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Alpha Gamma Delta (), also known as Alpha Gam, is an international women's fraternity and social organization. It was founded on May 30, 1904, by eleven female students at
Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...
in
Syracuse, New York Syracuse ( ) is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, Onondaga County, New York, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in the state of New York following New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffa ...
, making it the youngest member of the
Syracuse Triad The Syracuse Triad is the name given to the three women's sororities founded at Syracuse University in the USA. Alpha Phi was founded in 1872 by 10 of the original 20 women admitted into the university. Gamma Phi Beta was founded in 1874 and with i ...
of North American social sororities, along with
Gamma Phi Beta Gamma Phi Beta (, also known as GPhi or Gamma Phi) is an international college sorority. It was founded in Syracuse University in 1874, and was the first of the Greek organizations to call itself a sorority. The main archive URL iThe Baird's Man ...
and
Alpha Phi Alpha Phi International Women's Fraternity (, also known as APhi) is an international sorority with 172 active chapters and over 250,000 initiated members. Founded at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York on September 18, 1872, it is the fou ...
. Since then, Alpha Gamma Delta has, initiated over 201,000 members and has 199 installed collegiate chapters and more than 250 alumnae groups. The main archive URL i
The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage
The fraternity provides various social, academic, leadership, and community service opportunities for collegiate members and alumnae. Throughout the organization's history, it has sponsored charities and causes via grants, scholarships, and volunteer hours. Its current initiative is a fight against hunger, for which it has partnered with the nonprofit organizations
Feeding America Feeding America is a United States–based nonprofit organization that is a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks that feed more than 46 million people through food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other community-based agencies. ...
and
Meals on Wheels Meals on Wheels is a programme that delivers meals to individuals at home who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals. The name is often used generically to refer to home-delivered meals programmes, not all of which are actually named ...
. Alpha Gamma Delta is one of 26 North American sororities that are members of the
National Panhellenic Conference The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) is an umbrella organization for 26 (inter)national women's Fraternities and sororities, sororities throughout the United States and Canada. Each member group is autonomous as a social, Greek alphabet#Use ...
, an umbrella organization. Alpha Gamma Delta's international headquarters is located in
Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
, Indiana.


History


Founding

In 1904, efforts to introduce a new women's fraternity at Syracuse University began from eleven women and Dr. Wellesley Perry Coddington, a professor at the university who encouraged his students to form new fraternities and was instrumental in the early development of Alpha Gamma Delta. In May of that year, the founding women chose the fraternity's colors, motto, and badge. Alpha Gamma Delta was officially founded on May 30, 1904, at Dr. Coddington's home with eleven founders: * Ethel Evelyn Brown Distin * Flora Knight Mayer * Georgia Alberta Dickover * Estelle Shepard Beswick *
Emily Helen Butterfield Emily Helen Butterfield (August 4, 1884, Algonac, Michigan – March 22, 1958, Neebish Island) was a pioneer in the Michigan women's movement. She was Michigan's first licensed female architect, one of the founders of the Alpha Gamma Delta soro ...
* Edith MacConnell Hickok * Georgia Otis Chipman * Grace Mosher Harter * Mary Louise Snider * Jennie Titus Smith Morris * Marguerite Shepard. At the founding, its constitution and bylaws were read and adopted, and suggestions for a ritual were made. Jennie Titus was elected as the first president. Unlike many other groups founded at the time, Alpha Gamma Delta was founded as a US-wide women's fraternity rather than a local fraternity or literary or professional society, refusing an offer to join one of the other two US-wide women's fraternities on campus. The organization's official designation as a fraternity rather than a sorority derives from an early advisor who noted that ''soror'' is a Latin word with no connection to the Greek traditions cited by similar collegiate social groups. Many other Greek-letter organizations for women refer to themselves as fraternities, although in the collective sense they are generally called sororities.


