Professional Documents
Culture Documents
NEWSLETTER
INSIDE
THIS
ISSUE
PG. 6
Read all about our fantastic football
season from beating VT, making the
INTRODUCTION
ACC Championships to the Orange WRITTEN BY MEG DUNKUM
Bowl in Miami
2019-20’s Academic Year has been one crazy journey from celebrating an outstanding
football season to persevering through COVID-19 and the switch to online classes. This year’s
PG. 8
sisters have been through a lot but have grown as we face these troubling times together.
Find out how COVID-19 has
impacted our Chapter in the second
This year’s Newsletter celebrates the accomplishments of the Iota Kappa Chapter of Tau Beta
half of Spring semester.
Sigma and reminds us how important everyone’s contribution and hard work is. We have
achieved so much with everyone’s support and will continue to strive for higher goals with
PG. 14 our future endeavors, but before that, let’s look back on maybe our hardest but proudest
Ever wonder what it’s like being a
year yet together!
woman in a male dominated
group? Hear from women in TBS
and their experience with this.
Disclaimer Regarding the Iota Kappa Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma: Although this organization has members who are University of Virginia students
and may have University employees associated or engaged in its activities and affairs, the organization is not a part of or an agency of the
University. It is a separate and independent organization which is responsible for and manages its own activities and affairs. The University
does not direct, supervise or control the organization and is not responsible for the organization’s contracts, acts or omissions.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FALL 2019
Meet the Officers ………………………………………………………………………………………………..…….……. pg. 2
Iota Kappa’s Finances – Written by Jack Harington ………………………………………………….……… pg. 3
Fall Social Events – Written by Nico Barton…………………………………..………………………..…….…. pg. 3
CMB Trivia Night
CMB Smash Tournament
Fall Service Events – Written by Maria Parnell ……….……………………………..…….………….………. pg. 4
Pop Tabs
Boo Grams
Stricken Amendment – Written by Michelle Kim ………………………………………………………..…… pg. 5
Women In The Band Luncheon – Written by Avrie Sauer …………..……………………….…....….... pg. 5
UVA Football ……………………….…………………………………………………………………………….…….…..…. pg. 6
Phenomenal Football Season – Written by Seth Hoisington
Orange Bowl Game – Written by Anthony Malabad
SPRING 2020
The Big Rush – Written by Tyler Boak ………………………………………………………………………………. pg. 7
COVID-19 Hits ………………………………………………………………..………………….………………………….…. pg. 8
TBS Moving Online – Written by Jessica Moskowitz
Study Abroad Travel Effects – Written by Morgan Harrison
Spring Social Events – Written by Nico Barton ……………………………..……………………………. pg. 9
Trivia Night with KKPsi – Written by Meg Dunkum
Meet the New (Nu) Sisters: The Nu Class – Written by the Nus ………………………..…………..…. pg. 10
New Officers (Elections) ………………………………………………….…………………………………………….…. pg. 11
Sisters’ Farewell – Written by Outgoing Sisters ……………………………………………………………….... pg. 12
Our Executive Vice President, Summer Harvey, provided a great design for a Band Mom t-shirt. Providing these shirts has given us an awesome,
new way to serve the supportive moms of the CMB family. The shirts were a hit, and we’ll certainly be selling more of them in the future! We’re also
going to be looking into more and more potential merch offerings as we move into the future, including things like bumper stickers, other t-shirt designs,
and even things like branded collars and bandanas for pets. We’re always looking for inspiration, so if any chapter alumni have any ideas for products or
specific designs, please feel free to reach out to me (jph2ek@virginia.edu)!
Because of these successes, I am happy to be able to announce that our chapter budget will sport one of the largest surpluses in our chapter’s
history as we enter the summer. This is despite our greater-than-normal chapter size and busy fall semester. Financial security will help greatly as we
experiment with new activities, fundraisers, and merchandise in the fall, and I’m sure we’ll do our best to keep you all updated on everything we do to
serve the band in the upcoming year. While we cannot be certain how the next six months will pan out, if we are able to come together again in the fall,
our chapter will be better equipped than ever before to meet our goals.
