Kappa Kappa Psi Southwest District Council Candidacy Packet 2018-2019

Isabella Rivera for

Vice President for Membership

Table of contents

Letter of Intent Page 3

Fraternal Resume Page 4

Goals for Office Page 5-6

Letters of Recommendation

Professor Eric Rombach Kendall Page 7

UNM Director of Bands

Dr. Richard White Page 8

Gamma Iota Chapter Sponsor

Dr. Chad Simons Page 9

UNM Associate Director of Bands

Marcos Fraere Page 10

Gamma Iota Chapter Vice President for Membership

Lauren Keener Page 11

Gamma Eta Chapter President

Herman Montoya III Page 12

Beta Lambda Chapter Vice President of Programs

Kayla Shortnacy Page 13

Alpha Chapter Historian

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Brothers of the Southwest District,

My name is Isabella Rivera and I am a brother of the Gamma Iota Chapter at the University of New

Mexico. I would like to wholeheartedly thank you for your consideration of my candidacy for this office.

Through my involvement with the fraternity, I have become an ambitious leader, loving brother, and

a great musician with a service-oriented mind. I believe my involvement in my chapter, the Southwest

District, and at the national level shows my dedication, respect, and love for our organization.

During my time in office I plan to not only continue the programs that made the previous Vice

President for Membership successful, but also start new projects that will further the growth and success of

our fraternity.

I desire to see more involvement of Membership Candidates and Colony members in the District and

encourage active brothers to welcome them with open arms as part of our family. Through this I hope to

increase post-initiation retention and set a precedent for meaningful first impressions. I also want to

encourage workshop attendance by contacting chapters and tailoring workshop content to the needs of the

attending chapters. Additionally, in order to help chapters find effective ways to develop the knowledge of

their brothers after initiation, I plan to revive the continuing membership education plan database. These

ideas along with my other goals will be outlined later in my packet.

Thank you again for your consideration of my candidacy. It would be a great honor to serve our

fraternity as the Southwest District Vice President for Membership. Please do not hesitate to contact me with

any further questions.

Fraternally submitted,

Isabella Raylene Rivera

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ISABELLA RIVERA (505) 401-5927 | Isabella@kkpsi.org

BROTHER | 2015–present

Initiated into the Gamma Iota Chapter, 14 November 2015

EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO

Albuquerque, NM

Pursuing Bachelor of Science in biology

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

KAPPA KAPPA PSI COMMUNICATIONS TEAM/

PILOT PROGRAM | 2017-present

Current Position

Responsible for obtaining content for the National

Podcast, YouTube channel, and other social media

outlets

Kappa Kappa Psi National Convention

Responsible for content at National Convention (i.e.

interviews from brothers, and workshop material)

for the Kappa Kappa Psi Presents podcast.

AD-HOC COMMITTEE HEAD | 2017–present

Gamma Iota Chapter

Chapter committee charged to create a bid to host

district convention. Responsible for delegating tasks,

investigating UNM resources, and compiling the bid.

VICE PRESIDENT FOR PROGRAMS | 2017–present

Gamma Iota Chapter

Responsible for organizing opportunities for chapter

service projects, encouraging music participation,

and finding opportunities for musical expressions.

MELLOPHONE SECTION LEADER | 2016–present

UNM Spirit Marching Band

Responsible for distributing drill and music, leading

section rehearsals, instructing section, scheduling

music tests, and providing individual assistance.

SERVICE COMMITTEE HEAD | 2016

Responsible for leading chapter service committee

meetings, recording meeting minutes, scheduling,

and presenting decisions to chapter members

FRATERNAL EXPERIENCE

2018 AREA WORKSHOPS ATTENDED

West Texas/New Mexico Area Workshop, Portales,

NM

2017 AREA WORKSHOPS ATTENDED

Arkansas Area Workshop, Fayetteville, AR

West Texas/New Mexico Area Workshop, Abilene,

TX

2016 AREA WORKSHOPS ATTENDED

Oklahoma Area Workshop, Durant, OK

West Texas/New Mexico Area Workshop, Lubbock,

TX

South Texas Area Workshop, San Marcos, TX

CONVENTIONS ATTENDED

2017 National Convention

Served on the National Communications team

2017 Southwest District Convention, Stillwater, OK

Proxy delegate for the Theta Alpha Chapter and

served on the Jurisdiction Committee.

2016 Southwest District Convention, Mesquite, TX

OTHER EVENTS

2017 Chapter Leadership Conference

2017 submitted an article to The New ALTO

2017 Zeta Beta 1st

degree

2016 Gamma Eta 3rd

degree

2016 Beta Lambda 3rd

degree

2016 West Chapter Leadership Conference

2015 Gamma Eta Chapter installation

5

Goals for Office

Workshops

Attendance

Contact all of the chapters and colonies of each area and encourage them to

have representation at their respective area workshop.

