Delta Kappa Alpha

ΔΚΑ
Founded| March 16, 1936; 87 years ago (1936-03-16)
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
Type| Professional
Affiliation| PFA
Emphasis| Cinematic arts
Scope| National
Motto| Truth in Illusion
Slogan| Cinematic Artists of Character
Colors|  Deep royal blue
Old gold
Symbol| Movie camera
Flower| White Carnation
Mascot| Dragon
Publication| CineJournal
Nickname| DeKA
Website| Official website

Delta Kappa Alpha (ΔΚΑ or DKA) is a national, gender-inclusive, professional cinematic society founded in 1936 at the USC School of Cinematic Arts in Los Angeles, California. The mission of DKA is to foster lifelong character, collaborative and creative storytelling, ethical and productive business practices, philanthropic action, and fraternal bonds by and between students of the cinematic arts.

## History[edit]

Delta Kappa Alpha was founded in 1935 as a Professional Cinematography Fraternity for men. DKA received its National Charter on March 16, 1936, in Bridge Hall of the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, California. Over 85 years later, the organization has evolved into a gender-inclusive society welcoming undergraduate and graduate students of any major who demonstrate a passion for creative collaboration in the cinematic arts.

Ten men are honored as Delta Kappa Alpha's founding members:[1]

* Allen K. Dallas
* William A. Halpern
* John W. Findlater

* Donald Fischer
* Jack H. McClelland
* Terry Bissinger
* Robert V. Rogers

* Louis Tarleton
* Robert Turner
* Peter Kinnel

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Allen K. Dallas served as the first President of Delta Kappa Alpha.

The Alpha chapter had considerable influence in its first incarnation from 1936 until the mid-1980s. The fraternity had its own office within the School of Cinematic Arts building, equivalent to the current Student Production Office in today's SCA complex.

The fraternity also held annual banquets to honor notable contributors to the cinematic arts. Film legends such as Alfred Hitchcock and Fred Astaire were inducted into the fraternity as honorary members.[2] Hollywood heavyweights such as Sophia Loren, George Cukor, and Judy Garland were known to attend these events.[3]

The fraternity was in its heyday in the 1960s and 1970s, when Dirty Dozen members George Lucas and Howard Kazanjian were among its members. There were five national chapters with a membership of 1500 in 1965.[4] However, by the mid-1980s the Alpha chapter as well as other chapters in the United States and South America had disbanded.[5] Despite no longer being on campus, USC still held a "DKA film series" of screenings from 1982 until the late 2000s at the Norris Cinema Theater on campus, drawing hour-long lines every Friday.[6][7]

All of the chapters deactivated because the national fraternity lacked an executive office, keeping it from surviving the anti-establishment period that shut down chapters and Greek organizations across the country. Former National President and National Secretary Herbert E. Farmer protected the fraternity’s history through his well-preserved archive.[citation needed] This made it possible for the fraternity to be resurrected at the University of Southern California in 2009 by Grace Lee and Hillary Levi. With the help of leading fraternity experts and consultants, the society now thrives with its overhauled and significantly improved national structure, growing expansion projects, passionate membership, and close-knit alumni.

## Present[edit]

In the spring of 2009,[8] a group of students at USC re-established the Alpha chapter. It has since grown to be the largest undergraduate student group at the School of Cinematic Arts,[9] again encompassing all divisions of study and bringing guests such as Alan Myerson,[10] John Landis,[11] and John C. McGinley (on behalf of Spread the Word to End the Word)[12] to campus as part of its DKA Speaker Series. In 2012, the national organization was revived. The first revived National Council was composed of Andy Dulman (President), Eric Foss (Vice President), and National Councilors Ryan Bartley, Arielle Zakowski, Shipra Gupta, and Flo Miniscloux. This new leadership worked diligently to create and ratify a national constitution and chapter bylaws, implement a structure for organization and growth, continuity, national identity, expansion to other campuses, and much more.

At the beginning of 2013,[13] a group of students re-established the Delta chapter at UCLA after disbanding in the 1970s. Initially as a colony in January of 2013, the Delta chapter became a fully fledged chapter in the spring of that year.

