The Iota Beta Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi and Theta Gamma Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma celebrated their 30th year anniversary of being chartered at Alcorn State University (ASU) during the 2019 Homecoming festivities.
Kappa Kappa Psi Fraternity and Tau Beta Sigma Sorority are national honorary band societies for college and university band members in the United States. They operate primarily as a student service and leadership recognition society whose chief aim is to assist the university’s band. The goals are not only to provide the band with organized and concentrated service activities, but to give their membership valid and wholesome experiences in organization, leadership, and social contacts. The honorary nature of membership is based on the premise that it is an honor to be selected to serve this band, its department of music, its sponsoring institution, and the cause of band music in the nation’s colleges and universities.
On February 4, 1989, the Iota Beta Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi and the Theta Gamma Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma was chartered on the campus of ASU. At Alcorn, the Kappa Kappa Psi charter members consisted of 22 males while the Tau Beta Sigma charter members consisted of approximately 15 females. Dr. Wandra Arrington, charter member and Assistant Professor of Agriculture at Alcorn State University stated, “It was a great accomplishment to establish these organizations at Alcorn. It took a lot of paperwork, service projects and training to complete the requirements but the hard work and dedication still shows 30 years later.”
During the 2019 Homecoming week, Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma celebrated their 30th year anniversary at Alcorn by organizing several service projects including, giving scholarships, purchasing water for the entire season and donating to the return of the Purple Flashers. On October 11, 2019, these organizations gave four scholarships to provide financial support to outstanding band students while commemorating the members who have passed on. The alumni members started the Iota Beta and Theta Gamma Memorial scholarships in 2016, which were originally for upperclassmen but now are given to eligible Freshmen.
This year’s upperclassmen recipients were Isis Tucker and Willie Willis, while Morrisa Bias and Vincent Bonds are the first Freshmen recipients of the Memorial scholarship. On Saturday, October 12, 2019, the Iota Beta and Theta Gamma members concluded their celebration with a reunion tailgate party. Ralph Holloway, Iota Beta Life Member, stated, “We were able to reunite different eras of the chapters and fellowship with one another in the spirit of brotherly and sisterly love while supporting the Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite Marching Band. It is always a special moment when you can break bread with your charter members and membership class at the same time.”