Expansion and first philanthropies

Alpha Gamma Delta expanded to an unusual extent during its early years; its ''Beta chapter'' at was founded at the
University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...
in 1905 and by 1909, its 9th chapter—''Iota''—was founded at the
University of Washington The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seattle a ...
. The fraternity's first National Conference was held in 1907, and two years later, it joined the
National Panhellenic Conference The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) is an umbrella organization for 26 (inter)national women's Fraternities and sororities, sororities throughout the United States and Canada. Each member group is autonomous as a social, Greek alphabet#Use ...
. Alpha Gamma Delta began international expansion in 1919 with the chartering of its ''Tau chapter'' at the
University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
. The fraternity held its annual meeting as the International Convention and adopted an international philanthropy project. The 1910s and 1920s saw the beginning of the fraternity centralizing its philanthropic objectives towards single causes. Instead of hosting its sixth annual National Convention, the fraternity's national president canceled the meeting and asked chapters to donate their $50 fees to war relief efforts. Many chapters adopted war orphans or made garments, beginning the fraternity's timeline of organized charitable activity. During
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the fraternity supported the
American Red Cross The American Red Cross (ARC), also known as the American National Red Cross, is a non-profit humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. It is the desi ...
and various war relief efforts. This service continued during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. In 1920, the fraternity created its first official philanthropy by starting a summer camp for underprivileged children in
Jackson, Michigan Jackson is the only city and county seat of Jackson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,534, down from 36,316 at the 2000 census. Located along Interstate 94 and U.S. Route 127, it is approxi ...
, which expanded into Wellington, Canada. These camps hosted more than 7,000 children and ran for 27 years. In 1947, Alpha Gamma Delta's primary philanthropic activities shifted from volunteering with underprivileged children to sponsoring counselors for the National Society for Crippled Children and Adults. That year, the fraternity held its first International Convention outside the United States, in
Banff, Alberta Banff is a town within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is located in Alberta's Rockies along the Trans-Canada Highway, approximately west of Calgary and east of Lake Louise. At above Banff is the community with the second highest e ...
. By 1949, the fraternity had installed 60 chapters and had initiated 20,840 members. In 1959, at the organization's 22nd International Convention,
Theta Sigma Upsilon Theta Sigma Upsilon () was a sorority founded on March 25, 1921 at Emporia State University. It merged with Alpha Gamma Delta at the 22nd international convention of Alpha Gamma Delta at French Lick, Indiana on June 29, 1959. History Theta Sigma ...
merged with Alpha Gamma Delta and added 19 chapters to the latter's roster.


Organizational and philanthropic changes

During and after the 1960s, the organization underwent restructuring, in which it created a separate branch to manage its philanthropic sponsorships and run programs for its members. A separate foundation, originally called the Founders Memorial Foundation, was established in 1962 to handle fundraising; it was later renamed the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation. This Foundation managed the funds raised by collegiate and alumnae chapters via activities and by direct donations to the foundation. In 1979, the fraternity partnered with the
Juvenile Diabetes Foundation JDRF is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that funds type 1 diabetes (T1D) research, provides a broad array of community and activist services to the T1D population and actively advocates for regulation favorable to medical research and approval o ...
and again changed its primary philanthropic focus, which would later expand in 1991 to diabetes treatment and research. Alpha Gamma Delta celebrated its centennial anniversary during its 2004 International Convention. In the 2010s, Alpha Gamma Delta continued to change and restructure, creating a separate branch to manage its collegiate housing and again changing its service and philanthropy programs. The fraternity founded its Fraternity Housing Corporation in 2010 to provide local chapters with a national
property management Property management is the operation, control, maintenance, and oversight of real estate and physical property. This can include residential, commercial, and land real estate. Management indicates the need for real estate to be cared for and monit ...
and funding option; in 2021, circa 100 out of 125 active chapters are managed under this corporation. The fraternity partnered with
Feeding America Feeding America is a United States–based nonprofit organization that is a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks that feed more than 46 million people through food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other community-based agencies. ...
and
Meals on Wheels Meals on Wheels is a programme that delivers meals to individuals at home who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals. The name is often used generically to refer to home-delivered meals programmes, not all of which are actually named ...
in 2017 and now focuses its community service and fundraising initiatives towards fighting hunger . Alpha Gamma Delta gives back to the community through community service efforts. In 2016, they launched their first International Week of Service where members from all over North America participate in local community service initiatives. Members volunteer their time at humane societies, retirement communities, local clean up services and many more. By volunteering together during Week of Service, they are able to impact their communities.


Programs


Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation

Alpha Gamma Delta participates in philanthropy through donations made through a separate arm, the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation. Created in 1962, the Foundation provides grants to organizations and individuals in the U.S. and Canada who are involved in fields related to certain causes. The Foundation currently and historically awards scholarships and grants, funds wellness programs, and provides leadership training and other courses. Since 2017, the fraternity's philanthropic objective has been to fight hunger, and it currently works with
Feeding America Feeding America is a United States–based nonprofit organization that is a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks that feed more than 46 million people through food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other community-based agencies. ...
and
Meals on Wheels Meals on Wheels is a programme that delivers meals to individuals at home who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals. The name is often used generically to refer to home-delivered meals programmes, not all of which are actually named ...
America. , its campaign, which is titled "Full Plates. Hearts. Minds", provides meals for hungry people and creates awareness of
food insecurity Food security speaks to the availability of food in a country (or geography) and the ability of individuals within that country (geography) to access, afford, and source adequate foodstuffs. According to the United Nations' Committee on World F ...
.