Another event that TBS hosted this fall was the CMB SMASH: Crew Battles, a Super Smash Brothers Tournament. Last Spring we hosted the first CMB
SMASH and it was a big success. This year we wanted to have crew battles separate from the actual tournament. A crew battle is when two teams of 5
have 1v1 fights until one team runs out of lives. The winner of each fight takes on the next person on the enemy team with the amount of lives they had
remaining.
The Tubes won the crew battle at the CMB SMASH in spring 2019 and Lane Burgess, a third year tuba, won the individual tournament. The Tubes were the
team to beat and while they did end up winning crew battles again this year, it was not without struggle. The Horns put up an extremely tough fight and
almost won the whole tournament. The last fight between Lane Burgess and Aldo Barriente, a second year Horn, came down to the last stock (life). It will
be interesting to see how these two sections fare in future CMB SMASH tournaments.
We also had a joint social event with KKPsi in CMB Pumpkin Carving but, unfortunately the event was stormed out and we were unable to reschedule the
event due to game-week conflicts.
PAGE |4
FALL SERVICE EVENTS
WRITTEN BY MARIA PARNELL
The pop tab collection for the Ronald McDonald House is one of the most highly anticipated annual band events in the fall.
Nothing spurs healthy intersectional competition like a harmless race to collect the greatest quantity of little metal pieces, all in
the name of charity! Each year, many band members furiously collect the tabs from soda cans all year round in preparation for the
October event.
Leading up to the night the pop tabs were due, it seemed as though most sections hadn’t much cared to collect for the
competition. Bins remained mostly empty for a couple of weeks. However, this apparent apathy was actually just a misleading
strategic move; no section wanted to give away just how many pop tabs they had! The tabs were due one rainy night in late
October after marching band rehearsal, and the frenzy began at the last minute. Section members began sprinting from their cars
to frantically deposit vast quantities of aluminum before time ran out. It looked like the Piccolos might take the competition, but
in the end, the Saxophones were crowned as victorious. They had donated about one and a half bins of pop tabs, with the Piccolos
close behind. Soon later, they were rewarded with Carter Mountain apple cider doughnuts, but everyone knows the true prize for
winning: bragging rights for yet another year. Will someone eventually dethrone the Saxophones from their pop tab dynasty?
Only time will tell.
Tau Beta Sigma has also been considering ways to improve the competition in future years. The practice of saving up tabs from
year to year might be banned in order to encourage full participation from each section every year. Instead, sections would be
encouraged to donate everything they have! However, the competition was still undoubtedly a success in 2019. In total, the band
collected about four full bins of pop tabs for donation to the Ronald McDonald House. Based on the volume of the bins, that
approximates to roughly 24 gallons of pop tabs, or 113,000 pop tabs!
Boo Grams
Who doesn’t love receiving a heartwarming note from their boo right in the middle of spooky season? Every October, the CMB
receives handwritten, personalized boo grams with candy on their gameday chairs in this beloved tradition and TBS fundraiser.
However, creating over two hundred of these cute little packages requires a lot of (wo)manpower on the behalf of The Band
Sorority. This long process was a great opportunity to earn several service points, but also a perfect excuse to spend time with
sisters while bringing joy to the greater band.
What might have been a tedious process was made simpler with organization and fun. A type of assembly line was formed, with
cutting the paper, writing out the messages, packaging the messages with candy, and organizing by section, but the monotony
was broken with music and chatter. Was there enough candy? Was this person actually breaking up with her boyfriend over boo
gram, or was it a joke? Is it humanly possible for Michelle’s handwriting to get any better? What is the best method for
attempting to seal the low-quality printed mini plastic bags without spillage? With plenty of sisters filtering in and out to help out,
the job was finished in a few hours. The boo grams were later distributed by TBS sisters onto each CMB member’s gameday chair.
The next day, many band members were treated with adorable messages from those closest to them, just in time to brighten
their spirits for the Duke game!