Delta Kappa Alpha chapters are organized into Resident Councils, which include the current student members of a chapter, and Graduate Councils, made up of all members who have graduated or left school. Each council of a chapter is entitled to a vote at the National Convention, which meets every two years and is the highest level of authority in the organization. The convention elects National Council members who serve as a board of directors for the society and governs between conventions. In the off-year when National Conventions are not held, a convention called "Conclave" is held. Its purpose is to further create community between the chapters and share ideas.

The national organization is made up of multiple corporations, including the Delta Kappa Alpha Foundation. The Delta Kappa Alpha Foundation was created in 2013 as a separate charitable organization. As a public, charitable, and educational foundation, the mission of the Delta Kappa Alpha Foundation is to ensure the development of philanthropic support necessary to sustain high levels of educational programming by fostering lifelong relationships and commitment to the society's ideals. The key functions of the separate organization are rooted in the idea that the foundation must provide vehicles for members to fulfill their lifelong commitment to Delta Kappa Alpha and to fellow members.

The Chief Executive Officer executes the National Council's plan and serves as a mediator between the Council and Foundation Board. The Executive Offices staff assists with implementing said plan.

Delta Kappa Alpha's national partner is SeriousFun.[14]

## Symbols[edit]

Delta Kappa Alpha's letters (DKA) stand for Dramatic, Kinematic, Aesthetic. The society's colors are deep royal blue and old gold. Its symbol is the film camera and its mascot is the dragon. Its flower is the white carnation. Delta Kappa Alpha's public slogan is "Cinematic Artists of Character" and its open motto is "Truth in Illusion". The society nickname is DeKA, meaning "ten" in Greek and representing the 10 founders and the 10 jewels of a Delta Kappa Alpha member.

## Collegiate chapters[edit]

Chapter list from the national website.[15] Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are indicated in italic.

Chapter  | Symbol  | Chartered/Range  | University  | City  | State  | Region  | Status

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Alpha | Α  | March 16, 1936–xxxx ?, 2007  | University of Southern California | Los Angeles | California | Pacific  | Active
Beta | Β  | 1949–xxxx ?, xxxx  | Boston University | Boston | Massachusetts | New England  | Active
Gamma | Γ  | 1950–xxxx ?, xxxx  | New York University | New York | New York | Mid-Atlantic  | Active
Delta | Δ  | December 6, 1953–xxxx[16] ?, xxxx  | University of California, Los Angeles | Los Angeles | California | Pacific  | Active
Epsilon | Ε  | 2010  | San Francisco State University | San Francisco | California | Pacific  | Active
Zeta | Ζ  | 2013  | Chapman University | Orange | California | Pacific  | Active
Eta | Η  | 2013  | University of California, Berkeley | Berkeley | California | Pacific  | Active
Theta | Θ  | 2013  | Loyola Marymount University | Los Angeles | California | Pacific  | Active
Iota | Ι  | 2013  | George Mason University | Fairfax | Virginia | Mid-Atlantic  | Active
Kappa | Κ  | 2013  | University of Tampa | Tampa | Florida | South Atlantic  | Active
Lambda | Λ  | 2013  | University of Texas at Austin | Austin | Texas | West South Central  | Active
Mu | Μ  | 2013–20xx ?  | Columbia University | New York | New York | Mid-Atlantic  | Inactive
Nu | Ν  | 2014–20xx ?  | American University | Washington | District of Columbia | Mid-Atlantic  | Inactive
Xi | Ξ  | 2014  | University of Miami | Miami | Florida | South Atlantic  | Active
Omicron | Ο  | 2014  | Syracuse University | Syracuse | New York | Mid-Atlantic  | Active
Pi | Π  | 2014  | Ithaca College | Ithaca | New York | Mid-Atlantic  | Active
Rho | Ρ  | 2016  | Emerson College | Boston | Massachusetts | New England  | Active
Sigma | Σ  | 2016  | University of Arizona | Tucson | Arizona | Mountain  | Active
Tau | Τ  | 2017  | Depaul University | Chicago | Illinois | Midwest  | Active
Upsilon | Υ  | 2017  | University of California, Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara | California | Pacific  | Active
Phi | Φ  | 2017  | Cornell University | Ithaca | New York | Mid-Atlantic  | Active
Chi | Χ  | 2018  | University of North Texas | Denton | Texas | West South Central  | Active
Psi | Ψ  | 2018  | Temple University | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | Mid-Atlantic  | Active
Omega | Ω  | 2021  | Pennsylvania State University | State College, Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Mid-Atlantic  | Active

