Alpha Tau, Michigan State University

Nina Davuluri is the first Indian-American woman to win the Miss America competition. She is also a host, speaker and advocate for women in STEM and for cultural competency. Currently, she is the host & producer of the reality show, “Made In America,” which empowers young women to discover more about themselves through a series of challenges as they fulfill their dreams in America. Since serving as Miss America 2014, Nina has logged approximately 500,000 miles traveling across the world to address an array of audiences on her platform, “Celebrating Diversity through Cultural Competency.” She has also partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Education promoting women in STEM-related fields.

Judith Guest

Judith Guest

Alpha Mu, University of Michigan

Judith Guest is the author of Ordinary People, Second Heaven, Killing Time in St. Cloud (with Rebecca Hill), Errands, and The Tarnished Eye. Ordinary People, published in 1976, was the first unsolicited manuscript published by Viking Press in 26 years. It would go on to win the Janet Heidiger Kafka Prize for best first novel. It was also the basis for the 1980 film of the same name, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture that year.

Anna McCune Harper

Anna McCune Harper

Lambda, University of California, Berkeley

Anna McCune Harper was a professional tennis player who was ranked in the U.S. top ten five consecutive years from 1928 through 1932 and was top ranked in 1930. She won the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon in 1931 and was the runner-up in singles at the 1930 U.S. Championships. She was also the runner-up in women's doubles at the 1928, 1930, and 1932 U.S. Championships and in mixed doubles at the 1931 edition of those championships. She served as Sigma Kappa's national president from 1939 to 1942 and was inducted into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame in 1981. She played tennis until age 81 and died at the age of 96.

Rhea Seddon

Rhea Seddon

Lambda, University of California, Berkeley

Rhea Seddon was one of six women in her medical school class of 100 and one of the first six women accepted into the NASA astronaut program. She is a veteran of three space flights, logging a total of 30 days in space. After leaving NASA in 1998, she served as Assistant Chief Medical Officer of the Vanderbilt Medical Group in Nashville and founder of healthcare consultancy LifeWings Partners, LLC. Rhea was inducted into the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame in 2005, the Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2015 and the Tennessee Women’s Hall of Fame in 2015. She also wrote the memoir Go for Orbit, which won gold in the autobiography and memoir category from the Independent Book Publishers Association.

Sarah Weddington

Sarah Weddington

Zeta Nu, University of Texas-San Antonio

Sarah Weddington is an attorney, law professor and former member of the Texas House of Representatives best known for representing "Jane Roe" in the landmark Roe v. Wade case before the United States Supreme Court. She is believed to be one of the youngest individuals to win a case before the United States Supreme Court. Sarah is a nationally known spokesperson on leadership and public issues, specifically issues affecting women. She has served as an attorney, legislator, Presidential advisor, professor and expert called upon by the national media and institutions of higher learning.


35 Under 35


Sigma Kappa's 35 Under 35 list shines a light on young members who are making a difference on their campuses, in their careers and in their communities. The members on this year’s list are entrepreneurs, executives, chapter and community leaders, mentors, creatives and more. In addition to their impressive accomplishments in their field of study or occupation, they also demonstrate Sigma Kappa's values every day.

Read More

35 Under 35

Colby Award Process

The Colby Award, named in honor of Colby College where Sigma Kappa was founded in 1874, is presented at each national convention to Sigma Kappa alumnae in recognition of their career achievements. Nominees for this award must be nationally known in their area of expertise. For this reason, the Colby Award is the highest honor bestowed upon alumnae members by the national organization. Fields considered include but are not limited to arts, literature, public service, business, industry, education, science and athletics.

Submit a Nomination

Estimated Timeline

  •  Award application opens the fall preceding convention. Award judges, made up of previous Colby Award winners, are selected during this period. 
  • The award application is open through mid-December.
  •  Award judges review applications through February of convention years. 
  • Awards are approved by national council in March of convention years. 
  • Winners and regrets are notified soon after to arrange for winners to attend convention as they are able. 