PAGE |5
STRIKEN AMENDMENT
6.102 Amendment Stricken from Chapter Constitution
6.102
WRITTEN BY MICHELLE KIM (History & Traditions Officer)
This year our chapter decided to strike amendment 6.102 of our constitution. 6.102 stated, “Ensemble enrollment:
Active members of the Iota Kappa chapter must be enrolled in and complete one (1) spring ensemble in addition to
Marching Band. The Chapter Sponsor or Director of Bands must approve any exceptions to these requirements, such as
an auxiliary member who does not play a concert instrument.” We realized that this rule had not been followed for the
past few years, and as our chapter continues to grow, it would be too much to require members to join an ensemble
merely to fulfill this requirement. 6.102 is not required by the National Constitution of TBS, and therefore it was struck
from the chapter constitution in the Fall of 2019.
Back in November we held the Women in the Band Luncheon. This is one of our most anticipated events in the fall
semester. It is a way we connect to the community by hosting a woman in the band profession to talk to us about her
career and experiences in music. This great event helps us achieve one of our primary objectives as a sorority-- to promote
women in the band profession. This year’s speaker was Katherine Williams, the band director of Monticello High School.
The event began with a pot luck lunch provided by all of the sisters. After that, Katherine began her speech. She spoke of
what it meant to be a woman in music, a primarily male profession. She told us of the challenges she experienced in all
stages of her schooling as well as in the workforce. But most importantly, she told us of the lessons she had learned through
it all. She told us how she overcame these challenges and never let them hold her back from achieving her dreams. It was
a very empowering speech. She has led a very successful life, and it was clear she got there by staying strong, being herself,
and always looking ahead. The event ended with us getting a group photo with Katherine and thanking her for everything.
It was another great Women in the Band Luncheon that helped remind us what our sorority is all about!
PAGE |6
PHENOMENAL FOOTBALL SEASON
WRITTEN BY SETH HOISINGTON
It was the weekend before finals, but for the members of the Cavalier Marching Band and the rest of the UVA football community,
it was something completely different. The football team had fought their way through an incredible season, including an
undefeated record at Scott Stadium. However, the road to get to this point was just as exciting as the outcome. The Wahoos, led
by quarterback Bryce Perkins, led the Hoos to a 4-0 start for the first time in years. This included wins over last year’s coastal
division winner, the Pitt Panthers, and longtime rival Florida State. At this point UVA looked better than it had in decades, but
then, the Hoos hit the wall. First, they lost to highly ranked Notre Dame in an all-around poor performance by the team. Then, the
Hoos lost two division games to Miami and Louisville, two teams they beat last year. Virginia needed to win; they did just that.
After the loss to Louisville, the team snapped back, rattling off wins against UNC, GT, and Liberty, all leading up to the Tech game.
I’m sure no one reading this needs to be reminded of the 15-year losing streak that Virginia holds to rival Tech, but here the Hoos
were. Tech got off to a bad start, but had since rallied off a 7-1 record, entering the game coming off of back-to-back shutouts and
a decisive win over talented Wake Forest. But this time, the rivalry meant more. Tech had positioned themselves to take the
Coastal Division from right under Virginia’s nose with a win. Not only would the winner take the ACC Coastal crown and a trip to
the ACC Championship game, the winner would most likely get an invitation to one of the prestigious New Year’s Six bowl games:
the Orange Bowl. Everything was at stake, the Coastal Division, the Orange Bowl, and the rivalry.
The Hoos strike first. Bryce Perkins takes off on an impressive run. Touchdown. Next drive for the Hoos, Bryce Perkins
rolls off another long sprint for the endzone. Before any of the crowd knew it, the Hoos were up 13-6 at halftime. Over the ensuing
two quarters, the teams traded touchdowns. At around two minutes left with the score tied, 30-30, the Hoos drove down the field
and kicked a field goal to go up 33-30. The Hokies still had a shot on their next drive, but three consecutive sacks ended the drive
with a fumble in the endzone recovered by Virginia, giving UVA a 9-point lead to close out the game, 39-30. The streak had finally
snapped, and Virginia would take its first ACC Coastal Division title.
