On Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, Tri Delta proudly welcomed 182 founding members into our brand-new Zeta Alpha Chapter at the University of Connecticut. The celebration marked the culmination of months of dedication and teamwork, bringing Tri Delta’s values of truth, self-sacrifice and friendship to life on a new campus. This milestone was made possible through the hard work and collaboration of Executive Office staff, university partners, volunteers, local alumnae and our chapter development consultants (CDCs), who all worked tirelessly from the earliest days of extension and tabling to recruitment and beyond.
Among the guests at the ceremony were Fraternity President Libby Leffler Hoaglin, California/Berkeley; Executive Board Directors Sue Snell Gorman, Michigan State, Catherine Hernandez-Blades, Louisiana/Lafayette, and Jenny Wight Keil, Michigan; Chief Engagement Officer and former Fraternity President Elizabeth Howard DiMartino, Boston; Chapter Development Consultants Sara Stjepanovic, Texas Tech, and Angelee Valdez, Pepperdine; Alumna Advisor Roxanne Rasmussen Gambill, Arizona State; Collegiate Chapter Specialist Mare Kemp Costabile, Towson; and UConn partner Jose Garcia, Coordinator for the Center for Fraternity & Sorority Development.
Sara and Angelee have served on site since the very beginning of Tri Delta’s UConn journey. Sara shared that her time at UConn deepened her love for Tri Delta and strengthened her appreciation for the volunteers and members who make our sisterhood so special. For Angelee, serving as a CDC has been deeply personal. Helping build Zeta Alpha from the ground up reminded her of her own Tri Delta experience and the lifelong connections it created.
Both women said that watching genuine friendships form among the new members has been nothing short of inspiring. For Angelee, this experience reaffirmed her desire to continue serving Tri Delta long after her CDC role ends.
“It has been so special to see the seeds we planted start to blossom into a strong and beautiful sisterhood. We can’t wait to see the future success of Zeta Alpha!” —Tri Delta’s CDCs
As Tri Delta’s newest chapter, Zeta Alpha is already filled with leaders—student ambassadors, community members and scholars—ready to live out our values and make an impact at UConn.
As you move into sisterhood, promise yourself to do your best, be kind, know you are enough and remember to love one another—and yourself.
“Those words, shared by our chapter chaplain during my own Initiation in 1994, have stayed with me ever since. When I stood on the podium watching 182 women join and bring life to our newest chapter, it felt like everything had come full circle.
“Initiation has always marked the start of something bigger—sisterhood, service and personal growth. Witnessing both Initiation and Installation for a brand-new chapter was unforgettable. Seeing history unfold and sharing those same words with our newest sisters in 2025 was humbling, inspiring and a reminder of why this Ritual matters.” —Roxanne Rasmussen Gambill, alumna advisor for Zeta Alpha Chapter
One of the biggest moments came when Libby handed the new chapter’s charter to Roxanne and passed the president’s gavel to Kim Woytach, Zeta Alpha’s first collegiate chapter president. That’s when it really clicked that this chapter was officially up and running. Other highlights included the presentation of the Kathleen Davis Nye Scholarship to Nai Duran and Katrina Hatch, as well as hearing Zeta Alpha in the chapter roll call for the very first time.
The Installation of Zeta Alpha marks the start of a new chapter for UConn and the continuation of Tri Delta’s legacy—empowering more women to lead, serve and build lifelong bonds of friendship. It’s also a reminder that our sisterhood is strong and growing. From our earliest Founders to our newest members at UConn, each woman adds to our shared story. With gratitude and excitement, we celebrate Zeta Alpha and look forward to seeing these remarkable women continue Tri Delta’s legacy on campus, in their communities and elsewhere for generations to come.
