They sought to create an organization for women that would provide the encouragement and support that would draw women to coeducational colleges and help them attain a degree. It was with these ideals in mind that the four women founded Kappa Alpha Theta, and believed in the fraternity's strength through its members' lasting loyalty to each other and to the Fraternity ideals.

Kappa Alpha Theta is the first Greek-letter organization for women, based in part on two Fraternities with which Bettie Locke had contact; her father's, Beta Theta Pi, and Phi Gamma Delta, of which her brother was a member. Bettie had many friends in Fiji, and when one asked her to wear his badge as a token of friendship, Bettie declined; she said that because she did not know the secrets and purposes represented by his letters, she could not wear them. She did not want to wear the fraternity's pin because they would not make her a full member. This respect has been integrated into the current practices of Kappa Alpha Theta--only initiated members of the Fraternity, who know the true meaning of Theta's letters, may wear them.

Soon after its founding in January of1870 at Depauw, Bettie Locke Hamilton installed the Beta Chapter at Indiana University in May of that year. Through the years, Kappa Alpha Theta has grown to its current size of 125 college chapters, 282 alumnae groups, and more than 150,000 members.

Theta's National Philanthropy is CASA; Court-Appointed Special Advocates. CASA was started in 1977 in the state of Washington by Superior Court Judge David Soukup. He found CASA Logoit difficult to decide what to do when abused children were brought before him in the court. He wanted to help them so he began training volunteers to investigate abuse cases and learn more about each abused child. After the volunteers' investigation, that volunteer is able to fairly represent that abused child fairly in court. Kappa Alpha Theta has selected CASA as its philanthropy, and the Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation provides an annual grant (last year of $60,000) to CASA.