Phi Mu ~ ΦΜ

Open Motto: "The Faith Sisters.
Mascot: The Lion "Sir Fidel"
Symbol: Quatrefoil
Colors: Rose and White
Flower: Rose Colored Carnation

Phi Mu is the second oldest women's fraternity in the nation. It was originally founded as  the secret society Philomathean Society on January 4, 1852 at Wesleyan College. It was founded by three dynamic young women who were pioneers of their time; Mary Elizabeth Myrick (Daniel), Mary Ann DuPont (Lines) and Martha Bibb Hardaway ( Redding). The came together to form this society to support and encourage one another, for friendship and sisterhood and to challenge each other academically. After many very successful years of growth and development, the Philomathean Society had achieved a lot of respect, recognition and prestige. August 1st, 1904 they were granted a charter to become a national and they adopted the Greek Letters Phi Mu. Mary Ann DuPont (Lines) was the only one of the three founders to see the Philomathean Society become Phi Mu. In 1911 Phi Mu became a proud member of the National Panhellenic Conference. There are currently 115 chapters and they boast over 175,00o collegiate members.

THE CREED OF PHI MU FRATERNITY

To lend to those less fortunate a helping hand.
To think of God as a protector and guide of us all.
To keep forever sacred the memory of those we have loved and lost.
To be to others what we would they would be to us.
To keep our lives gentle, merciful and just,
Thus being true to the womanhood of love.

To walk in the way of honor, guarding the purity of our thoughts and deeds.
Being steadfast in every duty small or large.
Believing that our given word is binding.
Striving to esteem the inner man above culture, wealth or pedigree.
Being honorable, courteous, tender,
Thus being true to the womanhood of honor.

To serve in the light of truth avoiding egotism, narrowness and scorn.
To give freely of our sympathies.
To reverence God as our Maker, striving to serve Him in all things.
To minister to the needy and unfortunate.
To practice day by day love, honor, truth.
Thus keeping true to the meaning, spirit and reality of Phi Mu. 

From the official Phi Mu website ~ www.phimu.org

The members of Phi Mu do so much to help each other, their community and the Children's Miracle Network. Phi Mu strives to raise 500,000 annually for Children's Miracle Network, which they donate to one of the 170 CMN hospitals nationwide. They contribute their time, treasure and resources to assist those in need.

Delta Delta Delta ~ ΔΔΔ

• Open Motto: "Let us steadfastly love one another."
  Mascot: Dolphin
  Jewel: Pearl
  Colors: Silver, Gold, Cerulean Blue
  Flower: Pansy

The women's fraternity Delta Delta Delta is also known as Tri Delta. It was founded in November 1888 by Sarah Ida Shaw, Eleanor Dorcas Pond,  Florence Isabelle Stewart and Isabel Morgan Breed At Boston University. During this time in history women were just starting to slowly enter the world of higher education. Many of these young women came to rely on others like them who were paving the way for a whole new generation of women. This was a time when public opinion was that women didn't need higher education because there were very few women in the workplace at this time; in fact women weren't even allowed to vote.

Although there were already three women's organizations on the Boston University campus Sarah Ida Shaw wanted to start a women's fraternity that was different from the others. It is noted on Tri Delta's Official Website  that she said to her friend Eleanor Dorcas Pond:

"Let us found a society that shall be kind alike to all and think more of a girl's inner self and character than of her personal appearance."

So the two enthusiastic friends set out to create the organization they both envisioned. They got to work writing the constitution, rituals and designing an emblem. From the very beginning these two friends pour their heart and soul into the sorority. They set a strong foundation before the official founding took place. Delta Delta Delta was also the first organization to be founded without the help of a men's fraternity. Tri Delta was not a weak struggling sorority -- instead their numbers grew and quickly surpassed a new chapter of Gamma Phi Beta. They were a strong tightly knit group of devoted sisters.

Today Delta Delta Delta has 180 Chapters (in the US and Canada) and since it's founding in 1888, it has welcomed 235,000 members into the Tri Delta Sisterhood.

