K‎‎‎‎‏‏‎‎A‏‏‎P‏‏‎‎P‏‏‎‎A    A‏‏‎LP‏‏‎H‏‏‎A    T‏‏‎H‏‏‎E‏‏‎T‏‏A

My name is Michelle Peng, and I am the President of the Zeta Mu chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta at MIT! I am honored to be taking on this role and am so excited to be working along such a thoughtful and driven Executive Board. Theta is more than just a community to me; over the past two and a half years, the people in Theta have become my support system, my role models, the ones I turn to for advice, the people I confide in, and the friends I share both everyday moments and celebrations with. Theta has made MIT truly feel like home, and I’m grateful for the chance to give back to a community that’s shaped me in so many ways.

Kappa Alpha Theta’s mission is to lead every member to personal excellence through lifelong sisterhood, and our chapter’s values guide the initiatives we pursue to uphold that mission. At the heart of our chapter are four values that shape everything we do:

1. Scholarship.

One of the things I love most about our chapter is the diversity of academic interests represented across so many different majors at MIT. My favorite part about living in the house is coming back after class and hearing about what people learned or worked on that day. The conversations can range from filming a short video for a media studies class to conducting MRI research on the human brain or 3D-printing a new material for a biomedical device.

The academic accomplishments within the Zeta Mu chapter are endless. On recent sister dates, I’ve gotten to hear about just a few of the many incredible things sisters are accomplishing. For example, Sherry Zhang ‘29 was recently accepted into the Laidlaw Scholars Program and Maddy Noll ‘28 was accepted as a Burchard Scholar, Greta Lawler ‘27 received the Jeffrey L. Pressman Award for her passion in U.S. politics, and Divya Rajaraman ’27 won the Undergraduate Award at the Mechanical Engineering Research Exhibition. Thetas also extend these academic passions globally by participating in programs like MISTI and GTL.

2. Service.

Service and philanthropy are central to the Zeta Mu chapter, and our members are deeply committed to supporting the organizations we partner with. Over the past two fall semesters, we have raised more than $5,000 for our national philanthropy, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), through our fall event, Theta Haunted House. Theta Haunted House, along with our main spring philanthropy event, Grill Off, are two of my favorite Theta events each year. Grill Off is an event we host where organizations from across campus compete to make and sell the best/most burgers, and in Spring 2025 we raised over $18,000! It is so meaningful to see our chapter come together not only to give back to these organizations but also to share their mission with the broader MIT community.

Our members also participate in various community service opportunities both on and off campus. Just recently, a group of Thetas volunteered at The Boston House, an organization that provides homemade dinners to families whose children are undergoing cancer treatment at nearby hospitals. Over the past year, service events have also included handing out water at the Cambridge Half Marathon (where we also got to cheer on Thetas who were running), volunteering at a Boston Red Sox game, picking up trash along the Charles River, and making holiday cards for hospitalized children. Thetas are also individually involved in service organizations across campus and the broader community, including Camp Kesem, Little Beavers, MIT EMS, Amphibious Achievement, Boston Partners in Education, and volunteer work at hospitals such as Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital.

3. Leadership.

The Thetas in the Zeta Mu chapter are strong leaders across campus, taking on leadership roles in their academic fields, extracurriculars, clubs, and varsity sports teams and making a meaningful impact in each of these spaces. It is incredibly inspiring to see sisters holding leadership positions across various organizations, including the Undergraduate Association, Sloan Business Club, MIT Consulting Group, the Society of Women Engineers, Brass Rat Investments, Rocket Team, MINCE, Engineers Without Borders, Asian American Association, Chinese Students Club, and more (truly too many to list!). Additionally, Thetas are leaders across MIT Athletics, currently (as of Spring 2026) serving as team captains for 10 out of the 15 MIT Women’s Varsity Sports teams: Soccer, Volleyball, Swim and Dive, Openweight Crew, Lightweight Crew, Basketball, Tennis, Track and Field, Lacrosse, and Field Hockey. As president of the Zeta Mu chapter, I am proud to be surrounded by sisters who continually push themselves to lead in the spaces they are most passionate about.

4. Friendship.

When it comes to friendship in Theta, I do not think my writing can fully capture the depth and nuances of the relationships I share with the women in this chapter. These are the people I laugh with, study with, cry with, obsess over TV shows and new music releases with, cook with, and have late-night conversations with about random philosophical thoughts. They are the people I have explored Boston with, celebrated the little wins with, and turned to for life and career advice when I needed it most. As freshmen, we all go into recruitment unsure of how sorority life and Panhel will shape our college experience. Looking back, I know my freshman self would be very happy to see where I have ended up. I have found lifelong friends here, and I am deeply grateful for the connections and support that will stay with me far beyond my time at MIT.

Theta Love and Mine,

Michelle Peng, President