In 2010, Amy Poehler’s sitcom Parks and Rec introduced a new holiday. Observed on February 13th each year, Galentines’ Day celebrates women uplifting each other.
This year, SDT has extra cause to celebrate Galentines’ Day:An active effort is underway to reestablish our Tau chapter at the University of Texas! As we reintroduce Tau, we’re highlighting some of Tau’s shining stars.
Past National President, sister Mardi Kunik (Tau–Texas) offered important context for Tau’s role in the organization.
“Texas was one of the first southern schools to become a member of SDT,” Mardi said. “At the time, all members were Jewish and until the late 90’s a separate recruitment was held for the Jewish women.”
Mardi said Tau sisters provided “a certain kind of diversity” to the organization as southern women. She emphasized the importance of reestablishing Tau for future women at UT to have access to the same opportunities.
“I am very excited to help in any way to bring back the Tau chapter,” she said. “My experience at Tau taught me how to be organized, how to deal with people and how to set and accomplish goals.”
Mardi is the current President of the SDT Capital Corporation, and her volunteerism dates back to her first year as a collegian. She was a Panhellenic Representative, a chapter Executive Board member, Chapter President, and Panhellenic Treasurer. Mardi also served as a chapter advisor, housing corporation chairman, bylaws chair, and National Vice President before her presidency.
“I have so many fond memories of my time at UT and can’t wait to share them with the newest members,” Mardi said, amidst a barrage of happy photos and memories.
The current chapter of Tau’s story starts with sister Helaine Goldman Wolf (Tau–Texas), who served as an advisor in the past for the National Organization. She is the Family and Development Director of Hillel on campus at Texas.
In January 2024, collegian Paisley Porter worked at the front desk of Hillel. She talked with friends about Jewish women needing another space on campus. Helaine overheard and introduced the opportunity for Paisley to advocate for Tau’s return. “I joked that if I was given the support, I would do it, thinking it was just a passing conversation,” Paisley said. “SDT really has become a passion project for me.”
A few days later, Helaine introduced Paisley to more Tau alumnae and the “Lapis Ladies” interest group formed. Paisley became President of the group and began the process of recruiting more like-minded Jewish women to revitalize Tau.
Paisley connected with Naomi Levine, another collegian at UT, and the collegians worked tirelessly to breathe life back into Tau. As of December 2024, the University Panhellenic Council at Texas voted in favor of SDT’s return to campus.
The interest group is currently recruiting founding sisters!
Flanked by devout alumnae from Tau’s history, Paisley, Naomi, and the other collegians feel empowered to develop a radiant and long-lasting iteration of Tau.
Sister Randi Shade (Tau–Texas) is one such alumna. As a collegian, Randi was the Chapter President and the President of Student Government at UT. She is the current President of the Texas Sigma Delta Tau Educational Foundation, which supports Tau and Jewish life at UT, and has for more than fifty years.
“I got so much from my time in Tau and at Texas, and I am highly motivated to pay it forward,” Randi said. “I feel very fortunate to have the chance to help the outstanding young women who are working so hard, and I love that it is connecting me to SDT alumnae all over the country.”
Randi’s involvement and leadership are invaluable to the current students. She helped them establish an off-campus loft space for the women to host recruitment and programming. The loft features a legacy wall of vintage Tau photos, as well as a spread of well wishes from alumnae to the current students.
In an additional show of support, the new member class of 1992 donated a couch in honor of their sister, Marnie Rose, who passed from brain cancer. “They wanted to donate the couch so she could be a part of this journey,” said Paisley.
“There were so many who came before me who made the SDT experience I enjoyed possible,” Randi said. “I am really excited for this new generation of [Texas collegians]. They are building on a strong legacy, and more importantly, they are creating an exciting new future for Tau Chapter.”
The reestablishment inspires sister Helen Gilbert (Tau–Texas) too. She had a recent reunion in Austin with her new member class, and they visited the current students in the loft.
Helen is hands-on in supporting Paisley and Naomi since the first conversation with Helaine. As a collegian at UT, Helen was the VP of the University Panhellenic Council and she was hired as a Leadership Consultant for SDT after graduation. She travelled for the sorority, and was a volunteer. She currently serves on the boards for both the Texas Parents Association and Texas Hillel.
Now, as the parent of a current UT junior, Helen has a renewed connection to the need for SDT at Texas.
“I am deeply aware of the growth of the Greek system and, more importantly, the students who are a part of the community,” Helen said. “I want the women to have the same incredible experience that I had at UT.”
Meeting the current students excited Helen even more. “We are off to an amazing start, and I cannot wait to watch the success continue,” she said.
Each woman feels a strong connection to sisters old and new. Mardi joined because her MIT mom from B’nai B’rith Girls*, Jeanette Schwartz Pincus (Tau–Texas), was a member. “I joined Tau because a very special person in my life was a member,” she said. “I felt that if SDT was the right sorority for Jeanette, it was the right sorority for me!”
Randi agreed. “I felt more at home at the SDT house than I did anywhere else,” she said. “I grew up hearing about the rich history of SDT at Texas from camp counselors, from my father who attended UT in the 1950s, and from countless friends I knew while growing up in Dallas.”
Thanks to Mardi, Randi, Helen, Helaine, and others, the future of Tau is promising.
“These women are trusting me with this legacy, which is incredibly rewarding and heartwarming,” said Paisley. “ It really instills in me and our women that this is something bigger than us and something that will impact our daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughters.”
“It is amazing to see how much support there is for bringing SDT back to Texas, specifically to build on its rich legacy and founding principles,” said Randi. “I’m certain that the Tau Chapter founders from the 1930s would be thrilled to see the Tau Chapter founders coming together now in the 2020s.”
This Galentines’ Day, here’s to continued sisterhood in Texas and throughout the country! Hug a sister, recommend a new member or two for the Tau interest group, and celebrate the legacy of SDT.
To recommend a current collegian to the Texas chapter, complete this form.
*An MIT mom for B’nai B’rith Girls is likened to a New Member Educator for a high school experience through BBYO, a nonprofit that offers teens meaningful Jewish experiences.