So there we were, the weekend before finals, on a bus down to Charlotte, North Carolina to face the undefeated Clemson
Tigers. But to the UVA football community, the game was more important than the outcome. We unloaded at a huge convention
center in downtown Charlotte to perform a pep rally for the UVA faithful in attendance. Then, we prepared for the game. The
crowd was uproarious…for Clemson. We quickly realized, before the game even started, that this was Clemson’s night. And before
long, the score reflected that too. Before halftime, the game was just about over. While UVA really showed what it could do
offensively, Clemson blew the Hoos out the water, 62-17. Yet we left with our heads held high, with the knowledge that the Orange
Bowl lied ahead.
It is the most exciting and stressful time of the year for the VPM. Two weeks of fun with sisters with two weeks of constant logistics.
Each event brings new people (yay!) and new problems (boo!). During rush, Membership Moms are like ducks swimming on a
pond, calm on the surface but paddling like crazy behind the scenes. It can be hard, but I would not trade it for anything. After the
largest class in our history, Iota Kappa did a great job coming together and inviting new friends to experience what our sisterhood
has to offer.
We started with Tie-Dye with KKPsi in the SAB, and we learned a lot of new names! Starting off with a joint event was exciting for
me because it gave us an opportunity to see who was rushing for the fraternity, and we could catch up with our brothers after a
long winter break. Next was Karaoke Night and S’mores back to back, and we got to spend two hours attempting to light a fire
while reflecting on the unique reinterpretations of great artists such as Abba, Barbie, and Spongebob Squarepants, the voices of
generations. During the weekend we spent a third of a day attempting to clean more instruments than we thought possible in a
joint service event, and before we knew it, rush was half over.
Week two featured Game Night, a midday picnic, and a good old Cookout Run. We played Quiplash, discussed physics, ate
sandwiches, played frisbee, and recalculated how many milkshakes could be ordered at Charlottesville’s favorite hangout. Formal
Tea brought some discussion and debate about superpowers, and we gave out bids on another cold day highlighted by Mr.
Malabad’s last dramatic reading from the steps of Alumni Hall.
Bid Night
PAGE |8
COVID-19 HITS
The Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel disease that originated in China and started to spread around the globe in
2019, effecting over 1.5M people in the US. Although we were able to finish Fall semester as well as the first half of Spring
semester, in mid-March, UVA, along with many other schools, decided to move academics online with some even stopping school
programs altogether. With this pandemic growing rapidly with no known cure, not only did the schools close, but also businesses,
sport events, restaurants, and many other social interactions as well. Everyone was now under lockdown in their homes, trying
to make ends meet with many families losing income and jobs while nonessential businesses were no longer operating.
COVID-19’s impact also effected the Chapter’s Spring semester for many sisters in many ways. But our Chapter has persevered
as a family to make the most of hard circumstance and finish with a
Elections presented a unique challenge as candidates needed to be moved in and out of breakout rooms, give speeches, and
respond to questions, sisters needed to be able to discuss candidates, and voting needed to occur via secret ballot – in the end,
five and a half hours elapsed before every position was filled (that’s a long time to be on a Zoom call).
Despite all of the challenges the situation we faced presented us, the sisters of Iota Kappa rallied together and continued to get
things done. The experience has taught us how to function in a new, online environment and I am confident that the chapter will
continue to thrive regardless of what the Fall semester may bring. There are still a couple of things that could not be done justice
in an online environment. For our Nu class, second and third degree as well as Special Ceremony have been postponed to the
Fall. We can’t wait to see them singing and stepping as we come together to celebrate them. But until then, we’ll see you on
Zoom!
Due to my plan to study abroad in Japan spring semester, the semester ended the way it started: with pretty much nothing.
COVID-19 caused many hardships this semester, my studying abroad trip being one of them. Because of it, I lost a lot of time with
my whole semester in Japan being cancelled. I've been working full time through it as well, which has been nerve-wracking. There
are a few positives, and some of them are my sisters at TBS, of course! Another would be that my family and loved ones are a
little nearer, but it's hard to stay positive through this, now that school and work has become far more stressful, but there's
nothing to do but look hopefully to the future!