## Delta Kappa Alpha dinners and honorees[edit]

Delta Kappa Alpha had an annual banquets in January/February which honored figures in the Cinema industry and presented them with honorary membership in the fraternity. Honorees include:

* 1953 Arthur Charles Miller[17]
* 1957 William A. Seiter[18]
* 1957 (November) Gene Kelly[19]
* 1958 Cecil B. Demille[20]
* 1959 George Cukor[20]
* 1961 Greer Garson and Kirk Douglas[21]
* 1963 (25th anniversary) Mary Pickford and Harold Lloyd[22]
* 1964 Gloria Swanson, Adolph Zukor, Jack Lemmon, Charles Brackett, and Billy Wilder[23][24]
* 1965 Rosalind Russell, Norman Taurog and Robert Wise[4]
* 1966 Lucille Ball, Gregory Peck and Hal Wallis[25]
* 1967 Irene Dunne and Jack Oakie[26]
* 1968 Mae West, Mervyn LeRoy and James Stewart[27]
* 1969 Conrad Hall and Kathryn Ross
* 1970 Julie Andrews and Norman Jewison[28]
* 1972 Edith Head, Alfred Hitchcock, Walter Matthau and Sidney J. Solow, president of Consolidated Film Industries[29][30]
* 1973 Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Daniel Taradash and Lester Novros[31]
* 1974 Barbara Stanwyck, Johnny Green and William Castle[32]
* 1975 Fred Astaire and Stanley Donen[33]
* 1976 Glenn Ford[34]
* 1977 Albert Whitlock[35]
* 1978 Disney's Nine Old Men[36] and Neil Simon[37]
* 1979 Russ Meyer[38]
* 2014 Herbert E. Farmer

## Additional honorary members[edit]

* 1959 John G. Frayne[39]

## See also[edit]

* Professional fraternities and sororities

## References[edit]

1. ^ "History". Archived from the original on 2014-10-29. Retrieved 2014-10-29.
2. ^ DKA Alpha chapter website[permanent dead link]
3. ^ "USC President Rufus von KleinSmid, Sophia Loren, George Cukor, and Judy Garland at a DKA event circa 1959."
4. ^ a b USC's El Rodeo Yearbook 1965 p178
5. ^ "DKA Beta chapter website". Archived from the original on 2012-03-28. Retrieved 2011-07-21.
6. ^ "Daily Trojan article, "DKA movies a Friday tradition"". Archived from the original on 2012-10-18. Retrieved 2011-07-21.
7. ^ ""Oct 2, 2007 ... Friday, DKA Film Series is showing Pirates of the Caribbean."" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 28, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
8. ^ "Delta Kappa Alpha (DKA) is the resurrected cinema fraternity..."
9. ^ [1]
10. ^ DKA Presents a Q&A with Alan Myerson
11. ^ A Question and Answer Session lead by USC’s Cinema Fraternity[permanent dead link]
12. ^ Daily Trojan article, "Spread the Word to End the Word’ comes to USC"
13. ^ "Film fraternity Delta Kappa Alpha re-established at UCLA". Daily Bruin. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
14. ^ SeriousFun
15. ^ Current Chapters
16. ^ Delta Kappa Alpha - Delta Charter signed
17. ^ Lensman to Be Honored by Fraternity
18. ^ Fraternity to Induct
19. ^ Fraternity to Honor Gene Kelly
20. ^ a b Tierney Film return set
21. ^ Greer Garson and Kirk Douglas with Awards
22. ^ America's Sweetheart remembered
23. ^ Past, Present Merge for Mutual Love of Movies
24. ^ Realistic Locales Seen Aiding Actors
25. ^ "USC Fraternity Cites 3 Film-TV Personalities". Archived from the original on 2012-11-07. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
26. ^ Hollywood Celebs Send Second String for Awards
27. ^ Nostalgia was the keynote, Mae West stole the show
28. ^ Bouquets for Notables at Film Banquet
29. ^ Film Notables Receive Honorary Tribute
30. ^ Journal of the University Film Association Vol. 24, No. 1/2, 1972
31. ^ Paul Newman joins Ingmar Bergman Cult
32. ^ Fraternity Fetes Stanwyck, Green, Castle
33. ^ Tributes to Fred
34. ^ Glen Ford's Delta Kappa Alpha Certificate
35. ^ The late Albert Whitlock was one of movie history’s most skilled illusionists.
36. ^ Chronology of the Walt Disney Company
37. ^ Lindsey, Robert (16 November 1978). "Neil Simon to Move Back to New York Part‐Time (Published 1978)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2022-12-16.
38. ^ Russ Meyer--the life and films: a biography and a comprehensive, illustrated
39. ^ Journal of the University Film Producers Vol. 11, No. 4, SUMMER, 1959