Inspire chapters to encourage their Membership Candidates to go to

workshops.

This will:

Help with post-initiation retention caused by sudden time

commitment changes.

Allow them to understand that there is more to the fraternity

than just their immediate chapter.

Encourage the members who will be the future of our fraternity

to become proactive from the start.

Workshop Presenters

Encourage more brothers and sisters to apply to present at workshops next

spring.

Encourage the host chapters to make presentations for workshops

Encourage Workshop presenters to write a summary of the highlights of their

presentation, known as Workshop Recaps

The Workshop Recaps will include the name and picture of the

presenter, as well as the actual presentation (if possible), to be posted

on the district page and/or Facebook page.

This will:

o Help encourage members to take the information they

have learned back to their own chapters.

o Allow members who went to the workshop but attended

a different session scheduled at the same time, to still

receive the information.

The Road to Wisdom

Resource

Utilize the monthly meeting video conferences and VPM Facebook page to

answer any questions that come my way about the Road to Wisdom and send

them to the right resources.

Continuing Membership Education Program Database

Take down the old CMEP Database and revise it so that it aligns with the Road to

Wisdom

6

Once the new database is up and running I will contact chapters and encourage

them to submit their chapters ideas

I will work with the governors to ensure each submission aligns with the

goals in the Road to Wisdom

Advertise the CMEP database and encourage chapters to submit and use the

ideas submitted by other chapters.

Be knowledgeable of content within the CMEP database.

This will allow me to personally give chapters advice on how to effectively

implement the CMEP into their chapter.

This will allow me to be their resource and be more approachable, rather

than just sending them a link of stuff to look through.

Further Ambitions

Chapter Updates

Continue to stay engaged with chapter VPMs through the monthly VPM Video

Conferences

Get in contact with 3-4-chapter Vice Presidents for Membership a week during

the fall semester.

Agenda items for conversations would include:

o Help Vice Presidents for Membership understand the

importance of quality versus quantity during

membership recruitment.

o Get updates on chapters’ Membership Candidates (if they

have a fall class)

Where candidates are in their process, how the

rituals are going, when upcoming rituals are.

o Get updates on Continuing Membership Education

Program and see if they need any help/advice.

o Inform chapters of new colonies and facilitate

communication between chapters

o Figure out what presenting topics they would like to see

at workshops.

This will:

Allow me to cater the workshops to the

specific chapters in each area and

encourage them to attend.

Cause chapters to be more engaged in

workshop presentations.

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Dr. Richard Antoine White

Associate Professor, Tuba/Euphonium

Associate Marching Band Director

University of New Mexico

Music Department 2112

1 University Campus, Albuquerque NM 87131

April 9, 2018

Dear Committee,

Isabella Raylene Rivera, is without a doubt one of the most exciting/energetic undergraduate

students I have ever had the honor of teaching. Isabella, serves as a great example, and model

member of Kappa Kappa Psi. She meets all of my expectation and excels in every performance

and academic endeavor placed before her. Her track record has been absolutely amazing since

arriving here at The University of New Mexico in that she has achieved exceptional scholastic

and performance accomplishments. I have enjoyed my time working with her in The Spirit

Marching Band. She has served as section leader for the Spirit Marching Band from 2016-2018,

and has been an outstanding role model. I have the up most confidence that Isabella Raylene

Rivera, will play a major role in the evolution and development in education as it continues to

make advances in our society.

Isabella’s strength’s lay in the fact that for her the sky is never a limit but a mere starting point in

what ever she decides to pursue. As much as I would like to give a complete recommendation

listing both strengths and weakness with in this candidate, for this particular student I cannot list

any major issues or problems in reference to what I have seen from Isabella over the past few

academic school years’ while pursing an undergraduate degree from The University of New

Mexico.

It is with the highest recommendation that I strongly suggest that Isabella Raylene Rivera, be

considered for the position of Southwest District Vice President, as I am sure she will produce

outstanding results for both your student body and organization.

Sincerely,

Richard White

(W) 505-277-0227

(C) 812-219-117

Kappa Kappa Psi-Gamma Iota

Serving Music and Tradition Since 1954

To the Southwest District,

We are privileged to support Isabella Rivera in her application for the position of District

Vice-President of Membership. Bella has been an integral part of the Gamma Iota chapter for the

past three years. She currently holds the position of Vice-President of Programs in the chapter.

As Vice-President of Programs, Bella has actively worked to create new service projects

and opportunities for musicianship. She has worked on coordinating our first chapter recital and

incorporating service projects into our recruitment events. She also serves as the co-head of our

Ad-Hoc committee which is creating our first district bid. One thing that Bella excels at is

communicating with other brothers. She goes out of her way to meet brothers at rituals, area

workshops, and at District and National Convention. Not only does she meet brothers at these

events, she continues to communicate with them afterwards and has created strong connections

and friendships with these chapters and brothers, that we may not have accomplished otherwise.