PAGE |9
Other TBS Traditions like Secret Sister were continued this year as well. Due to the ACC tournament, we decided to push it back
to Valentines this year so we had Secret “Palentine” instead. It worked the same way as Secret Sister but we just did it in mid
February.
Next year is looking to be a great year for TBS IK social and we hope that we can continue creating great experiences for our
chapter and the CMB as a whole.
TRIVIA!
Quarantine Edition:
Tik Tok, Bread, Micro Trends.,
Binge Worthy TV Shows,
Animal Crossing, COVID-19
With everything going on with COVID, finals seemed impossible to get through. To take some stress away from finals, TBS and
KKPsi had a Trivia Night during a reading day. This was a great way to not only take your mind off finals, but also have some fun
with your friends and get to know more people from KKPsi since we hadn’t done much with them this year.
The theme for trivia was quarantine, trivia they might have gained while locked down in their houses. These categories included,
Tik Tok, Micro Trends, Binge Worthy TV Shows, Animal Crossing, and COVID-19 questions. And since everyone was stuck at home,
Zoom was used and teams were formed using break out rooms. The turn out was also good with about 15 people from both TBS
and KKPsi joining.
Most teams were fairly close with points at the end with all teams betting all their points on the last question. It was anyone’s
game at this point, but with everyone guessing the right answer, Team Wild Blue Yonder pulled out ahead of everyone winning
the title. But regardless of who won, everyone had a great time and made new friends!
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37
Brooke Cassell
Hi guys! My name is Brooke Cassell and I’m from Gate City, VA. I’m a first year psychology and (hopefully) neuroscience major with a Spanish and
Biology minor! I play clarinet in the CMB, basketball band, wind ensemble and concert band. I’m also a sister in Gamma Phi Beta sorority and I’m
pursuing my EMT certification this fall! I plan to apply to medical school after I graduate to be a trauma physician. Band takes up most of my time
but otherwise I’m interested in dancing, hanging out with friends, going hiking, and interacting with animals! When I’m not at the HSBB, you can
find me in Old Cabell, Clark, or Pav (I have an unhealthy obsession with Chick-fil-A). I’m super excited to be part of TBS because I love doing
volunteer work and being part of the band family. I can’t wait to see where my next 3 years will take me!
Mandi Gregory
Paul Bartenfeld
Hi everyone! I’m Mandi Gregory and I’ll be a second year this
Hey! I'm Paul! I am a first-year snare drum player in the
coming year. I am a trumpet player in the CMB. I’m not 100%
drumline and am majoring in Computer Science through
sure about my major yet, but I’m thinking of majoring in
the College. I also love playing drumset in basketball band
Environmental Thought & Practice and minoring in
and when I'm not losing my hearing from drumming or my
Psychology. I enjoy going to concerts, playing guitar and
eyesight from coding, you can usually find me playing
piano, and playing Pokémon and Animal Crossing in my free
video games or way too much Dungeons & Dragons.
time. Birds and kangaroos are my favorite animals.
Sabrina Shisbey
Hi! I'm Sabrina Shisbey and I am a rising 2nd year. I am in the Curry School of Education majoring in Youth and Social Innovation. I am from here,
Charlottesville Virginia, but I am still a big fan of exploring downtown, the Corner, Carter's Mountain, and other typical Cville attractions. I've
picked up tuba to play in the CMB and have grown to love the new family of tubes while simultaneously learning the new instrument. A few of
my hobbies include sleeping for more than 9 hours each night, messing around on Garage Band, persevering through puzzles, and trying new
recipes of different breads (banana and pumpkin are my favorites). I also have a huge passion for athletics and could watch basketball or softball
for hours and hours. I am excited to continue my UVA career as part of the Nu class in TBS for the next 3 years!
Kaitlyn Cue
Hi! My name is Kaity and I am a first-year in the UVA colorguard although before I began colorguard, I was a clarinet player in my middle school
band. I'm from the JMU college town of Harrisonburg but am originally from Florida so I'm used to finding snakes in the patio. I'm planning to
study biology and minor in Spanish with hopes of doing something medically related because I've always known that I want a career in helping
people. When I have nothing to do, you can find me watching the Impractical Jokers and hoping that I get to meet them one day (especially Joe).
