Category Archives: Women’s Fraternities

Sisters Helping Sisters When Times Get Tough

In 2012, the 26 National Panhellenic Conference member groups (and/or their foundations) provided almost $3 million dollars in academic scholarships to their members to pursue undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies. In addition, most of the groups fund emergency grants to members. … Continue reading

Posted in Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Epsilon Phi, Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Omicron Pi, Alpha Phi, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Alpha Sigma Tau, Alpha Xi Delta, Chi Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Gamma, Delta Phi Epsilon, Delta Zeta, Fran Favorite, Gamma Phi Beta, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Delta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, National Panhellenic Conference, Phi Mu, Phi Sigma Sigma, Pi Beta Phi, Sigma Delta Tau, Sigma Kappa, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Sorority History, Theta Phi Alpha, Women's Fraternities, Women's Fraternity History, Zeta Tau Alpha | Tagged , | Leave a comment

A Vermont Graduation Brings Thoughts of Grace and Calvin Coolidge

Being in Rutland, Vermont, mere miles away from the Coolidge Homestead in Plymouth Notch, brings thoughts of the President and First Lady who were native Vermonters. Calvin Coolidge, a Phi Gamma Delta, and Grace Goodhue Coolidge, a Pi Beta Phi, … Continue reading

Posted in Calvin Coolidge, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Phi Gamma Delta, Pi Beta Phi, Presidents | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Happy Founders’ Day, Alpha Delta Pi!

Alpha Delta Pi was founded as the Adelphean Society on May 15, 1851 at Wesleyan Female College in Macon, Georgia. In 1905, the Society changed its name to Alpha Delta Phi and installed its second chapter at Salem College in … Continue reading

Posted in Alpha Delta Pi, Founders' Day, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, National Panhellenic Conference, Sorority History, University of Texas, Wesleyan College, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Grace Coolidge, Pi Beta Phi and First Lady, Speaks!

By now, readers of this blog know that Grace Goodhue Coolidge is one of my favorite First Ladies. She was a charter member of the Vermont Beta Chapter of Pi Beta Phi and the chapter was installed in the Goodhue … Continue reading

Posted in GLO, Grace Coolidge, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Pi Beta Phi, University of Vermont, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Mary E. Gladwin, R.N., Winner of the Florence Nightingale Medal and a ΔΓ

National Nurses Week started on May 6, National Nurses Day, and it ends on May 12, Florence Nightingale’s birthday.  In 1920, Mary Elizabeth Gladwin, an 1881 initiate of Delta Gamma’s Eta Chapter, was awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal by the … Continue reading

Posted in Delta Gamma, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Notable Fraternity Women, Sorority History, University of Akron, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

On National Teacher Appreciation Day: SIUC and the AES / NPC Merger

May 7 is National Teacher Appreciation Day. In honor of Southern Illinois University’s beginnings as a teaching training institution (a/k/a normal school), I am including this segment of the history of SIUC’s fraternity system. There were three mergers which affected the … Continue reading

Posted in Alpha Gamma Delta, Association of Education Sororities, Delta Zeta, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Sigma Kappa, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Sorority History, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off

The First Fraternity House Built by Women for Women

Syracuse University has the distinction of being home to the first fraternity house owned by women.  There were no dormitories for women when Alpha Phi and Gamma Phi Beta were founded in 1872 and 1874, respectively.  In 1884, the Alpha … Continue reading

Posted in Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Phi, Gamma Phi Beta, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, National Panhellenic Conference, Sorority History, Syracuse University, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Fraternity and Sorority Magazines – Preserving History, Fostering Enthusiasm and Promulgating Lifelong Loyalty

This week, I had the opportunity to read hard copies of recently published sorority magazines.* What fun it was to turn the pages and read about some of the 26 National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) organizations! Good works are being done. … Continue reading

Posted in Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Gamma Delta Quarterly, Alpha Omicron Pi, Alpha Phi, Alpha Xi Delta, Chi Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Gamma, Delta Zeta, Gamma Phi Beta, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Ida Shaw Martin, Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Alpha Theta (magazine), Kappa Delta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, National Panhellenic Conference, Notable Sorority Women, Phi Mu, Pi Beta Phi, Sigma Kappa, Sorority History, The Anchora of Delta Gamma, The Angelos of Kappa Delta, The Arrow of Pi Beta Phi, The Eleusis of Chi Omega, The Key of Kappa Kappa Gamma, The Lyre of Alpha Chi Omega, The Quill of Alpha Xi Delta, The Themis of Zeta Tau Alpha, The Trident of Delta Delta Delta, Zeta Tau Alpha | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

May 1 – Phi Gamma Delta’s Founders’ Day and FIJI Sires and Sons Anniversary

May 1, 1848 is the date of Phi Gamma Delta’s founding. John Templeton McCarty, Samuel Beatty Wilson, James Elliott, Daniel Webster Crofts, Ellis Bailey Gregg and Naaman Fletcher – the Immortal Six – were students at Jefferson College in Canonsburg, … Continue reading

Posted in Amherst College, Calvin Coolidge, Founders' Day, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Phi Gamma Delta, Pi Beta Phi | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off

Theta Phi Alpha’s Founders’ Day and Its Connection to a Saint

Theta Phi Alpha was founded at the University of Michigan on August 30, 1912.  Its ten founders are Amelia McSweeney, Mildred M. Connely, May C. Ryan, Selma Gilday, Camilla Ryan Sutherland, Helen Ryan Quinlan, Katrina Caughey Ward, Dorothy Caughey Phalan, … Continue reading

Posted in Founders' Day, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, National Panhellenic Conference, Theta Phi Alpha, University of Michigan, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off