Robin Kassman Oral History Interview, January 23, 2020

Partial Transcript: Robin grew up in Klamath Falls, Oregon. She has grown up in a family where a lot of them attended Oregon State University. Her first term of college she attended Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT.) Transferred to Oregon State winter quarter of 1976. She lived in the dorms, in Sackett Hall.

Keywords: Klamath Falls; Oregon; Oregon Institute of Technology; Oregon State University; Sackett Hall

Partial Transcript: Robin's junior year, winter quarter she was asked to attend a dinner at Kappa Delta Sorority Alpha Kappa Chapter house. he went over and met the women and started to get a feel for greek life. She was extended a bid to membership and was initiated by the end of her junior year. She recognized that it might have been a disadvantage to not go through the greek recruitment as a freshman. She talks about how she had a normal college experience and a greek experience and that she really values that.

Keywords: Greek life; Kappa Delta; Membership; Sorority

Partial Transcript: Robin came into Oregon state with the intention of being an education major, she specifically wanted to teach physical education. She soon decided to change her major to Home Economics and she was really interested in the interior design program.

Keywords: Education; Home Economics; Interior design

Partial Transcript: Robin talks about about how tuition was a lot less in the late 1970s when she attended Oregon State. She talks about how social interactions were on campus and how they are different today. Class sizes were relatively smaller, there were no online classes, she typed all her papers, etc. A lot of the building she had classes in are still here today, such as Milam Hall. It was also easier to get into classes back then because there weren't as many students but also not as many faculty.

Keywords: Milam Hall; Social interactions; Tuition

Partial Transcript: She joined Kappa Delta Sorority Alpha Kappa Chapter in spring of 1978. Robin talks about how there were not that many opportunities to join greek life unless you went through it in the fall as a freshman. She only looked at Kappa Delta and not any other sororities because there was no other opportunities for her. She states that if she went through the whole recruitment process as a freshman she does not think she would have joined Kappa Delta. Kappa Delta was a really small chapter when she joined and they had a lot of hurdles they were still going through. She talks a lot about how the connections she made, made it all worth her decision. A whole group of women who live together and have a common goal and a common bond, and that is what really drew her in.

Keywords: Greek life; Kappa Delta

Partial Transcript: After she graduated, her Kappa Delta experience did not stop. Robin joined alumnae chapters in Corvallis and Portland. She eventually came back to Corvallis and was asked to help recolonize Alpha Kappa Chapter in 1987. She was asked by national leaders if she would be the chair of the advisory board. In 1995, she was asked to be a member of the national leadership team (NLT.) She has spoke in front of large groups of Kappa Delta's, facilitated workshops, and many other leadership opportunities.

Keywords: 1987; Alumnae Chapters; Corvallis; Kappa Delta; National Leadership Team; Recolonize

Partial Transcript: Robin talks about how one of the major differences between greek life when she was a collegian and greek life during now is that social responsibility is very different. She talks about the differences that sororities and fraternities back then did that we are not allowed to do today. She also talks about things that were posted on social media that have an impact on today's society that she did not have back then. She then turned her attention to talking about the power individuals hold when they are apart of greek life. We need to speak up and do something. She talks about her role as a advisor now and to see how things can be changed. One of Kappa Delta's platforms is confidence and that is something that allows a woman's voice to be of importance. She talks about how greek life today publicizes a lot of choices that we should not be making, but that has to do with the environment and society we live in today. She believes that greek life still brings such an important role into a collegians life and that we have the ability to change the stigma around greek life. She brings in the ritual aspect of greek life into it and how since she was a collegian we have lost a little bit of ritual, but there are so many ways we can bring it back and her role as an advisor is to figure out how to bring it back.

Keywords: Confidence; Greek Life; Kappa Delta; Oregon State; Social Responsibility; Sorority

Partial Transcript: Robin states that she values and is thankful for the lessons she has learned as a Kappa Delta member. She holds a special place in her heart for the chapter at Oregon State and as really enjoyed watching collegian woman grow up and be super successful. Robin talks about how Kappa Delta has given her so much more in her alumnae years than she ever had expected. She enjoyed her time as a collegian but being an alumnae and an advisor and a national member has allowed her to continue her Kappa Delta story. Her last piece of advice she gave was the speak out truth, do the right thing, and to always remember there is always someone watching.

Keywords: Collegian woman; Kappa Delta; Oregon state