Thetas in Texas Establish the Hill Country Angels Scholarship

Like so many of you, we watched news coverage of the flooding in the Texas Hill Country on July 4, 2025, horrified by the devastation and ever-growing number of casualties being reported. In the days that followed, that horror turned into despair as we learned how many Thetas and family members of Thetas were included in those lost.

It is reported that more than 135 people lost their lives in the floods; at least 15 were either Thetas or close Theta relatives, including some of the girls—daughters, granddaughters, and nieces of Thetas—who were attending Camp Mystic or working as camp counselors at the time, as well as residents of communities along the Guadalupe River and families on vacation in the Hill Country.

The damage and loss of life brought by the floods was horrific and vast, and it quickly became clear that Thetas were overwhelmingly affected. As devastating updates continued to pour in, Thetas in Texas rallied together to come up with a way to honor those who perished and those they left behind. Together, the advisory board chair (ABC) for Alpha Theta Chapter at the University of Texas-Austin and the presidents from the Austin, Hill Country, Houston, and San Antonio Alumnae Chapters have committed to raising the funds needed to establish a scholarship through Theta Foundation, aptly named the Hill Country Angels Scholarship.

“When thinking of what support for our grieving Theta sisters might look like, and wanting to memorialize and honor the lives lost, the idea of a Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation scholarship came to mind. A scholarship could embody these new angels’ stories, allow their lights to continue to shine brightly, live on always and forever, and offer future college women an amazing opportunity to fulfill their dreams.

In times of sorrow, our compassion and empathy can be our greatest source of resilience. We vowed, as sisters, [that] we would walk together through the valley of shadows, clasping each other’s hands, holding on tightly until we emerge into brighter days. As a sisterhood coming together to build the Hill Country Angels Scholarship, we lean on our collective strength as we care for each other with open hearts, generous spirits, and steadfast support for one another.

The Hill Country landscape is forever changed; however, through the establishment of the Hill Country Angels Scholarship, we are sisters supporting sisters as we live out the true meaning of our Theta sisterhood.”
–Kimi Martin, Alpha Omicron/Oklahoma, Hill Country Alumnae Chapter president

The scholarship will honor and memorialize the lives lost on that tragic day by awarding every year in perpetuity to an undergraduate Theta with a home address in the state of Texas.

If you would like to be part of this lasting tribute, you are invited to make a donation to this special effort. Your contribution to the Hill Country Angels Scholarship will be a source of light, hope, remembrance, and enduring Theta love for the grieving families and friends.