Spreading kindness through memories and sisterhood
Kappa Alpha Theta brought members together to reflect and support one another for their memorial sisterhood event, Ladybugs & Love, to honor the life of Karlee Hughes.
Hughes was a USD student and member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She passed away in Nov. 2024 during her freshman year. Her legacy is a big part of how the chapter lives out their values.
The sisterhood event took place March 31. Members of Kappa Alpha Theta gathered to paint rocks resembling ladybugs with phrases about spreading kindness, while listening to Taylor Swift, Karlee’s favorite artist. The rocks were placed around campus in hopes to inspire everyone to be kind and keep Hughes’ memory alive.
“The ladybugs were a fun reminder that little things can really make someone’s day, and that we should pass kindness forward,” Theta president Abby Moen said. “Now, every time we see those rocks around campus, we can think ‘Karlee’s got us.”
Members associate ladybugs with Hughes after one appeared during a Taylor Swift trivia night she had planned to attend before her passing. The ladybug landed on each member, and they knew immediately that it was a sign Hughes is still with them.
Hughes’ memory not only inspires spreading kindness, but also inclusivity. Being a wheelchair user, she was able to spread awareness about accessibility for those who need accommodations.
“She has inspired us to improve accessibility in our chapter house, so all members feel comfortable and we can be accessible for other potential new members in the future,” Moen said.
Karlee’s mother and sister were in attendance, assisting the chapter in honoring her memory and supporting each other through loss.
“Having this event helped to give us the time to share in our grief and remembrance, but to also celebrate such a special person’s life,” Theta Sisterhood Chair Breana Specht said. “Being there for each other and finding a way to bond and support one another through hard times is exactly what sisterhood is all about. We are all so thankful to have Karlee as our lifelong sister.”