As noted on the Tri Delta website their purpose is:

"THE PURPOSE OF DELTA DELTA DELTA shall be to establish a perpetual bond of friendship among its members, to develop a stronger and more womanly character, to broaden the moral and intellectual life, and to assist its members in every possible way.

IT SHALL ALSO BE THE PURPOSE OF DELTA DELTA DELTA to promote and develop mutually beneficial relationships between the Fraternity and the colleges and universities where the Fraternity has established chapters, to develop qualities of unselfish leadership among its members, and to encourage them to assume, with integrity and devotion to moral and democratic principles, the highest responsibilities of college women." 

The Tri Deltas also do all they can to help their members and to give improve their community. They volunteer their time and talents to many causes and their national philanthropy is Children's Cancer Research and they partner with St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

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Teachers work hard for our children each and everyday.  They come in early, they stay late and they spend time at home grading papers and planning lessons. Great teachers always make time for their students and parent concerns.  If your child has a caring and dedicated teacher you have probably been trying to find a way to show your appreciation. Christmas is a fantastic time to let that special teacher know how grateful you are. Don't worry, you don't have to spend a lot of money to say thank you. We have many Christmas gift ideas for you to choose from; just add a heartfelt note of thanks and it will mean so much to them! 

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Alpha XI Delta ~ AΞΔ

Open Motto: “The quill  is mightier than the sword.”
Mascot: Betxi Bear
Symbol: Quill
Colors: Double Blue and Gold
Flower: Pink Killarney Rose

 Alpha Xi Delta women's fraternity was founded April 17th, 1893 at Lombard College in Galesburg, Illinois. Ten young women at the college were seeking close friendships and wanted to form a national organization which would be dedicated to the personal growth of women. The original founders were Cora Bollinger Block, Alice Bartlett Bruner, Bertha Cook Evans, Harriett Luella McCollum, Lucy W. Gilmer, Lewie Strong Taylor, Almira Lowry Cheney, Francis Elizabeth Cheney, Eliza Drake Curtis Everton and Julia Maude Foster. Alpha Xi Delta is one of the oldest women's fraternities and was one of the 10 founding members of the National Panhellenic Conference.

Alpha Xi members are called to enrich the lives of women through sisterhood, leadership, knowledge and service. There are currently 113 chapters with over 150,000 members nationwide. They support each other through shared experience and understanding. According to the Alpha Xi Delta official website, their mission is as follows:

• Nurture unity and cooperation.
• Foster intellectual, professional, and personal growth.
• Exemplify the highest ethical conduct.
• Instill community responsibility.
• Perpetuate fraternal growth.

The Alpha Xi Delta women's fraternity let each chapter decide on what  groups or community activities they wanted to help with but on April 2,2009 they chose their official national philanthropy Autism Speaks. As their website states they have raised over 400,000 for this cause. 1 in 110 children are diagnosed with autism each year and Autism Speaks helps raised the funds needed for research and education. It also brings awareness and helps advocate for individuals with autism and their families.

Alpha Sigma Alpha ~ AΣA

Open Motto: “Aspire, Seek Attain.”
Mascot: Dot the Lady Bug
Symbol: Phoenix
Jewel: Pearl, Ruby
Colors: Crimson, Pearl White, Palm Green and Gold
Flower: Narcissus and Aster

Alpha Sigma Alpha was founded November 15, 1901 at the Virginia State Female Normal School, which is now Longwood University. During the time of its founding, higher education for women was still a highly debated topic. Because of this, many women who were enrolled in these schools sought out the commandery and support of other women facing the same obstacles. The founders of Alpha Sigma Alpha were searching for the same.

Virginia Lee Boyd-Noell, Juliette Jefferson Hudley-Gilliam, Calva Hamlet Watwon Wootton, Louise Brooks Cox- Carper and Mary Williamson-Hudley had become very good friends and i the fall of 1901 they were recruited and bid by other sororities. However, they quickly realized that this would mean the five friends would not be sorority sisters. So in November of that year they formed AΣA. Early on it was decided that only teacher's colleges or universities and colleges of education within universities.