Scoring

Each nominee is reviewed by at least two different judges, and scores are averaged. The scoring rubric and numbers for weighting are subject to change. Award judges are shared a detailed rubric to help them score each nominee. Scored from 0 to 3 equally on:

  • Area and evidence of impact
    • 0--No areas of impact selected – OR – nomination fails to illustrate any impact that the nominee has made in her field.
    •  3—Nomination adequately illustrates outstanding impact that the nominee has made in her respective field.
  • Commitment to values of friendship, loyalty, service, and/or personal growth
    • 0—Sigma Kappa values are not evident through the nomination. 
    • 3—Values are clearly illustrated. Through the nominee’s outstanding work, she exemplifies all of the Sigma Kappa values.
  •  Recognition from others
    • 0—No awards or accolades could be identified
    • 3—Several prestigious awards / accolades / examples of national recognitions provided.



Questions asked

  • Nominator and nominee contact information: chapter of initiation, email address, and phone number. 
  • Field of achievement
  • Share the activities, leadership, community involvement and work experiences that have been most impactful to get this member to where they are today.
  • Share any significant accomplishments (awards, national recognitions, honors, etc.) that distinguishes this member.
  • Describe any personal, lived and Sigma Kappa experiences that this member has been involved with that makes them stand out as distinguished alumna.
  • Describe how this member shares or exemplifies Sigma Kappa's values of friendship, loyalty, service and personal growth in their field.

Download Sample Application

Honor Initiates

At every convention, Sigma Kappa invites a non-affiliated person who has made significant contributions to their community, professional field, or has established a partnership with Sigma Kappa to become Honor Initiate(s) of the organization. The process to determine an Honor Initiate(s) begins one year prior to a convention year and includes numerous steps, as outlined below.  

Submit a Nomination

Estimated Timeline

Award application opens the fall preceding convention.

  • Award application opens the fall preceding convention. 
  • The award application is open through mid-December. 
  • Selections are made by national council by March of convention years. 
  • Winners and regrets are notified soon after to arrange for winners to attend convention. 

Questions asked

  • Nominator and nominee contact information: chapter of initiation, email address, and phone number.
  • How is this nominee connected to Sigma Kappa?
  • What are he nominee’s greatest achievements?
  • How does this candidate demonstrate Sigma Kappa’s values of friendship, loyalty, service and personal growth?

Download Sample Application

Alumnae Awards

Each year, Sigma Kappa alumnae chapters are presented with awards based on the success and reporting of their activities. At the 2026 convention in St. Louis, we will be recognizing alumnae chapters and leaders for their success in various categories including communication, service, collegiate/alumnae relations, Panhellenic engagement, membership programming, and sisterhood.

Estimated Timeline

  • Award applications open on December 1, following the alumnae chapter annual report deadline.
  • The award application is open through the end of January.
  • Award judges review applications through early March.
  • Awards are approved by national council in April.
  • Winners are announced at convention in June. 

Scoring

Each application is redacted of identifiable information and is reviewed by at least three different judges, and scores are averaged. The scoring rubric and number for weighting are subject to change. Award judges are shared a detailed rubric to help score each nominee. Scored from 0 to 4 equally on:

Examples Provided

  • 0 - No example provided, or example provided is off topic.
  • 4 - Nominator provided multiple specific and measurable examples of nominee’s excellence within the past year or one example that goes above and beyond.

Values Displayed

  • 0 - Sigma Kappa values are not evident through the nominee’s nomination.
  • 4 - Values are clearly illustrated. Through the nominee’s work, she/the chapter exemplifies all of the Sigma Kappa values. Impact

Illustrated

  • 0 - No impact of experience/program provided.
  • 4 - Nominator illustrated the positive impact an officer, member, or experience/program had on the entire chapter/community.

Questions asked

  • Nominator and nominee contact information: name, email, alumnae chapter.
  • Award applying for.
  • Each award category has three to four unique questions. The application for Alumnae Chapter of the Year has eight questions that encompass all other categories. 


