By Chloe Dinman
I am just as excited, if not more, about KOA after being here for a year.
I joined KOA the first semester it began. As a public policy major, I very quickly got to know others in the major because we take most of our classes together (and we aren’t the largest major). As such, some of my policy friends happened to be on the starting executive board. The second they told me they were creating a public policy fraternity, I knew I wanted to join. I was a part of a social sorority, but always wanted something more. KOA was the perfect opportunity.
Being a part of the Alpha class was such a cool experience because I got to watch KOA grow from the ground up. Since KOA was only active at two other colleges then, the executive board created almost everything from scratch. They put so much time and work into this fraternity and it is so evident in everything KOA does. We would not be anywhere close to where we are today, one year later, without them.
That first semester, I was super active. As we were just starting out, there were less events and activities than there are now, and most of them were test-runs which were neat to be a part of. I was so excited about being in the fraternity and couldn’t wait for more to come.
Before I knew it, our second semester hit. Not going to lie, last spring I was not the most active. I began an internship and unfortunately had to miss out on a lot of KOA events. It was hard to balance my time and I felt out of the loop with KOA. But, when I could come to professional development and service events, everyone was always so nice and welcoming. KOA always made me feel at home, regardless of how long I had been away. I always left feeling energized and with a smile on my face and I promised myself I’d be more active the second I could.
This semester, I am so happy to be back. Nowhere else could I simultaneously take a personalized tour of the capitol one day, and play “What Do You Meme” with rushing students the next. KOA lets me be my weird self, surrounded by others who are just as passionate (if not more!) about changing the world as I am. These people have become my role models, my friends, and my nest.
Now that we have grown so much and have a stronger framework for KOA, the fraternity is able to do so much more. People know about us around campus, enabling us to find more students from other majors who are passionate about policy. I am so excited to get back into KOA this semester, especially with our newest pledge class who just got their bids! I want them all to get as much out of the fraternity as I have and find their home. KOA is what you make of it, and I know even 40 years down the road, KOA will still be there for me. I am so ENTHUSIASTIC (get it?!) to see where we go from here!
Chloe Dinman is a junior Public Policy and American Studies major. She is a member of KOA’s Alpha Class.