According to the official Alpha Sigma Alpha website the sorority's purpose as stated in the charter is as follows:

“The purpose of the association shall be to cultivate friendship among its members, and in every way to create pure and elevating sentiments, to perform such deeds and to mould such opinions as will tend to elevate and ennoble womanhood in the world.”

In 1958 Alpha Sigma Alpha's philanthropic focus became aiding the mentally challenged and in 1976 the Special Olympics was named their national project. In 1990 and additional project was added:

 "The S. June Smith Center is a private non-profit agency providing early identification, education, training and therapy to infants and children in the Lancaster area with developmental disabilities and delays." via www.alphasiggmaalpha.org

Currently there are 145 Alpha Sigma Alpha chapters and over 100,00 members nationwide.

Alpha Phi ~ ΑΦ

Open Motto: “Union hand in hand.”
Mascot: Phi Bear
Symbol: Ivy Leaf
Colors: Bordeaux and Silver
Flower: Lily of the Valley and Forget Me Not

Alpha Phi is a women's fraternity that was founded at Syracuse University on September 18, 1872.  Alpha Phi was the third Greek-letter organization for women and was founded by Clara Bradley Wheeler Baker Brudette, Hattie Florence Chidester Lukens, Martha Emily Foote Crow, Ida Arabella Gilbert DeLamanter Houghton, Jane Sara Higham, Kate Elizabeth Hogoboom Gilbert, Elizabeth Grace Hubbell Shults, Rena A. Michaels Atchison, Louise Viola Shepard Hancock and Clara Sittser Williams.  These ten founders were pioneers when it came to higher education for women.

During this time in history it didn't seem necessary for women to attend colleges and universities but these women - and others like them - felt very differently. It wasn't an easy time and having the friendships and support of other women who were facing the same struggles made all the difference.

According to the Alpha Phi website their purpose is as follows:

The objectives of our Fraternity are the promotion of growth in character;
unity of feeling, sisterly affection, and social communion among our members.

In all that we do, we try to obey God's principles of justice and right. We have
banded ourselves together to improve our minds and hearts, and we seek to aid
each other through a constant watchcare always given in love.

We believe ourselves to be sincere searchers for truth.

We seek the highest ideal of womanhood, and we try to gain this
ideal by cultivating not only the power and passion for seeking
intellectual development but, also, the spirit of love and charity.

And we who are thus united are under a solemn pledge to lend
a helping hand to one another.

 ~ Constitution of Alpha Phi International Fraternity, Incorporated, Article II

Alpha Phi are innovative thinkers and they are committed to empowering women. Through the Alpha Phi Foundation they officially adopted Cardiac Care and raise funds to support programs that focus on studying the symptoms of women's heart disease, its treatment and prevention.

 Alpha Gamma Delta ~ ΑΓΔ

Open Motto: “Inspire the woman. Impact the world.”
Mascot: Squirrel
Jewel: Pearl
Colors: Red, buff and green
Flower: Red and buff rose

Alpha Gamma Delta - an international women's fraternity - was found on May 30th, 1904 at Syracuse University. The 11 founding members gather at the home of Dr. Wellesley Perry Coddington - a professor at Syracuse - who assisted in the early development of Alpha Gamma Delta. The 11 founders were; Marguerite Shepard, Estelle Shepard Beswick, Georgia Alberta Dickover, Jennie Titus Smith Morris, Ethel Evelyn Brown Distin, Grace Mosher Harter, Edith MacConnel Hickok, Mary Louise Snider, Georgia Otis Chipman, Emily Helen Butterfield and Flora Knight Mayer.

 Currently Alpha Gamma Delta has 185 chapter and over 155,000 women have become sisters since this international women's fraternity was founded.  According to the official Alpha Gamma Delta website,  purpose of the Alpha Gamma sisters is:

"To gain understanding that wisdom may be vouchsafed to me.

To develop and prize health and vigor of body.

To cultivate acquaintance with many whom I meet.

To cherish friendships with but a chosen few and to study the perfecting of those friendships.

To welcome the opportunity of contributing to the world's work in the community where I am placed because of the joy of service thereby bestowed and the talent of leadership multiplied.

To honor my home, my country, my religious faith.

