Delta Kappa Gamma

Delta Kappa Gamma is an International society for women educators. It was founded in 1929 on the campus of the University of Texas – Austin. The founders of the organization strove to build a society that supported and promoted women of excellence in education and to bring respect to their profession. Since that time, the organization has spread worldwide, and chapters exist in all fifty states and fourteen countries.

The state of Missouri is home to over three thousand Delta Kappa Gamma members. Northeast Missouri has its own chapter. Missouri was the fourth state to join the society in 1933.

Delta Kappa Gamma exists to serve seven purposes:

* To unite women educators of the world in a genuine spiritual fellowship

* To honor women who have given distinctive service in any field of education

* To advance the professional interests and position of women in education

* To initiate, endorse, and support desirable legislation in the interest of education and of women educators

* To endow scholarships to aid outstanding women educators in pursuing graduate study and to grant fellowships to women educators from other countries

* To stimulate the personal and professional growth of members and to encourage their participation in programs of action

* To inform the members of current economic, social, political and educational issues so that they may participate effectively in a world society

In the state of Missouri, Delta Kappa Gamma awarded over $28,000 in scholarships and grants in the past year. Internationally, Delta Kappa Gamma presents an Educator’s Award every year to outstanding women authors whose work may influence the direction of education everywhere. Thirty-one scholarships are available every year to its members. Delta Kappa Gamma also supplies emergency gifts to members that sustain disasters. An annual seminar is available to members to help strengthen the leadership and management skills of educators. The organization also has a program where they provide fellowships to teachers in war-torn countries. These women are given the opportunity to pursue education in the United States and Canada. Most recently, Delta Kappa Gamma has partnered with UNICEF to provide funding for teacher training in Afghanistan. Under the Taliban regime, girls are barred from the classroom and most teachers are unable to work. Delta Kappa Gamma is currently working to improve the education of children in the area and improve the lives of the educators.