I had a wonderful first year in the CMB and am looking forward to the next 3 with my new TBS sisters.
Fun fact: I'm Cuban and if you ever want a proper Cuban coffee to get you through the day hmu
Jade Burns
Hi sisters! My name is Jade Burns and I'm a rising second-year in the College. I’m actually a “townie” and I’m from Charlottesville. I’m interested
in studying Computer Science and other than Tau Beta Sigma, I'm involved in Sigma Psi Zeta, a social sorority, where I was recently elected to
be Philanthropy chair. I play horn for the CMB/Basketball Band, and I'm also a Copy Editor for the Cavalier Daily.
When I'm not running around doing things for extracurriculars or classes, I love sitting down with a good book! I'm an avid Harry Potter fan
and will quickly consume any YA book you give me.
Fun Fact: I’ve accidentally caught my toaster oven on fire three separate times. We no longer have a toaster oven...
P A G E | 11
CHAPTER ELECTIONS
SISTERS’ FAREWELL
As the year comes to a close, another class says farewell to the Iota Kappa Chapter, making room for our Nu Class. These
sisters have contributed to multiple years of devotion to the Iota Kappa Chapter and countless memories shared with
their sisters. They will be missed but their impact will be carried out through the Chapter’s future actions.
Now hear from these sisters on the impact TBS has had on them and how they have impacted TBS. And to all those
sisters saying farewell and moving on to pursue their future endeavors, don’t forget:
The Iota Kappa Chapter are “Friends for a lifetime, Sisters forever!”
As for me, I don't know what the future holds right now. I’m considering teaching, and I am certain that my
experience as VPSA and VPM will help me in this regard. But, no matter what I do, I know the values I learned in
TBS will allow me to seize upon an ideal and follow it wherever it may go. TBS give me the ability to grow into the
best I can be, and I can never thank my sisters enough for this.
Not only were the memories made with TBS unforgettable but the group of friends I made were exceptional. They
were supportive of my interest in weather forecasting, which prompted my line name (The Weatherman) and
later helped launch my weather blog. A lot of sisters came to the Native American Student Union’s powwow,
which I helped organize. It really meant a lot to me to see so many friendly faces there. Even in the midst of
COVID-19 and my stress over my capstone project and graduation, my sisters were still there to support me, just
as they were first year with my Powwow and my weather blog. Truly, Iota Kappa embodies “With my sisters, I am
best.”
As the present turns towards the future and I look to newer adventures, I will always remember my sisters and
the fantastic times we had together. I don’t know what the future holds for me. I am searching for work with
weather or soil science, both passions of mine that my sisters have helped me develop. Perhaps I’ll be a
weatherman just like my line name.
Whatever my future holds, I know that my sisters are still there for me. So thank you, Iota Kappa, for four great
P A G E | 13
Now hear from these sisters on the impact TBS has had on them and how they have impacted TBS. And to all those
sisters saying farewell and moving on to pursue their future endeavors, don’t forget:
The Iota Kappa Chapter are “Friends for a lifetime, Sisters forever!”
Jessica Moskowitz, Kappa Class
Recipient of the 2020 Band Heisman Award
It seems like just yesterday that Martha was dragging me to the game night rush event my first year at UVA. I can
still vividly recall the game of headbandz where I hopelessly recited “I’m smaller than a mountain, bigger than a
house, and people use me!” to no avail (I would later discover that I was an airplane). From that night on I knew
I had found a group of people who would love and support me throughout my time at UVA. TBS has given me
not only my best friend (shoutout to sister Summer), but countless other friends, memories, and an undying love
for unloading trucks that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I just graduated with my Master of Teaching in
Secondary Social Studies Education and will be working as a teacher at Fairfax High School for the 2020-21 school
year. Even though my time as an active sister and President has drawn to a close, I am so excited to see how the
chapter will continue to grow and thrive in the years to come. MOTS of love <3
On a less sappy note, I’m excited to say that I’ll be sticking around Charlottesville for another year as I finish my
master's in public health. Hopefully, if safe, I’ll see my sisters around Grounds and maybe they’ll let me crash their
TBStudies. Besides, even if I’m not an active sister, Rosie will be very disappointed if she doesn’t see her aunts in
the fall.