To hold truth inviolable, sincerity essential, kindness invaluable.

To covet beauty in environment, manner, word and thought.

To possess high ideals and to attain somewhat unto them.

This shall be my purpose that those who know me may esteem Alpha Gamma Delta for her attainments, revere her for her purposes and love her for her Womanhood."

The Alpha Gamma Delta's are also committed to impacting the world, so they are involved in many philanthropic activities. Their focus is on diabetes aware ness and education. Because diabetes affects its members, family members and acquaintances it is cause dear to their hearts. The Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation have grants that support members and other individuals who are living with diabetes. The foundation also assists members in emergency situations and helps to enrich the community around them.

Alpha Delta Pi ~ ΑΔΠ

Open Motto: “We Live For Each Other”
Mascot: The Lion (nicknamed Alphie)
Jewel: The Diamond
Colors: Azure Blue and White
Flower: Woodland Violet

Alpha Delta Pi was founded as the Adelphean Society - on May 15th, 1851 - by Eugenia Tucker Fitzgerald. It was the first secret society for college women and was founded at Wesleyan Female College in Macon, Georgia.  Actually, an interesting fact about Wesleyan College, is that it was the first college in the world to grant degrees to women. A student's day at Wesleyan College was very structured and all the women who attended were from progressive and educated families. Eugenia Tucker enlisted the help of her dearest friends when creating this sorority; Elizabeth Williams Mitchell, Ella Pierce Turner, Octavia Andrew Rush, and Sophoronia Woodroff Drews. According to the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority website, Eugenia wrote in her diary, "The society shall be called Adelphean and shall have for its object the mental, moral, social and domestic improvement of its members."

In 1905 the Adelphean Society changed its name to Alpha Delta Phi (AΔΦ) and it later had to change again because there was already a men's fraternity of the same name at universities where they wanted to start chapters. In 1913 the organization became Alpha Delta Pi (ΑΔΦ). There are currently 140 chapters.

In 1979 Alpha Delta Pi adopted the Ronald McDonald House as the national philanthropy. Since that time they have been able to contribute over 5 million dollars to this worthy cause. In the 1983 the Alpha Delta Pi Foundation was established. This foundation was put in place, "...to provide essential resources for Alpha Delta Pi Sorority's educational, leadership and philanthropic activities which improve the lives of women and the communities they serve."

Alpha Chi Omega ~ ΑΧΩ

Open Motto: “Together let us seek the heights.”
Mascot: Butterfly
Symbol:  Grecian Lyre
Colors: Scarlet Red and Olive Green
Flower: Red Carnation

Alpha Chi Omega was founded at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana -- October 15, 1885.  In 1885 the Dean of this prestigious music school  invited seven young women to start a women's fraternity -- Anna Allen, Olive Burnett, Bertha Deniston, Amy DuBois, Nellie Gamble, Bessie Grooms and Estelle Leonard. This talented group of young women included 2 singers, 3 pianists, a composer and a cellist/ violinist/ bassist.

In the beginning, association with the music school was preferred however, the women's fraternity was never strictly a musical organization. Its members actually graduated from several departments within the university. The founders selected the greek letter A (Alpha) because it was the very first sorority started at a school of music, they chose Ω (Omega) because they believed that they would also be the last fraternity of this kind. "Kai" (meaning and) was also added but later changed to Χ (Chi).

Today there are 132 chapters of Alpha Chi Omega at colleges and universities across the country, with over 200,000 lifetime members. Currently, almost all the chapters are working to end domestic violence. They do this by volunteering at women's shelters, collecting clothing and other need supplies for women and children living in the shelters, and staffing domestic violence hotlines.

Any woman who is part of a legacy - meaning her mother, grandmother  and great-grandmother are Alpha Chi Omega members - has an excellent chance at being accepted into the organization as well. Those strong connections are very important but being a legacy doesn't necessarily guarantee membership. Also, Alumna Initiates are women who weren't Alpha Chi Omega members in college and may have graduated many years ago. Alpha Chi Omega offers these women a fantastic opportunity to be part of the organization and benefit from all the wonderful things being a part of Alpha Chi Omega, has to offer.