Local activities

Collegiate and alumnae members participate in fundraising activities for the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation and volunteer with and raise funds for food-based organizations in local communities, including Feeding America and Meals on Wheels. Chapters plan their own local events, which include fundraisers and galas. Chapters also plan social events such as formals and mixers with fraternities, host sisterhood activities and reunions, and participate in charity-related events. As for academics, each chapter must maintain a 2.9 average
GPA Grading in education is the process of applying standardized measurements for varying levels of achievements in a course. Grades can be assigned as letters (usually A through F), as a range (for example, 1 to 6), as a percentage, or as a numbe ...
to remain in good standing with the national organization. The fraternity has scholastic recognition and programs for individuals who maintain a GPA above 3.14 and for chapters averaging from 3.14 to 3.5 and higher. Alpha Gamma Delta created an annual internal celebration called International Reunion Day in 1936, as many of its collegiate chapters could not celebrate the organization's Founder's Day on May 30 due to university vacation closures or final exams held on that day. Collegiate and alumnae chapters were—and still are—encouraged to meet on the third Saturday of April instead.


Symbols

While Alpha Gamma Delta has no official symbols, it has official flowers, colors, and a jewel chosen by the founders. Alpha Gamma Delta's flowers are red and buff roses, and green asparagus plusmosa ferns, matching the official colors red, buff, and green. The jewel is the pearl. The ''
armorial bearings A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its wh ...
'' of the fraternity were designed by founding member
Emily Helen Butterfield Emily Helen Butterfield (August 4, 1884, Algonac, Michigan – March 22, 1958, Neebish Island) was a pioneer in the Michigan women's movement. She was Michigan's first licensed female architect, one of the founders of the Alpha Gamma Delta soro ...
in 1906. The fraternity's vision is to "Inspire the woman. Impact the world", while its motto is to "Loving, Leading, Lasting"


Mascot

In 1915, ''Gamma chapter'' at
Wesleyan University Wesleyan University ( ) is a Private university, private liberal arts college, liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut. Founded in 1831 as a Men's colleges in the United States, men's college under the auspices of the Methodist Epis ...
chose the mascot, a squirrel, and named it Skiouros, with the following explanation:
"... me
embers ''Embers'' is a radio play by Samuel Beckett. It was written in English in 1957. First broadcast on the BBC Third Programme on 24 June 1959, the play won the RAI prize at the Prix Italia awards later that year. Donald McWhinnie directed Jack ...
sought a mascot to symbolize the characteristics of the colors and progress of Alpha Gamma Delta ... the little squirrel, typical frequenter of autumn haunts, was chosen as the mascot. Our little friend, we find, is also nimble and agile—he leaps from branch to branch and ymbolizesthe spirit that never dies, the spirit of energetic alertness and progress."


Badge

The fraternity's founders designed a badge; they decided on a new design submitted by Mr. J. F. Newman, a jeweler, in the following months: "The second, and current, badge features a plain Delta (), a chased Gamma (), and an Alpha () set with pearls he official jewelor diamonds superimposed on the other two letters". Members may attach one of several honors chains to their badges if they have received the appropriate honor.


Membership

According to Alpha Gamma Delta, the fraternity has an initiated member base of over 201,000 and 119 active chapters. As with all
National Panhellenic Conference The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) is an umbrella organization for 26 (inter)national women's Fraternities and sororities, sororities throughout the United States and Canada. Each member group is autonomous as a social, Greek alphabet#Use ...
(NPC) sororities, women may join Alpha Gamma Delta if they attend as an undergraduate a university with an active chapter from which they receive a membership offer. Prospective members must meet the fraternity's national minimum GPA requirement (2.5/4.0) as well as the chapter's requirement. Alternatively, women past college-age may be invited or may apply to join via alumnae initiation if they are not already a member of another NPC sorority, a process which 20 of the 26 NPC members also participate in. Due to NPC agreements, no woman who has been initiated into another NPC sorority may join another one, although no NPC member is restricted from joining a professional or service
Greek letter organization Fraternities and sororities are social organizations at colleges and universities in North America. Generally, membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained as an undergraduate student, but continues thereafter for life. Some accept gradu ...
. Collegiate members have chapter meetings, philanthropy events, and chapter leadership opportunities; according to the fraternity's website, active membership involves programming with the Epsilon Pi Journey. Alumnae in good standing may join one of 250+ alumnae clubs in North America.