More Notable Sigma Kappas

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Colby Award Recipients

 

2024

Leslie Claybrook, Alpha Omega, University of Alabama

Jamie Valvano, Gamma Phi, North Carolina State University

Jen Kiggans, Delta, Boston University

 

2022

Valerie David, Delta Rho, James Madison University - Arts

Cosette Gutierrez, Theta Lambda, Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Field of Higher Education

Susan McNab, Beta Sigma, Purdue University - Field of Buisness

Dr. Linda Cadwell Stancin, Mu, University of Washington - Field of Aeronautics

Dr. Maria Yang,  Theta Lambda, Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Field of Engineering

 

2020

Margaret Hawkins Hill, Lambda, University of California, Berkeley - Field of Higher Education

Sonja Shannon Hogg, Beta Epsilon, Louisiana Tech University - Field of Athletics

Winsome Lenfert, Gamma Gamma, Indiana State University - Field of Aviation

 

2018

Kelly Harrison, Epsilon Alpha, Lenoir-Rhyne University - Field of Law Enforcement

Jane Sinclair Hilk, Theta, University of Illinois - Field of Business

 

2016

Corinne Brinkerhoff, Delta Theta, Truman State University - Field of Entertainment and Television

Dr. Cynda Crawford, DVM, Ph. D., Gamma Phi, North Carolina State University - Field of Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Tisa Johnson Mason, Ed.D., Epsilon Kappa, Transylvania University - Field of Higher Education

Dr. Lou Anna K. Simon, Ph.D., Gamma Gamma, Indiana State University - Field of Higher Education

Dr. Lori S. White, Ph.D., Lambda, University of California-Berkeley - Field of Higher Education

 

2014

Glennon Doyle Melton, Delta Rho, James Madison University - Field of Communication and Mass Media

Janice Jacobs, Gamma Kappa, Southern Illinois University Carbondale - Field of Government

Martha Van Steenderen, Psi, University of Wisconsin - Field of Athletics

 

2012

Dr. Carolyn Wilson Bartlett, Gamma Gamma, Indiana State University - Field of Higher Education

Brigadier General Linda S. Marchione, Tau, Indiana University - Field of Public Service

Traci D. Sooter, Delta Upsilon, Missouri State University - Field of Architecture, Construction Management and Education

 

2010

Cheryl Stanton Bachelder, Tau, Indiana University - Field of Business

Nancy Brown Bicket, Eta, Illinois Wesleyan University - Field of Information Systems and Technology

Sandra Tauberg Bartley Hess, Alpha Sigma, Westminster College - Field of Business

 

2008

Sharilyn Smith Gasaway, Beta Epsilon, Louisiana Tech University - Field of Business

Debbie Neinast Harris, Gamma Iota, Texas Tech University - Field of Science & Education

Beverly Reid O'Connell, Alpha Omicron, University of California, Los Angeles - Field of Law & Justice

Carolyn Caudell Tieger, Epsilon Epsilon, University of Georgia - Field of Public Relations

Karyn Nishimura Sneath, Delta Sigma, Western Illinois University - Field of Higher Education

 

2006

Cheryll McLaughlin Adams, Epsilon Epsilon, The University of Georgia - Field of Education

Dr. Patricia Frisby Galloway, Beta Sigma, Purdue University- Field of Engineering

Judie Lipsett Hughes, Zeta Kappa, Angelo State University- Field of Technology

Celeste Knierim, Delta Theta, Truman State University- Field of Athletics

Jennifer Marie Sloan, Epsilon Epsilon, The University of Georgia - Field of Public Service

 

2004

Myra Morgan, Beta Tau, University of Florida - Student Affairs

 

2002

Tara Stephenson, Zeta Omicron, The University of Arizona - Arts

 

2000

Joyce Furrey Conner, Beta Upsilon, Ohio University - Volunteer Administration

Marjorie Peace Lenn, Epsilon Kappa, Transylvania University - Education

 

1998

Theresa Shank Grentz, Theta, University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign - Athletics

Dr. Suzanne Gordon, Delta Tau, University of Central Arkansas - Education

 

