Photo submitted to the Times Observer Andrea Shene gave a tour of the Northern Pennsylvania Regional College to members of the Alpha Mu Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society recently. From left are Mary Pat Shattuck, Marcia Madigan, President of Alpha Mu Chapter, Gloria Werner, Alexis McAvoy, Mary Belleau, Andrea Shene, executive assistant to the president at NPRC, Meggi Brown, and Chris Allen.

The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, founded in 1929, promotes professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education. The Alpha Mu Chapter of Warren County was organized in 1956.

There are seven purposes of the society which include uniting women educators of the world in a genuine spiritual fellowship, honoring women who have given or who evidence a potential for distinctive service in any field of education and to advance the professional interest and position of women in education. The society initiates, endorses, and supports desirable legislation or other suitable endeavors in the interest of education and of women educators. Scholarships are endowed in order to aid outstanding women educators in pursuing graduate study and to grant fellowships to non-member women educators.

The society also aims to stimulate the personal and professional growth of members and to encourage their participation in appropriate programs of action along with informing members of current economic, social, political, and educational issues so that they may participate effectively in a world society.

Currently, the chapter is in the planning stages of their annual dinner and year end meeting which will be on Tuesday, April 28 at the Eagles Club. The Pennsylvania State Organization Convention is being held in Pittsburgh in mid-June.

Major projects taken on each year include awarding a scholarship to a Warren County junior or senior college student majoring in the educational field, supplying gift cards and school supplies to the new Warren County teachers each fall, and providing aid to women in war-torn countries. Staying informed and involved in the major issues affecting women, children, and education is essential to the mission of the group as well.

The Alpha Mu Chapter currently has 29 members and five women seeking membership.

The current officers are Marcia Madigan, President, Maria Palmieri, First Vice President, Alexis McAvoy, Second Vice President, Mary Belleau, Recording Secretary, April Tharp, Treasurer, and Mary Pat Shattuck, Corresponding Secretary.

In November, the Alpha Mu Chapter hosted Jennifer Madigan, Executive Director of the Kinzua Area Discovery Center. She gave an overview of the project which was in Phase I of the planning stages. In February, the women took a tour of the Northern Pennsylvania Regional College located at 300 2nd Avenue in Warren, PA. Andrea Shene, Executive Assistant to the President, welcomed the women and gave an overview of the college.