Leadership

International Headquarters is the governing body for all members—undergraduate and alumnae—and is headed by an International President. The International Headquarters calls an annual meeting of chapter presidents and any alumnae or collegiate members who wish to attend. As chapters expanded early in the 20th century, Alpha Gamma Delta established fraternity provinces organized by geographic region; these have directors who lead each province and represent them to the International Headquarters. Individual collegiate chapters follow a standardized leadership structure; they have an elected executive board consisting of a president and several vice presidents with different responsibilities. Alumnae often act as advisors or volunteers for a nearby collegiate chapter. In 1982, the fraternity launched an annual leadership program, The Leadership Conference, to provide its members with leadership education. However, after continual requests for the program to speak at conferences, present at events, or run corporate retreats, this program branched into an organization of its own, the Leadership Institute, which now runs around 60 programs to address women's leadership, both inside and outside of workplaces and careers. Today, Alpha Gam hosts an annual Academy for Collegiate Officers and biannual Academies for Chapter Officers and its Volunteer Service Team.


Chapters

Alpha Gamma Delta has 199 collegiate chapters across North America; these are grouped and named by geographical region. The longest-running active collegiate chapter is ''Delta chapter'' at the University of Minnesota. Since its re-establishment in 2010, the oldest active collegiate chapter is the ''Alpha chapter'' at Syracuse University.


Fraternity Housing Corporation

The Alpha Gamma Delta Fraternity Housing Corporation (FHC) is a
501(c)(7) organization A 501(c) organization is a nonprofit organization in the federal law of the United States according to Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 501(c)) and is one of over 29 types of nonprofit organizations exempt from some federal income taxes. ...
formed in 2010 to provide student housing for the fraternity's undergraduate members. Currently, the FHC provides property management services to about 100 collegiate chapters and about 100 staff members in the headquarters office and in local US chapters. Outside of housing, the FHC manages meal services for the members of the fraternity. It reported assets of US $78 million in 2019.


Notable alumnae


Business, philanthropy, education, and science

* Jani Macari Pallis (Gamma Phi) – founder of Cislunar Aerospace * Kelly M. Miller (Zeta Kappa) – first female president of
Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi (Texas A&M–Corpus Christi, TAMU-CC, A&M-Corpus Christi, or A&M-CC) is a public research university in Corpus Christi, Texas. It is part of the Texas A&M University System and classified among "R2: Doctora ...
*
Gail Saltz Dr. Gail Saltz is an American psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, columnist, and television Pundit (expert), commentator. Saltz is the author of several Self-help book, self-help and psychology books, including ''Anatomy of a Secret Life: The Psychology ...
(Zeta Beta) – Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry, columnist, author, TV commentator on psychiatry *
Beth Ford Beth E. Ford is an American businessperson. Ford is most notable for being the Chief executive officer, CEO of Land O'Lakes, an American agricultural cooperative which she assumed leadership of in 2018. She is the first openly gay female CEO of an ...
(Rho) - CEO, Land O'Lakes


