The Founders of Alpha Chi Omega & the first eight pledges
The Founders of Alpha Chi Omega & the first eight pledges
Alpha Chi Omega was founded on October 15, 1885, at DePauw University, the purpose being a society “for musical and social improvement and to assist in the furthering of the course of art.” Our seven founders are Anna Allen, Nellie Gamble, Estelle Leonard, Bertha Deniston, Bessie Grooms, Olive Burnett, and Amy DuBois.
The first title the organization went by was Alpha Kai Omega . "Alpha" was chosen because our founders were forming the first fraternity in the School of Music; therefore, it seemed fitting to use the first letter of the Greek Alphabet. It was suggested that they might possibly be founding the last such fraternity, so "Omega" seemed appropriate. "Kai", meaning "and", was added to form "Alpha Kai Omega" - the beginning and the end. “Kai” was changed to “Chi” when the badge was designed.
The women chose the fraternity’s colors of scarlet red and olive green because of the maple leaves they saw on the campus lawn. In the following months a motto was a chosen, “Ye daughters of Music, come up higher,” and the first fraternity song “Alpha Prima.”
Membership was originally limited to students in the School of Music, but is now open to all undergraduate female students meeting our National Membership Criteria. Alpha Chi Omega has over 180,000 members located throughout the world. There are over 130 collegiate chapters on college and university campuses throughout the United States.
Quick Facts about Delta Epsilon
Location:
Southeast Missouri State University
Chapter Founding: April 25, 1958
Flower: Red Carnation
Colors: Scarlet Red and Olive Green
Motto: "Together Let Us Seek the Heights"
Symbol: The Lyre
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Due to the fraternity’s musical interest, the lyre was chosen as our symbol and badge because it was the first musical instrument played by the Greek gods on Mt. Olympus. The golden lyre has 22 miniature pearls and is worn by only initiated members. |
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New members wear a stick pin that is diamond-shaped with the top half enameled in scarlet and the bottom in olive green. It bears the lyre in gold across its face. |
Alpha Chi Omega’s flower is the
red carnation, exemplifying the fraternity’s colors and symbolizing our
sisterhood.
The Alpha Chi Omega
coat of arms is composed of a square shield, a crest, and a scroll. The
shield is red, cut by a bar of olive green. The first section of the shield
displays an open book in gold; at the base is a sheaf of wheat, also in
gold. The bar pictures three white stars. The crest, a lyre bird, is in
its natural color. At the bottom is the scroll bearing the Greek words of
our open motto, "Together, let us seek the heights."