P A G E | 14
My band journey started off in the fifth grade, when I picked up the flute simply because it was “sparkly and
pretty.” However as the years went by, I soon realized I had become discontent with the instrument, and wanted
a bigger challenge...and when I say bigger challenge, I meant it. Literally.
So I chose the tuba. It was definitely sparkly, but it was NOT pretty. I’d sometimes empty my spit valves to uncover
a hidden Niagara Falls of “condensation” within my instrument. It was not the stereotypical ‘girly’ instrument. So,
having played tuba now for the past six years, I’ve learned a couple lessons on what it means to be a woman in
the band, specifically a tuba lady.
Sometimes, she is underestimated. Even during this time of feminist revolution, people will still tell her “You’re
too small to play tuba,” “Girls shouldn’t play such a big instrument,” “You won’t have enough air support to play,”
“You’ll never become a leader,” and so much more. These are only my experiences, but my fellow tuba ladies
have experienced random bursts of cat-calling at football games, riled up and drunk men asking “Hey, did they
run out of piccolos for you?” and on-and-on. Surprising right? We never hear about these things. However, what’s
so much worse about these situations is that, although they are so small, meaningless, and rarely occur, these are
the comments that stick.
Tau Beta Sigma’s mission statement says, “We provide exceptional service to collegiate bands and promote
equality and diversity, including empowering women in the band profession.” As a fellow sister, I am so proud of
the Iota Kappa chapter that continues to promote these values and work towards the empowerment of women
in the band everyday.
Our chapter and sorority know that a woman in the band is strong and fierce, and ready to break stereotypes. We
believe that being a piccolo doesn’t make her weak or being in the colorguard means she’s less musically talented
than the rest of her fellow marchers. We believe that she can play trumpet just as well as any man, and that
playing a low brass instrument doesn’t make her any less of a woman.
Nevertheless, from my experience, I have found that a woman in the band is sometimes scared. She wonders if
she’ll ever be able to play louder than the boys. She thinks that looking tired will make her seem weak. She fears
that if she can’t do something, then it’ll give people a reason to believe women can’t do something. Doing this
she puts herself down too often, completely unaware of the great progress she’s made and continues to make.
And so she calls herself “weak,” but she is resilient. If she feels tired, she’ll run faster, march better, and play
louder. She’s determined to do anything it takes to get better. And then one day, she becomes a leader, and she
plays louder than the boys.
P A G E | 15
When people typically think about color guard, they usually imagine a group of overly dramatic girls. Obsessed
with glitter, hair spray, and drama, the image of color guard has never been a positive one. From the various bands
and musical groups I’ve worked with, the stereotype of a girl in colorguard is nearly identical. In fact, very few
people who do not practice this art even believe it’s worth incorporating into a marching show. I remember in my
high school color guard my band director didn’t bother to hire an instructor as he didn’t think there was a point
to one. I mean, how hard is color guard really? Whether a commentary on color guard itself or simply on a female-
dominated environment, this is a problematic mindset many women must deal with. Female dominated
environments often hold negative stereotypes; this is not just a problem with color guard. Cheerleading and
dance; there are even entire TV shows dedicated to mocking and reinforcing the cliche of female groups! Now, I
don’t want to completely go into the mechanics and psychology of why this is so in this brief article (there are
entire classes and majors dedicated to that). Instead, I would like to comment on how this is seen and felt, through
my own experiences, by female members of a color guard.
In the various bands I’ve worked in, I’ve frequently heard the comment, “Does guard even do anything? I never
see any of you do anything.” This is perhaps one of the most frustrating beliefs propagated about color guard.