Entertainment and arts

*
Fran Allison Frances Helen Allison (November 20, 1907June 13, 1989) was an American television and radio comedienne, personality, and singer. She is best known for her starring role on the weekday NBC-TV puppet show ''Kukla, Fran and Ollie'', which ran from ...
(Pi) – radio and TV personality (''
Kukla, Fran and Ollie ''Kukla, Fran and Ollie'' is an early American television show using puppets. It was created for children, but soon watched by more adults than children. It did not have a script and was entirely ad-libbed. It was broadcast from Chicago between O ...
'') * Amber Brkich Mariano (Alpha Epsilon) – TV personality ('' Survivor: All-Stars'' winner, contestant on '' Survivor: The Australian Outback'', '' Survivor: Winners at War'', ''
The Amazing Race ''The Amazing Race'' is an adventure reality game show franchise in which teams of two people race around the world in competition with other teams. The ''Race'' is split into legs, with teams tasked to deduce clues, navigate themselves in forei ...
'') *
Emily Helen Butterfield Emily Helen Butterfield (August 4, 1884, Algonac, Michigan – March 22, 1958, Neebish Island) was a pioneer in the Michigan women's movement. She was Michigan's first licensed female architect, one of the founders of the Alpha Gamma Delta soro ...
(Alpha) – Michigan's first licensed female
architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
, artist, Women's Movement pioneer *
Clyde Connell Clyde Connell (September 19, 1901 – May 2, 1998) was an American self-taught abstract expressionist sculptor. Her works are known for reflecting the nature of Louisiana and the culture of Jim Crow South. Life Born as Minnie Clyde Dixon on a ...
(Mu) – international artist *
Rita Coolidge Rita Coolidge (born May 1, 1945) is an American recording artist. During the 1970s and 1980s, her songs were on '' Billboard'' magazine's pop, country, adult contemporary, and jazz charts, and she won two Grammy Awards with fellow musician and t ...
(Gamma Beta) – Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter *
Ashley Durham Ashley Elizabeth Durham (born April 9, 1990) is a beauty queen from Tennessee who won Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2006 and Miss Tennessee USA 2011. Durham won the Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2006 title in October 2005 representing Adamsville. Her siste ...
(Gamma Zeta) – model;
Miss Tennessee USA The Miss Tennessee USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant is directed by Greenwood Productions under the ownership of Miss Tennessee USA 1989, Kimberly Pay ...
2011;
Miss USA Miss USA is an American beauty pageant that has been held annually since 1952 to select the entrant from United States in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operated both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA, until 2020, ...
1st runner-up 2011 *
Wynn Everett Wynn Everett is an American actress. Life and career Everett was born in Atlanta, Georgia. She grew up in Dunwoody and Cumming, Georgia. She attended Forsyth Central High School. Her junior year, she was the lead role in a One Act Competition pr ...
(Gamma Delta) – actress, poet; best known as Whitney Frost on '' Agent Carter'' *
Donna Fargo Donna may refer to the short form of the honorific ''nobildonna'', the female form of Don (honorific) in Italian. People *Donna (given name); includes name origin and list of people and characters with the name * Roberto Di Donna (born 1968), Ita ...
(Gamma Eta) – Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter *
Erin Hatley Erin Hatley is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Bartlett, Tennessee who was named Miss Tennessee 2011. Biography She won the title of Miss Tennessee on June 18, 2011, when she received her crown from outgoing titleholder Nicole Jordan ...
(Gamma Zeta) –
Miss Tennessee The Miss Tennessee competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss America Scholarship Competition. Lauren Dickson of Parsons was crowned Miss Tennessee 2022 on June 25, 2022 at the Cannon Center ...
2011 *
Gloria Loring Gloria Loring-Lagler (born Gloria Jean Goff; December 10, 1946) is an American singer and actress. She is known for playing Liz Chandler on ''Days of Our Lives'' for six years (1980–86). She and singer-actor Carl Anderson performed the duet " ...
(Delta Alpha) – singer/songwriter, author, actress, national spokesperson for the
JDRF JDRF is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that funds type 1 diabetes (T1D) research, provides a broad array of community and activist services to the T1D population and actively advocates for regulation favorable to medical research and approval o ...
*
Dorothy Provine Dorothy Michelle Provine (January 20, 1935 – April 25, 2010) was an American singer, dancer and actress. Born in 1935 in Deadwood, South Dakota, she grew up in Seattle, Washington, and was hired in 1958 by Warner Bros., after which she first ...
(Iota) – actress (''
The Alaskans ''The Alaskans'' is a 1959–1960 ABC/Warner Bros. western television series set during the late 1890s in the port of Skagway, Alaska. The show features Roger Moore as "Silky Harris" and Jeff York as "Reno McKee", a pair of adventurers intent ...
