Alpha Sigma Kappa – Women in Technical Studies ( – WiTS) is a social

sorority 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 gradua ...

for women in the fields of

mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

technology Technology is the application of knowledge to reach practical goals in a specifiable and reproducible way. The word ''technology'' may also mean the product of such an endeavor. The use of technology is widely prevalent in medicine, science, ...

and the

sciences Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...

. The sorority was founded at the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...

in 1989 by a group of women who had formerly been affiliated with the Sisters of

Triangle Fraternity (Truth Conquers All) , maxim = , colors = Old Rose Gray , symbol = Engineers' transit , flower = White chrysanthemum , flag = , jewel = , publication = ''Triangle Review'' , philanthropy = FIRST , chapters = 38 Active 4 Colonies , members = 1,20 ...

program. Alpha Sigma Kappa became a national organization in 1996 and currently consists of thirteen Active chapters, six Alumnae chapters and two Colonies. The sorority overall does not have membership in any national Greek council; however, some individual chapters are affiliated with their local Panhellenic organizations.

History

Alpha Sigma Kappa originally grew out of a Little Sisters of Triangle organization at The

. In the late 1980s, Little Sister programs were being phased out by fraternal organizations across the country and

's National Council resolved to do so with their local Little Sisters organizations. In order to maintain a formal relationship, The University of Minnesota's Little Sisters group chose to found Alpha Sigma Kappa. The sorority was created on May 1, 1989, by eighteen Founding Sisters. At the time that Alpha Sigma Kappa was founded, scientific careers were often filled primarily by men. In 1989, only 17 percent of the students enrolled in the Institute of Technology at the University of Minnesota were female. The Founding Sisters of the organization wished to create a sorority dedicated to supporting women who entered these fields. Alpha Sigma Kappa was intended to bring women pursuing technical studies together in a social setting: working to develop, encourage, and support the academic and social needs of these women. At the time of founding, Alpha Sigma Kappa was the only social sorority for technical women whose scope included those in architecture and non-engineering sciences. On March 4, 1996, an Interest Group of women was formed at the

University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two Territories became the state of Oklahom ...

– Norman, which would ultimately become the Beta chapter on September 13, 1997. The National Organization of Alpha Sigma Kappa was officially formed on April 29, 1996, at the first National Meeting in

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

, MN. Between 1999 and 2005, four more chapters were installed and, in 2010, Alpha Sigma Kappa became the first sorority established on the campus of

New Mexico Tech The New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech and formerly New Mexico School of Mines) is a public university in Socorro, New Mexico. It offers over 30 bachelor of science degrees in technology, the sciences, engineering, man ...

. Since 2015, the organization's growth has accelerated rapidly, establishing a presence on an additional ten universities across the United States as a social sorority for women in STEM. In 2014, the Alpha Sigma Kappa Educational Foundation, a

501(c)(3) organization A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, Trust (business), trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of t ...

, was created to support women in technical fields by managing academic scholarships.

Purpose

The stated purpose of Alpha Sigma Kappa is to promote friendship, academic achievement, unity within the organization, and philanthropy throughout the community. The sorority states a quality goal of being women committed to achieving their academic goals and promoting women in technical fields through: leadership, friendship and support. The sorority's Greek letter name, Alpha Sigma Kappa, is intended to represent social aspects; "Women in Technical Studies" specifies its membership.

Membership

Active membership in Alpha Sigma Kappa requires that a student pursues a major with a minimum of 1/3 of all credit hours in architecture, computer science, engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, or biological sciences, with a minimum of 1/6 of all credit hours as upper division courses in these fields. Specific majors at each university are defined in the respective chapter or Colony bylaws. Once a woman is Initiated, her membership is for a lifetime. Alumnae Sisters remain connected through Alumnae chapters as well as informal networks of social and professional support. The National Organization of Alpha Sigma Kappa is not affiliated with a National Panhellenic governing body; however, chapters may be affiliated with councils at their respective universities.

Philanthropy

The National philanthropy for Alpha Sigma Kappa is

DonorsChoose DonorsChoose is a United States-based nonprofit organization that allows individuals to donate directly to public school classroom projects. The organization has been given Charity Navigator's highest rating every year since 2005. In January 201 ...

. Individual chapters may choose local classroom projects to support through this organization, with an emphasis on assisting STEM projects. Additionally, chapters of Alpha Sigma Kappa organize and participate in local philanthropic events in their communities. Many events work to promote science and technical careers to young women. However, these events provide direct service or raise funds for a variety of

nonprofit organizations A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

, including: the

American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. Established in 1913, the society is organized into six geographical regions of both medical and lay volunteers operating in more than ...

, Charity: Water,

Girl Scouts of the USA Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA), commonly referred to as simply Girl Scouts, is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. Founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912, it was organized a ...

, and the

Susan G Komen Susan G. Komen (formerly known as Susan G. Komen for the Cure; originally as The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation; often simply as Komen) is a breast cancer organization in the United States. Komen focuses on patient navigation and advo ...

Foundation.

Chapter List

References

External links

Alpha Sigma Kappa - Women in Technical Studies official website

Alpha Sigma Kappa Educational Foundation official website
{{Fraternities and Sororities , collapsed Student societies in the United States Student organizations established in 1989 1989 establishments in Minnesota