Usually, our practices are held away from the rest of the band and our drill positions are typically behind the band
as it creates a better visual effect. Due to this, many don’t see all the hard work put into our craft. Color guard can
be incredibly difficult and it demands a lot from all who practice it; therefore, it’s immensely upsetting when
comments on a lack of work are made against color guard members. Another similar idea I’ve heard is the
pointlessness of color guard in marching shows. I’ve heard this from a myriad of different people including
members of bands, people who view the marching shows, and even judges from high school competitions. Not
only is this an undermining statement, it’s also entirely untrue. This is something I’ve had to convince myself of;
color guard is absolutely worth every moment. It adds a certain beauty and expression to every show; color guard
lifts marching band from a purely musical expression to a complete artistic piece. The experience of working in
color guard has been a difficult road; it is not a hobby for the apathetic.
How different is color guard from other sections? We play in the same shows, we go to the same band camp, and
we practice just as much (if not more) than other sections in the band. So why are these stereotypes typically only
applied to the color guard? This is where the nature of a traditionally female-dominated section comes into play.
Sure, flutes, clarinets, and piccolos have many female members and they have their own separate stereotypes.
However, color guard is a section where typically female hobbies are more common, such as makeup and dancing.
For these reasons, it’s easier to ridicule and caricaturize our section. Thus color guard carries the negative
stereotypes associated with traditionally ‘girly’ traits. Being in a female-dominated section is not a bad thing,
rather it was the best decision I’ve ever made.
P A G E | 16
The year is 2020, and the chapter is all at home. The coronavirus outbreak that you remember from
when you were little has taken our close-knit chapter and spread us apart. This distance does not
break the bonds of sisterhood we share, and the gap of time should not diminish the bond between
us and you.
Being apart provides a time of reflection. For the graduating sisters, careers in the band and as active
sisters have been cut short unexpectedly. It has left a feeling of what we would have done with our
final months. Iota Kappa has been a small chapter for most of its history. The graduating class contains
three sisters of the Kappa class and a Lambda as well. When they joined, the chapter numbered in
the teens, but a closer group of friends has never existed. Unfortunately, these things do not last
forever, and in 2019, the chapter was graduating half of its active membership which sat at only
fifteen. Through hard work, the chapter more than doubled in size with its largest ever, the Mus, of
which there were seventeen. This year, eight Nus are joining us in the bonds of sisterhood. It is their
chapter now, and the time has come to move on for the graduating class. Losing the final semester of
college brings regrets into sharp focus. There is nothing left to do, and speaking for just one graduating
sister, I just hope I did enough to leave the chapter better than I found it.
I hope the Kappas and Lambdas have left the chapter better for the Mus, and I hope we have prepared
them to make it even better. I will not be able to know for sure. When you leave the university, it is
as if you are in a car driving away from home. At first, the picture in the rearview mirror is distinct,
but the details fade with distance. It happens sooner than expected. Most of us will probably never
meet you all face to face. We will not know what became of the group which was once the most
important part of our lives, but you can know.
Right now, our chapter organizes the band trivia night as well as a Super Smash Bros Tournament and
a Basketball tournament. We have helped Girl Scouts earn their musicianship badges, and for the
band, we unload more trucks than I ever thought I would. The band has 327 members, but the
catchphrase is still #320allin (do you still use hashtags?). I would guess your events have changed, but
the spirit should still remain. The spirit of sisterhood and service we strove to create in Iota Kappa is
something I hope never dies.
When you read this letter, I want you to think about what we gave to you, and use that to inspire you
to create a better chapter. Think about what the chapter of 2050 would look like, and make sure it is
a picture you create. Even with time in between, Iota Kappa is one sisterhood in the bond, and we
will forever be “Friends for a Lifetime, Sisters Forever!”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank you everyone who wrote for this issue of In The Know especially people who wrote
more than one article. Thank you also to all the current and old members of the Iota Kappa
Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma. This Newsletter couldn’t be created without the memories and
dedication that you have put towards this organization. I’m proud of everything we’ve
accomplished this year despite the challenges we’ve faced, and I can’t wait for what the next
issue has in store for us!