'', ''
Sugarfoot ''Sugarfoot'' is an American Western television series that aired for 69 episodes on ABC from 1957-1961 on Tuesday nights on a "shared" slot basis – rotating with ''Cheyenne'' (first season); ''Cheyenne'' and ''Bronco'' (second season); and ...
'', ''
The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock ''The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock'' is a 1959 comedy science fiction film starring Lou Costello and Dorothy Provine and directed by Sidney Miller. Plot Artie Pinsetter is a junk collector and amateur inventor who lives in the desert town of C ...
'') *
Jeanne Robertson Jeanne Flinn Swanner Robertson (; September 21, 1943 – August 21, 2021) was an American athlete, teacher, humorist, motivational speaker, YouTube personality, and Miss North Carolina 1963. Early life Jeanne Flinn Swanner was born at the Naval ...
(Gamma Delta) – comedian,
Miss North Carolina The Miss North Carolina competition selects the representative for the state of North Carolina to compete in the annual Miss America competition. The competition has been held in Raleigh every year since 1978. Prior to that, it was held in vario ...
1963 *
Karen Staley Karen Staley (born in Weirton, West Virginia) is an American country music singer-songwriter. Staley was raised in Georgetown, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and was inspired to write songs after reading through the hymnals at her local church. S ...
(Alpha Omicron) –
country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
singer/songwriter *
Barbara Jo Walker Barbara Jo Walker Hummel (March 12, 1926 – June 7, 2000) was Miss America in 1947. Life She attended the University of Memphis and is an alumna of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. She is also the mother of the late Andy Hummel of the legendary Mem ...
(Gamma Zeta) –
Miss America Miss America is an annual competition that is open to women from the United States between the ages of 17 and 25. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is now judged on competitors' talent performances and interviews. As ...
, 1947 * Raquel Leviss (Delta Rho) – TV Personality
Vanderpump Rules ''Vanderpump Rules'' is an American reality television series which has been broadcast on Bravo since January 7, 2013. Developed as the first spin-off from '' The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'', it has aired nine seasons and focuses on Lisa ...
, Miss
Sonoma County Sonoma County () is a county (United States), county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, its population was 488,863. Its county seat and largest city is Santa Rosa, California, Santa Rosa. It is to the n ...
2016 *
Marcelle LeBlanc Marcelle Leblanc is a Miss America's Outstanding Teen titleholder and an actress. LeBlanc is from Birmingham, Alabama. She began participating in theater at age 11. At age 14, she founded an initiative to provide other children with scholarships to ...
(Gamma Delta) -
Miss America's Outstanding Teen Miss America's Outstanding Teen is an American scholarship pageant. It is the sister program to the Miss America Organization, and it aims to "promote scholastic achievement, creative accomplishment, healthy living and community involvement for ...
2022, actress,
Stranger Things ''Stranger Things'' is an American science fiction horror drama television series created by the Duffer Brothers, who also serve as showrunners and are executive producers along with Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen. Produced by Monkey Massacre Prod ...
, Fear Street Part Two: 1978,
Cobra Kai ''Cobra Kai'' is an American martial arts comedy-drama television series and a sequel to the original ''The Karate Kid'' films by Robert Mark Kamen. The series was created by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg, and is distributed b ...
,
Criminal Minds ''Criminal Minds'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created and produced by Jeff Davis (writer), Jeff Davis. The series premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005, and originally concluded on February 19, 2020; it was r ...
,
The Waltons' Homecoming ''The Waltons'' is an American historical drama television series about a family in rural Virginia during the Great Depression and World War II. It was created by Earl Hamner Jr., based on his 1961 book ''Spencer's Mountain'' and the 1963 fil ...
*
Michaela McLean Michaela (Hebrew מיכאלה) is a female given name. It is a female form of the Hebrew name Michael (מִיכָאֵל), which means "Who is like God". As of 2008, it was 357th in rank for newborn girls in the United States, and 325th in England ...
(Psi) -
Miss Florida The Miss Florida competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Florida in the Miss America pageant. Florida has twice won the Miss America crown. In the fall of 2018, the Miss America Organization terminated Miss F ...
2020 * Lauren Bradford (Gamma Delta) -
Miss Alabama The Miss Alabama competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Alabama in the annual Miss America Competition. Alabama has won three Miss America titles: Deidre Downs in 2005, Heather Whitestone (the first deaf ...
2021


