President’s Report
Greetings!!
Omega Tau Sigma had an amazing fall semester. We started the year with a full executive team and hit the ground running. Study sessions continue to be our biggest draw, and we typically host 2-3 per week. It is a great review for upperclassman and I have heard only great things from participants. Our pledge educator initiated a Big Sibling/Little Sibling program where each week the siblings connect and either perform a task or share a fact about themselves. It has helped our club connect across classes and has given VM1s someone that they can ask for advice or talk to when they need. A part of this program is that each week, a fact about OTS is sent out, and for initiates, there will be an exam on that information that they must pass in order to be initiated. Initiation will occur at the end of the spring semester, and the initiation committee is very excited this year as “it will be the best initiation yet” so I am excited to see what they come up with! During Rush week, we hosted a school-wide scavenger hunt, general trivia, and a movie night. We had over 20 new members join during the week so we considered it a success. Other events were Halloween party and trivia at Outlaws, OTS Dog Wash at the small animal hospital, and my personal favorite, White Carnation.
Follow us on social media for photos and updates throughout the year (listed below).
Facebook: Omega Tau Sigma - Kappa Chapter
Instagram: @otskappa
Fraternally yours,
Rachel Voigt (ravoigt@iastate.edu)
Vice President’s Report
It has been a very fulfilling start to the year. Looking back at all that we were able to accomplish over the last year and a half really gives me something to be proud of! Most notably, it was extremely rewarding to see our study sessions flourish. Reminiscing back to our very first session last year, where we had 3 attendants to giving the first intro meeting in the fall with over 60 attendees was something I didn’t imagine possible. I can’t thank the members who helped Rachel and I ensure our chapter’s longevity enough! As we continue to grow our numbers, it was a goal of mine to reinstate a “pledge educator” position, so to speak, and through the assistance of Avi, we officially did just that, and I couldn’t be happier. Coming up this semester Avi and I will be working very closely to plan initiation this spring. Additionally, I have begun to start planning our annual Dr. John Greve speaker meeting, and assisting other executive members with any and all their needs!
Fraternally,
Jake Jenson (jajenson@iastate.edu)
Treasurer’s Report
We have approximately $800 in our school account and approximately $2500 in our US Bank account. Fundraisers we have completed this semester are Culvers, Dog wash, Orange leaf, and ice cream sale. We had our White Carnation formal sponsored by Scribe Note and Hills Pet Nutrition. We are very grateful for their sponsorship so we could provide this event free for members!
This spring we plan to continue fundraising to keep providing our members lunch and dinner during meetings and so we can hold social events for a low cost. We will be repeating some of our fundraisers for the spring, such as Culvers, Dog wash, Orange Leaf, and selling ice cream during lunch.
Any donations made to our club go to social events (food for volunteering or lunch/dinner meetings, Halloween party, White Carnation, and Disney Trivia), small gifts for members (stickers, keychains, and study snacks), rush week activities, and senior gifts (white coats and dinner). We sincerely thank everyone for donating to our chapter!
Fraternally yours,
Rachel Moseley (rmoseley@iastate.edu)
Social Report
We had a great semester in the fall! Our annual Halloween party with themed trivia and Dog Wash were hits with the community and members. Rush Week was full of scavenger hunts, trivia, and introductory study sessions to learn more about what OTS is about. We also started an annual winter banquet called the White Carnation! Members were able to get dressed up and be recognized for their accomplishments within the fraternity and dance the night away. It was a great way to end the semester!
Coming up in the spring semester, we are busy planning another Trivia event as well as a second Dog Wash! On Top of fun social events, We hold a monthly chapter meeting with all members that encourages connecting with students from all classes by crafts, games and activities during the meeting. We also have our hands full planning Grand Council for Fall 2025! We look forward to updating you on that future event specifically.
Service Report
Our Oaties have had a great time volunteering this past fall!
In October, we had our biannual highway cleanup to maintain our adopted highway (Riverside Drive in North Ames). We cleaned up LOTS more alcohol containers than we could count, collected a random assortment of wrappers, and disposed of a bit of roadkill. Don’t worry, gloves were required!
In November, we hosted our bi-annual blood drive with the American Red Cross to connect donors on the veterinary medicine campus with those in need. Our volunteers helped set-up, tear down, check-in donors, and keeps a steady supply of snacks for the donors!
Lastly, we spent a two days helping Reiman Gardens put on their Winter Wonderland event! In late November, we helped set up by wrapping the spiral trees at the entrance. In early December, we helped out by greeting and directing guest. A lucky few of us also helped at the s’more station.
