Sanjana Kumbhani
Contributing Writer
Reviving an old campus social club is no easy task, as Kappa Epsilon Zeta (KEZ) founder Adriana Hoak ’14 and other founding members discovered over the last couple years. The entire process began with Hoak working on a history project that came to transform her life and the role she plays in the Wooster community.
During her sophomore year at the College, Hoak was a member of Pi Kappa, one of the six female Greek groups on campus. It was through her role as Pi Kappa alumni chair, a job that involved connecting the old members of the group to the new, that she stumbled upon KEZ (pronounced “keys”), a Greek group that was started in 1950. After leaving Pi Kappa in 2012, Hoak began to learn more about KEZ and, as she learned, she began to feel that KEZ perfectly fit her personality and was confident others would find their place in it too.
Although the group is estimated to have died out in 1976, Hoak decided to make it her goal to bring KEZ back to campus. On Oct. 24, 2013, with the help of other women interested in the mission of the group, Hoak saw the re-charter of KEZ, the seventh currently active female social group at the College of Wooster.
KEZ’s principle is based on their three quintessential goals and values; the first being the importance of their connection with the history of Greek life at the College of Wooster. The second is the significance of mentorship that incorporates the big-little week, which is based on the idea of ‘growing up with your big sister’ and getting to know the College under her guidance and mentorship. The third is that all members of the group are required to have an activity outside the social club, either a job or a club they are a part of and are required to share their weekly experiences of that activity with their sisters during their meetings. This value is the group’s fundamental aim; to promote campus involvement and active participation.
“This is what I tell the members of the club: When you look back on your Wooster experience, KEZ should be only one aspect of it, not the sole aspect,” said Hoak.
Very impressed by the emphasis on tradition and power of women’s groups in her high school, Hoak implemented these ideas with KEZ when she became president of the club.
“It provides the girls with a safe zone, somewhere they are comfortable sharing things they would normally be uncomfortable to share,” said Hoak. “We talk about anything and everything – from personal issues to any difficulties being faced at school. For instance, KEZ helped a girl who was lost at Wooster because she felt like she was only loosely a part of a few clubs but didn’t have anything substantial under her belt apart from KEZ. We guided and advised her and now she’s found her niche on campus.”
The group plans to have three formal potential member events – more typically referred to as rush events – next year including a play performance, a night of team building activities and a speed dating event which will present a forum for potential members to get to know each other.
“We want people who are as interested in reaching out to us as we have been in reaching out to them. If they show enthusiasm, we will respond,” explains Hoak.
With its current membership at 20, including nine seniors, six juniors and five sophomores, the group is looking to add 13-15 new members to their group next semester: 10 new members between first-years and juniors and three to five seniors.
Mirroring the sentiments presented by Hoak, KEZ Vice President Hannah Levin ’14, remarks, “We enjoy and take pride in the diversity in the group. Some of us had never even seen each other on campus before KEZ and now it’s funny how we’re best friends. We’re basically a bunch of eclectic girls who have nothing in common except KEZ. We support each other in our weirdness.”