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Professional fraternities and sororities organizations and members

Currently active members of the
Professional Fraternity Association|

* Alpha Zeta
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* Phi Sigma Pi
* Phi Chi Theta

Former and formerly active members of
the Professional Fraternity Association
or its predecessors:
Professional Panhellenic Association
or Professional Interfraternity Conference|

* Alpha Delta Theta
* Alpha Delta Sigma
* Alpha Kappa Kappa
* Alpha Sigma Alpha
* Alpha Tau Delta
* Alpha Omega
* Beta Alpha Psi
* Gamma Eta Gamma
* Gamma Iota Sigma
* Delta Epsilon Iota
* Delta Sigma Delta
* Delta Psi Kappa
* Epsilon Eta Phi
* Zeta Phi Eta
* Theta Kappa Psi
* Theta Sigma Upsilon
* Theta Sigma Phi
* Iota Sigma Pi
* Kappa Alpha Pi
* Kappa Beta Pi
* Kappa Delta Epsilon
* Kappa Phi Kappa
* Nu Sigma Nu
* Xi Psi Phi
* Omicron Delta Kappa
* Omicron Nu
* Pi Lambda Theta
* Sigma Delta Chi
* Sigma Nu Phi
* Sigma Sigma Sigma
* Sigma Phi Delta (now social)
* Phi Beta Gamma
* Phi Beta Pi
* Phi Delta Delta
* Phi Delta Gamma
* Phi Delta Kappa
* Phi Delta Pi
* Phi Delta Phi (now honor society)
* Phi Epsilon Kappa
* Phi Lambda Kappa
* Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (now social)
* Phi Rho Sigma
* Phi Upsilon Omicron
* Phi Chi
* Chi Beta Phi
* Psi Omega
* Omega Tau Sigma
* Omega Upsilon Phi
* Pershing Rifles
* Scabbard and Blade
* Scarab

North American Interfraternity Conference|

* Alpha Gamma Rho
* Alpha Gamma Sigma

Active independent professional fraternities|

* Alpha Gamma Kappa
* Alpha Zeta Omega
* Alpha Eta Rho
* Alpha Iota
* Alpha Psi
* Gamma Epsilon Tau
* Delta Sigma Theta
* Delta Theta Sigma
* Delta Kappa Gamma
* Delta Kappa Phi
* Delta Phi Epsilon
* Kappa Gamma Psi
* Kappa Pi
* Nu Beta Epsilon
* Phi Sigma Gamma
* Phi Psi
* Chi Eta Phi
* Block and Bridle

Inactive independent professional fraternities|

* Aleph Yodh He
* Alpha Epsilon Iota
* Alpha Tau Sigma
* Chi Zeta Chi
* Delta Omicron Alpha
* Pi Delta Nu

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