Literature

*
Mignon G. Eberhart Mignon Good Eberhart (July 6, 1899, Lincoln, Nebraska – October 8, 1996, Greenwich, Connecticut) was an American author of mystery novels. She had one of the longest careers (from the 1920s to the 1980s) among major American mystery writers. Ear ...
(Beta Alpha) – mystery writer proclaimed as “America’s Agatha Christie” * Donna Lewis Friess (Delta Alpha) – author, college professor, activist *
Agnes Newton Keith Agnes Newton Keith (July 4, 1901 – March 30, 1982) was an American writer best known for her three autobiographical accounts of life in North Borneo (now Sabah) before, during, and after World War II. The second of these, '' Three Came Home'', ...
(Omicron) – author,
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
POW/civilian internment camp survivor *
Heather MacAllister Heather W. MacAllister (born Texas, United States) is a writer of over 40 romance novels since 1990, principally as Heather MacAllister. She has also signed her novels as Heather Allison. Her award-winning romance novels have been translated i ...
(Epsilon Eta) – novelist *
Karen McCullah Lutz Karen McCullah (born December 5, 1967) is an American screenwriter and novelist most known for co-writing comedies such as ''10 Things I Hate About You'', ''Legally Blonde'', ''Ella Enchanted'', ''The House Bunny'', '' The Ugly Truth'' and ''She' ...
(Gamma Mu) – screenwriter, author (''
10 Things I Hate About You ''10 Things I Hate About You'' is a 1999 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Gil Junger and starring Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Larisa Oleynik. The screenplay, written by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten ...
'', ''
Legally Blonde ''Legally Blonde'' is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Robert Luketic in his List of directorial debuts, feature-length directorial debut, and scripted by Karen McCullah, Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith (writer), Kirsten Smith from ...
'', ''
The House Bunny ''The House Bunny'' is a 2008 American comedy film directed by Fred Wolf, written by Kirsten Smith and Karen McCullah Lutz, and starring Anna Faris, Colin Hanks, and Emma Stone. It tells the story of a former Playboy bunny who signs up to be t ...
'') * Samara O'Shea (Alpha Omega) – author (''Love of Letters: A 21st-Century Guide to the Art of Letter Writing'', ''Note to Self: On Keeping a Journal and Other Dangerous Pursuits'')


Media

* Andrea Mead Canning (Zeta Chi) – TV anchor, journalist (''
Dateline A dateline is a brief piece of text included in news articles that describes where and when the story was written or filed, though the date is often omitted. In the case of articles reprinted from wire services, the distributing organization is ...
'', ''
Weekend Today ''Weekend Today'' is currently the branding of the weekend editions of ''Today'', an American morning news and talk program that airs daily on NBC. Weekend editions of ''Today'', began with the launch of the Sunday edition of the program on Sep ...
'')


Politics

*
Carolyn Bennett Carolyn Ann Bennett (born December 20, 1950) is a Canadian physician and politician who has served as minister of mental health and addictions, and associate minister of health since October 26, 2021. A member of the Liberal Party, she has repre ...
(Tau) – member of Canadian Parliament * Beth Chapman (Gamma Upsilon) – former Alabama Secretary of State *
Kerry-Lynne Findlay Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay (born 12 January 1955) is a Canadian politician, who was elected as the MP for South Surrey—White Rock in the 2019 federal election. She previously sat in the House of Commons of Canada from the 2011 Canadian federal el ...
(Delta Zeta) – former member of Canadian House of Commons and Minister of National Revenue * Jennie M. Forehand (Gamma Epsilon) – former Maryland State Senator *
Kay Ivey Kay Ellen Ivey (born October 15, 1944) is an American politician serving as the 54th and incumbent governor of Alabama since 2017. Originally a conservative Southern Democrat, Ivey became a member of the Republican Party in 2002. She was the 38t ...
(Gamma Delta) – Governor of Alabama and former Alabama State Treasurer * Mildred Jeffrey (Delta) – political activist and organizer *
Kelly Loeffler Kelly Lynn Loeffler (, ; born November 27, 1970) is an American businesswoman and politician who served as a United States senator for Georgia from 2020 to 2021. Loeffler was chief executive officer (CEO) of Bakkt, a subsidiary of commodity and ...
(Sigma) – former U.S. Senator (R-GA) * Dee Long (Lambda) – former Minnesota House Speaker *
Elaine Marshall Elaine Folk Marshall (born November 18, 1945) is an American attorney and politician who has served as the North Carolina Secretary of State since 1997. A member of the Democratic Party, she is the first woman to be elected to statewide office ...
(Alpha Xi) – North Carolina Secretary of State *
Marian Heiss Price Marian Heiss Price (born August 6, 1938) is a former Nebraska state senator from Lincoln, Nebraska and registered nurse. She is a Republican. __NOTOC__ Personal life Price was born August 6, 1938, in Page, Nebraska, and graduated from Page Hi ...
(Beta Alpha) – former Nebraska State Senator *
Judy Baar Topinka Judy Baar Topinka (January 16, 1944 – December 10, 2014) was an American politician and member of the Republican Party from the U.S. State of Illinois. Originally a journalist, Topinka served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1981 ...
(Lambda) – former Comptroller and Treasurer of Illinois


