Scholarships Directory

The Founders Memorial Scholarships are Theta Foundation’s most prestigious awards, valued at $12,000 each. Awarded to the top four junior applicants every year, the recipients are intentionally matched with a specific founder based on their shared accomplishments and characteristics. Alice was one of the first women admitted to Indiana Asbury alongside Bettie Locke Hamilton. Education was a major focus of her life; she taught at the local one-room schoolhouse in her small farming town and eventually became principal of a high school.

The Alice Neal Clarkson Kappa Scholarship is named in honor and memory of Alice Clarkson, Alpha Mu/Missouri. The Clarkson family Theta legacy started with Charlotte Bodman Neal, Psi/Wisconsin, who was not only a member, but also served as house mother of the chapter. Her three daughters, Alice, Margaret, and Virginia, were all initiated at Kappa/Kansas. Alice continued her relationship with Theta after college through serving in numerous positions for the Kansas City Alumnae Chapter. She started this scholarship because she believed strongly in the benefits that Theta provides to young women academically and socially. Three of Alice’s children also became Thetas. Her hope for this scholarship was to help a student financially and tangibly demonstrate her love for Kappa Alpha Theta.

The Alice Neal Clarkson Alpha Mu Scholarship is named in honor and memory of Alice Clarkson, Alpha Mu/Missouri. The Clarkson family Theta legacy started with Charlotte Bodman Neal, Psi/Wisconsin, who was not only a member, but also served as house mother of the chapter. Her three daughters, Alice, Margaret, and Virginia, were all initiated at Kappa/Kansas. Alice continued her relationship with Theta after college through serving in numerous positions for the Kansas City Alumnae Chapter. She started this scholarship because she believed strongly in the benefits that Theta provides to young women academically and socially. Three of Alice’s children also became Thetas. Her hope for this scholarship was to help a student financially and tangibly demonstrate her love for Kappa Alpha Theta.

The Alicia Diane Lee Scholarship is named for Alicia Lee, Zeta Omicron/Wake Forest. Alicia and her family established this scholarship to support the dreams of Thetas pursuing higher education. Alicia herself has benefitted from Theta Foundation scholarships, so this seemed like the ideal way for her to give back. As an alumna she has volunteered for the Fraternity at the local, district, and international level and fostered life-long friendships with countless fellow Thetas she has met over the years. Alicia believes Theta is a place where you are loved regardless of who you are. She hopes recipients of this scholarship can achieve their educational goals knowing they are cherished and supported by those who came before them.

The Ann McIlrath Drake Scholarship is named for Ann Drake, Beta Omicron/Iowa. Ann established this scholarship to acknowledge and recognize the importance of her membership in Kappa Alpha Theta and the relationships she maintains to this day. She values the connections she has made with her Theta sisters and hopes to enable the same experience for women who come after her, even beyond her own chapter. Ann hopes that recipients of this scholarship “gain a lifelong sense of community and responsibility along with an index of friends and connections that they maintain even after their time in Theta.”

The Ann Wright Hart/Nashville Alumnae Chapter Scholarship is named for Ann Hart, Alpha Eta/Vanderbilt. As supporters of the Theta Foundation since its inception, the Nashville Alumnae Chapter established this scholarship to continue this support in a lasting way. Ann is recognized as the founder of the oldest charity ball in Nashville, the Bal D'Hiver. As a city with many balls and charity fundraisers, this undertaking was quite visionary, and so naming the scholarship after Ann only seemed fitting. The Nashville Alumnae Chapter hopes the scholarship will help students offset the rising cost of attending college and enable them to continue to be active, productive members of Kappa Alpha Theta.

The Alpha Gamma Golden Thetas Scholarship was created by a group of alumnae from the Alpha Gamma/Ohio State chapter, initiated between the years of 1966 and 1969. They remained close friends throughout college and into their alumnae years, joining forces to establish this scholarship to celebrate their membership as 50-year, or “golden,” Thetas. They hope that this scholarship will help active members enjoy their college experience with less financial stress, empowering them to make a difference within Theta, at Ohio State University, and beyond.

The Barbara Hackman Franklin Scholarship is named for Barbara Franklin, Beta Phi/Penn State. Barbara was one of the first women to graduate from Harvard Business School and later went on to become the 29th United States Secretary of Commerce for President George H.W. Bush. In her collegiate days, she served as president of the Beta Phi chapter. She created this scholarship to give back to Theta Foundation because she herself received a scholarship to attend Harvard Business School when they first opened their doors to women in 1962. Even though the amount was nominal, the scholarship meant the world to her at the time and served as encouragement to pursue her dreams. Barbara hopes young Thetas who receive aid from this scholarship will complete their educations and go on to become responsible leaders in our society. She will be cheering them on!

The Founders Memorial Scholarships are Theta Foundation’s most prestigious awards, valued at $12,000 each. Awarded to the top four junior applicants every year, the recipients are intentionally matched with a specific founder based on their shared accomplishments and characteristics. Bettie was the lead founder of Kappa Alpha Theta, defying conventions of the time after being denied full membership to her brother’s fraternity. Bettie was among the first women to be accepted to and attend Indiana Asbury (now DePauw University) and became a teacher after college at a school for children with developmental disabilities.

The Founders Memorial Scholarships are Theta Foundation’s most prestigious awards, valued at $12,000 each. Awarded to the top four junior applicants every year, the recipients are intentionally matched with a specific founder based on their shared accomplishments and characteristics. Bettie was known as a fierce friend and advocate for those who needed it most. She was heavily involved in charitable and community activities and had an aptitude for mathematics and science. While she started college at Indiana Asbury, she finished her education at a college in Kentucky where she established a short-lived Theta chapter.

This scholarship was established via bequest by Betty Baur Lambert, Alpha Chi/Purdue, and her husband, James. The Lambert Legacy Society, Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation’s planned giving society, is named for the Lamberts, as their bequest was critical in growing Theta Foundation’s graduate scholarship program. Their gift to Theta Foundation amounted to $1.8 million – the largest gift ever received by the Foundation. Betty attributed her 33-year business career and success to being elected president of her college chapter. She served in various positions for Theta throughout her lifetime, including on Grand Council and as Alumnae District President. Betty’s husband James also loved Theta. They were married for 35 years and shared a love of career, world travel, and the arts. He drove Betty to many district meetings and helped arrange get-togethers for Thetas. Before she passed away in 1988, Betty said, “There is no greater reward for our wonderful gift of Theta friendship for a lifetime than saying ‘thank you’ with a gift of time or money to support and carry on the legacy that we have been privileged to be a part of and enjoy.”

The Cardelucci Family Scholarship was established by Cathie Cardelucci, Beta Xi/UCLA (pictured center), and her two Theta daughters, Jessica Nugent, Eta Sigma/Chapman (pictured left), and Catherine Jara, Beta Xi/UCLA (pictured right). All three women have had amazing Theta experiences that helped shape who they are today and want that same experience for the women who will come after them. The Eta Sigma chapter at Chapman University holds a special place in their hearts. Cathie has served as an advisor for the chapter since its establishment in 2008, Jessica was part of the first new member class, and Catherine spent most of her college years attending Eta Sigma events. Cathie had the honor and privilege to initiate both of her daughters into Kappa Alpha Theta, Jessica as an undergraduate, and Catherine as an alumna. They hope this scholarship gives recipients every possible opportunity to succeed and realize their academic and personal dreams.