At the 2017 National Convention, Bella served on the National Communications Team and was

recently selected to continue that work. At National Convention she was responsible for creating

content for the “Kappa Kappa Psi Presents:” podcast, and is currently responsible for creating

content for various social media channels. In addition, Bella attends as many chapter and local

fraternity events as she can, is active in participating at meetings, and it always willing to bring

up new ideas.

Aside from being actively involved in the fraternity, Bella is also the co-section leader of

the mellophone section of the Spirit Marching Band and a member of the UNM Soundpack.

Even when her schedule is full, Bella prioritizes the work of the fraternity and works hard to

support the chapter in any way she can.

We have no doubt that Bella will bring the same thought and dedication that she has

brought to our chapter to the position of District Vice-President of Membership. Therefore, we,

the Gamma Iota chapter at the University of New Mexico, officially endorse Isabella Rivera in

her application for the positon of District Vice-President of Membership.

Fraternally Submitted,

The Gamma Iota Chapter at the University of New Mexico

Marcos Fraere, Vice President For Membership

Kappa Kappa Psi – Gamma Eta

New Mexico State University

MSC 3F

NMSU Box 30001

Las Cruces, NM 88003

March 22, 2018

To whom it may concern,

My name is Lauren Keener and I am the current President of the New Mexico State

University Kappa Kappa Psi Gamma Eta Chapter. Isabella Rivera from the Gamma Iota Chapter

of Kappa Kappa Psi at the University of New Mexico is an outstanding candidate for the Vice

President for Membership position in the Southwest District due to her management skills,

commitment to Kappa Kappa Psi, and to the success of all chapters and brothers. As I am sure

you will see in her resume she exemplifies many great leadership, management and coordination

skills. This is proven in how she assisted the Founding Fathers of the Gamma Eta chapter in their

preparation for reestablishing the colony at New Mexico State University and during the three

degrees for the Alpha and Beta classes. She continues to show great support towards our newly

established colony since we are still in the stages of regaining our footing in the fraternity.

Isabella and her brothers of Gamma Iota continue to drive a 6-hour drive to Las Cruces to attend

our degrees and other events that we have had. Many of the brothers of Gamma Eta see her as a

strong driving force that allowed our chapter to reestablish and grow in a timely manner because

if it were not for her, we feel our chapter would have had a more prolonged process in

discovering how to go about the different capabilities and rituals of Kappa Kappa Psi. This is

simply due to the way that she took the initiative to always be there when questions arose even if

she was not in the same city and explained the deeper meaning behind what it is that this

fraternity stands for. Through these events it is evident that her commitment to the success of this

fraternity is a driving factor within her.

As for her commitment to the chapter outside of normal operations, she continues to

build bonds with brothers from several chapters by continually asking to get together. Whether it

is through normal means of communication or through the organization of an event where there

are bound to be several chapters, she continues to push the idea of brotherhood in order to truly

establish brotherhood across the nation. It is also felt between our chapters that she is well

knowledgeable due to her experiences at several workshops and Southwest district conventions.

Through the knowledge that she has obtained I believe she continues to exemplify all of the

standards that Kappa Kappa Psi truly stands for. She continues to be an outstanding member

throughout the organization and I hope that the information I have provided has helped you see

the many exemplary qualities that Isabella Rivera has and that you will consider her for the

position of Vice President for Membership.

Respectfully,

Lauren Keener

President of Gamma Eta Chapter

New Mexico State University

Alpha Chapter

P.O. Box 849 | Stillwater, OK 74076-0849 | Office: 405.372.2333 | Website: www.kkpsi.org

Kayla Shortnacy

2001 N. Perkins, Apt. A6

Stillwater, OK 74075

To whom it may concern,

I am extremely honored to write a letter of recommendation for Isabella Rivera

for the position of Vice President of Membership. I have known Isabella for

two years in the fraternity setting. As a member of a different chapter, I have

observed Isabella’s ability to collaborate in a team setting all while being personable. I believe she represents all five purposes of Kappa Kappa Psi.

Isabella is capable of expressing ideas in collaboration on what’s best for the overall common goal of the fraternity. She demonstrates leadership qualities

that would be beneficial for this position. She has been to many workshops, in

our district, no matter how far they are. She is committed to participating and

learning more about how to become a better leader, not only for her band

program, but for the fraternity overall.

Isabella is a leader that is dedicated and motivated. With the qualities that she

possesses, I believe Isabella will do great things and would be a wonderful

asset for the district council.

Sincerely,

Kayla Shortnacy

Kappa Kappa Psi – Alpha Chapter Historian