1996

Karin Spencer Haspell, Gamma Theta, California State University, Long Beach - Business, Technology, & Science

Marcia Milby Ridings, Alpha Chi, Georgetown College - Public Service

Debra Amidon, Delta, Boston University - Technology Management

Sarah Ragle Weddington, Zeta Nu, The University of Texas, San Antonio - Public Service

 

1994

Sondra Chase Shaw-Hardy, Alpha Tau, Michigan State University - Public Service & Philanthropy

Kathlyn Reed, Xi, The University of Kansas - Occupational Therapy

Audrey Noiske Grosch, Alpha Eta, University of Minnesota - Sports & Computer Science

Dr. Sharon Haddon Andelora, Alpha Lambda, Adelphi University - Education

 

1992

Dr. Patricia Jarboe Buchanan, Beta Sigma, Purdue University - Education

Dr. Jean Samuelson Elder, Alpha Mu, University of Michigan - Education & Public Service

Dr. Dorys Crow Grover, Upsilon, Oregon State University - Education

Linda Ellis Jennett, Sigma, Southern Methodist University - Environmental Engineering

Karen Zander, Eta, Illinois Wesleyan University - Nursing/ Science

 

1990

Mary Korstad Engholm, Alpha Omicron, University of California, Los Angeles - Education & Art History

Beverly McGinnis Lowe, Delta Rho, James Madison University - Dietetics and Child Nutrition

Joan Reagin McNeill-Murray, Alpha Theta, University of Louisville - Volunteerism

Karen Malinka Powel, Epsilon Lambda, California State University, Sacramento - Business Professional & Science

Nancy Woolf, Alpha Omicron, University of California, Los Angeles - Research & Science

 

1988

Carole Amick, Alpha Epsilon, Iowa State University - Politics

Margaret Andrew, Chi, The Ohio State University - Science & Technology

Fay Burnett, Sigma, Southern Methodist University - Nutrition

Lynn Fox Nafziger, Alpha Theta, University of Louisville - Education

Suzanne Faulkner Schimke, Alpha Omicron, University of California, Los Angeles - Engineering

Margaret Chase Smith, Alpha, Colby College - Politics & Education

 

1986

Lillian Peterson Budd, Theta, University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign - Author

Joan Norbut O'Byrne, Lambda, University of California, Berkeley - Law

Dr. Elizabeth Landymore Smith, Epsilon Omicron, Texas State University - Psychology

 

1984

Rhea Seddon Gibson, Lambda, University of California, Berkeley - Medicine & Space Exploration

Joan Howard, Xi, The University of Kansas - Archives

Kathleen Larey Lewton, Eta, Illinois Wesleyan University - Public Relations

    Honor Initiates

     

    2024

    Jennifer Kempthorne

    Stevie V. Tran

     

    2022

    Anna D. Burke,Zeta Omicron, University of Arizona

     

    2018

    Michele McManus Howard, Theta Mu, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
    Cyndy Waters, Alpha Delta, University of Tennessee

     

    2016

    Maria Fuentes Martin, Zeta Nu, University of Texas - San Antonio
    Amy Parisi, Epsilon Epsilon, The University of Georgia
    Heather Snyder, Theta Zeta, University of Virginia
     

    2014

    Maria Carillo, Theta, University of Illinois 
    Virginia Schaefer Horvath, Theta Iota, The State University of New York at Fredonia
     

    2012

    Nancy Lopez, Theta Xi, Auburn University
    Kay Malone, Beta Epsilon, Louisiana Tech University

     

    2010

    Julie Laperouse, Beta Epsilon, Louisiana Tech University
    KaAnne Morris, Beta Sigma, Purdue University
     

    2008

    Wilsie Bishop, Gamma Lambda, East Tennessee State University

    Pamela Davidson, Beta Sigma, Purdue University 



    Member holding a housing award


    2024 Award Winners

    Each year, Sigma Kappa alumnae and collegiate chapters and corporations are presented with awards based on the success and reporting of their activities.

    Learn More