Sigma State World Fellowship Committee
October, 2014
Greetings from the Sigma State World Fellowship Committee!
You are receiving this message because you are either the World Fellowship Chair or the
President of your chapter. Congratulations! Our committee wants to support you in your
service to The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International and the Wisconsin State Organization.
We are here to help!
The Sigma State World Fellowship Committee is an Educational Services committee responsible
for promoting the work of the International World Fellowship Committee. Members of the
committee are Marie Allen (Theta), Leslie Bakkum, Chair (Theta), Barb Cody (Lambda), Mary
Flierl (Chi), Pat Premo (Chi), JoAnn Stade (Chi), and Helen Van Prooyen (Gamma).
One of our committee goals this biennium is to communicate with each local chapter World
Fellowship Chair or contact person twice yearly via e-mail or personal contact. We hope you
will find the information useful and we hope that you will contact us if we can help your
chapter support the mission and vision of the World Fellowship Committee.
World Fellowships are awarded to non-member women educators in foreign countries who
wish to study in the United States or Canada. The World Fellowship Program began at the 1946
National Convention in San Francisco. Four German women educators received funds from
Delta Kappa Gamma to spend eight weeks of study and visitation in Sweden during the spring
of 1948. During the 2014-15 academic year, nineteen recipients from 17 countries will receive
grants of $4000.00 each to seek post-graduate degrees from American or Canadian universities.
Four scholars will each receive $1000.00 extensions to previous awards. Information regarding
the recipients will be available during fall 2014 when verification of enrollment is complete.
Funding for these grants is provided through tax deductible contributions directly to the
International World Fellowship Fund. At the Fall Meeting, a member asked what portion of a
donation went directly to support awards. I asked that question of Phyllis Hickey, Operation
Services Administrator at International Headquarters. This is her response:
“As of July 2011, the World Fellowship Fund now falls under the umbrella of the DKG
Supporting Corporation. The DKG Supporting Corporation is a 501 (c)(3) as designated by
the Internal Revenue Service. Contributions to the fund are tax-deductible to the fullest
extent of the law in the USA and in some other countries. It is best for a donor to write a
check out directly to the World Fellowship Fund, so there is additional back-up for the
donor that the contribution was made directly to the fund. Based on the financial report
from the 2013-2014 fiscal year for the World Fellowship Fund, .015% was spent on
administrative costs to manage the fund for the year. This includes items like postage,
credit card processing fees from donations, bank charges, insurance, and audit services.
The International World Fellowship Committee determines how many awards or
extensions are awarded each year based on the money available. The fund relies on
donations and bequests.”
The Sigma State Organization made a commitment years ago to forward a donation of fifty
cents per member annually to the World Fellowship Fund. This commitment continues today.
Last year, Sigma State sent $398.50 to support World Fellowships. Phi, Delta, Upsilon, Omicron,
and Beta Alpha chapters sent additional donations totaling $673.00. Thank you!
How can your chapter support the work of the World Fellowship Committee? Here are some
suggestions:
a. Focus the spotlight on World Fellowships at a chapter meeting. We will provide you with
brochures, a display board, and stories (with pictures) from World Fellowship recipients.
b. Ask one of your members to serve as World Fellowship Chair for your chapter. Each
chapter must submit a biennial report summarizing what your chapter has done to
support World Fellowships. So, as long as you are required to submit a report, you might
as well appoint someone to chair a committee! Amazing things can happen when you
do!
c. Adopt a recipient…we will provide you with names and contact information!
d. Send a donation from your chapter to the World Fellowship Fund, P.O. Box 1589, Austin,
Texas 78767-1589.
e. Support our Sigma State “Change for Changing the World” campaign. We will forward
your contributions directly to the World Fellowship Fund. So far, we have gleaned
$87.00 in pocket change for this campaign. Pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters add up
quickly!
Finally, from Nancy Christelle Umugwaneza, 2013-2014 recipient: “My goal is to get my
master’s degree and then go back to my country. I want to be one of the people who are eager
to see a big change in the education of disabled children. I want to work closely with the
Ministry of Education in Rwanda in order to see how we can train many teachers in special
education. I want to work as a resourceful person regarding the education of disabled children. I
will transfer the knowledge I got here in USA and use it in special schools in Rwanda. I will
promote and encourage inclusive education because this is the only way to show children with
disabilities that we consider them, they are part of our lives, and we want to include them in our
society, community and family. I know that it is not easy but nothing is impossible when you
have the will to do it.”
Your Sigma State World Fellowship Committee is ready to help you with programming,
information, and support. Please contact us if we can be of help!
Blessings,
Leslie Bakkum, Theta chapter
Wisconsin (Sigma) State World Fellowship Chair
e-mail: [email protected] phone: 608.780.1228