Study Session Coordinator Report
After starting this position two years ago, the impact of the OTS-held study sessions has grown exponentially. Our student-led study sessions have significantly helped with first-year recruitment, as many students are looking for help studying and managing the rigorous course load at CVM. In addition to many of our OTS members utilizing this resource, we also have a handful of OTS students who continue to offer their time to support the classes below them by serving as tutors for these review sessions. For first and second-year students throughout the semester, we held 1 review session before each exam for each major course (Anatomy, Histology, Pathology, Microbiology, Parasitology, etc.). We also held a mock OSCE for the second-years for their surgical skills assessment. For our third-year members, we have held some study hall opportunities where third-years can study together and have space to ask questions and collaborate with the material. These study sessions have served as a great motivator for OTS membership and continue to be a valued resource for students in supporting their academic success.
Secretary’s Report
The Kappa chapter 72 members entering the spring semester. Below are the executive members for the 2024-2025 academic year, led by Dr. Eric Rowe.
President: Rachel Voigt ‘26
Elect: Alex Webster ‘27
Vice President: Jake Jenson ‘26
Secretary: Rachel Brungardt ‘26
Elect: Courtney Herman
Treasurer: Rachel Moseley ‘26
Elect: Venessa Lennon-Milian ‘27
Social Chair: Katelyn Belding ‘26
Elect: Jessica Haugen ‘27
Pledge Educator: Avinash Bevoor ‘26
Community Service Coordinator: Kelci Vashaw ‘26
Historian: Ragain Hatfield ‘26
Study Session Coordinator: Kat Dalzell ‘26, Alison Wendenhof ‘27
Social Media Chair: Riley Reynolds ‘28
VM2 Rep: Dawn Baker-Jackson, Jacki Knapp, Chloe Quin
VM1 Rep: Jozey Gump ‘28
Fraternally yours,
Rachel Brungardt ‘26
rcb19263@iastate.edu
VM1 Representative Report
Our VM1 members have all been eager to attend events hosted throughout the semester. Between participating in weekly tasks and engaging in all types of activities our group of Oaties have been quick to show their enthusiasm for this organization and looks forward to helping this chapter grow into its potential. To help with this endeavor, our class has made it a goal to document events and maintain a more active presence on social media platforms in order to keep current members and alumni more involved with all the events we’re a part of. This revamped social media role has been an exciting opportunity to showcase the impact our members make on each other and the community here at ISU. We hope that as we continue to expand this chapter these posts will help remind us of all the fun memories we’ve shared and encourage the cultivation of community so often forgotten in vet school.
Fundraising Report
We have been hard at work fundraising for our events and for Grand Council as well! We have hosted 4 new trivia events in the last year and each trivia brings in about $50 profit. We do not put them on for a profit; however, coming out with one is always a win on our end! We provide food and prizes and usually end up with 6-10 teams of 5-6 people. Our Halloween party was also a success, we profited about $40 this past year as the venue rent went up and attendance was a little lower due to high exam loads around this time. Fundraisers are listed below with the amount that we received from each. We are working hard this semester to pull money in for Grand Council, we are also reaching out to Hills, Purina, Royal Canin, Zoetis, Scribenote, etc. for sponsorship to help us to pay for Grand Council!
Fundraisers:
Jo Coffee Fundraiser: $98.34 Stethoscope Charm Fundraiser: $75.51
OTS Dog Wash: $709.10 Orange Leaf Fundraiser: $86.92
Culvers Fundraiser: $790.38
Root Beer Float Sales: $155.87
Glassware Fundraiser: $87.34
Pledge Educator
In recent months, the member educator role within OTS has grown significantly. A key highlight has been the launch of the OTS Big/Little Sibling Program, which has proven to be a great success. This initiative pairs incoming first-year veterinary students with upperclassman mentors, helping them navigate their first months of veterinary school. Additionally, pledges recently participated in a fun competition to create and submit handmade paper snowflakes, which will be used as decorations for the upcoming White Carnation Ball. There has also been a renewed focus on deepening members' connection to the rich history of OTS. This effort includes educating members about the origins of the ISU Kappa Chapter and exploring the broader significance of the OTS community. The integration of these historical elements into General Meetings and OTS-hosted events has helped foster a deeper sense of pride and belonging within the organization.
We invite you to help strengthen our chapter and ensure its longevity by donating to the cause! These donations go towards our community outreach events, rush week activities, and practically every other Kappa chapter event!
On behalf of OTS Kappa chapter, we thank you for your continued support!
Check out our OTS Merch Shop on our website!
https://www.otskappa.org/
WE ARE HOSTING!!!
Iowa State University Kappa Chapter will be hosting Grand Council 2025! The event will occur Fall 2025 and we are very excited to be hosting!