Sports

*
Cheyenne Knight Cheyenne Erin Knight (born January 22, 1997) is an American professional golfer. She played collegiate golf at the University of Alabama where she was a three-time all-American and the 2017 SEC Player of the Year and a member of the Psi chapte ...
(Psi) – professional golfer * Maria Maunder (Zeta Chi) –
1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
women's rower *
Teri McKeever Teri McKeever (born c. 1962) is an American college and Olympic swimming coach. She has been the head coach of the California Golden Bears women's swimming team at the University of California, Berkeley, since 1993. Her Cal Bears teams have won ...
(Delta Alpha) –
2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
women's swim team coach *
Jo Ann Washam Jo Ann Washam (May 24, 1950 – December 6, 2019) was an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour. Washam was born in Auburn, Washington. She played college golf and basketball at Washington State University, where she also joined ...
(Delta Beta) – professional golfer * Adrienne Roberson (Gamma Nu) - first female
public address system A public address system (or PA system) is an electronic system comprising microphones, amplifiers, loudspeakers, and related equipment. It increases the apparent volume (loudness) of a human voice, musical instrument, or other acoustic sound sou ...
announcer,
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...


Local chapter or member misconduct

In 1970, at Eastern Illinois University, Donna Bedlinger died from head trauma after she was left in the woods with other pledges as part of hazing. In 2000, a member at the University of Georgia filed a discrimination complaint against her chapter, alleging that members denied a black classmate a membership offer due to her race. The chapter was temporarily suspended and received racial sensitivity training. After this incident, the university Interfraternity Conference created a diversity improvement program. In 2013 and 2014, sorority women from multiple chapters at the University of Alabama – including Alpha Gamma Delta,
Alpha Omicron Pi Alpha Omicron Pi (, AOII, Alpha O) is an international women's fraternity founded on January 2, 1897, at Barnard College on the campus of Columbia University in New York City. The main archive URL iThe Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage "AOI ...
,
Phi Mu Phi Mu () is the second oldest female fraternal organization established in the United States. The fraternity was founded at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia as the Philomathean Society on , and was announced publicly on March 4 of the same ye ...
,
Kappa Delta Kappa Delta (, also known as KD or Kaydee) was the first sorority founded at the State Female Normal School (now Longwood University), in Farmville, Virginia. Kappa Delta is one of the "Farmville Four" sororities founded at the university, wh ...
,
Pi Beta Phi Pi Beta Phi (), often known simply as Pi Phi, is an international women's fraternity founded at Monmouth College, in Monmouth, Illinois on April 28, 1867 as I. C. Sorosis, the first national secret college society of women to be modeled after ...
,
Delta Delta Delta Delta Delta Delta (), also known as Tri Delta, is an international women's fraternity founded on November 27, 1888 at Boston University by Sarah Ida Shaw, Eleanor Dorcas Pond, Isabel Morgan Breed, and Florence Isabelle Stewart. Tri Delta part ...
, and
Chi Omega Chi Omega (, also known as ChiO) is a women's fraternity and a member of the National Panhellenic Conference, the umbrella organization of 26 women's fraternities. Chi Omega has 181 active collegiate chapters and approximately 240 alumnae chapte ...
– alleged that either active members or some alumnae had prevented them from offering membership to black candidates because of their race. Alpha Gamma Delta member Melanie Gotz stated that the entire collegiate chapter had "wanted this girl to be in Alpha Gam utwere just powerless over the alums." An alum denied the allegations in the report, and the national headquarters issued a statement saying that the sorority "prohibits discrimination on the basis of race in all of its activities including recruitment." Gotz and fellow students held a campus march to integrate campus Greek life, and following media and national outcry, the university held a second round of recruitment to offer membership to more women, including black women. The Alabama chapter initiated its first black member that year.


See also

*
Fraternities and sororities in North America Fraternities and sororities are social organizations at colleges A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a ...
*
List of social fraternities and sororities Social or general fraternities and sororities, in the North American fraternity system, are those that do not promote a particular profession (as professional fraternities are) or discipline (such as service fraternities and sororities). Instea ...


References


External links


Alpha Gamma Delta's official website

Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation official website

Alpha Gamma Delta Chapter Houses Website
{{Syracuse University , state=autocollapse Student organizations established in 1904 National Panhellenic Conference Student societies in the United States Fraternities and sororities based in Indianapolis 1904 establishments in New York (state)