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'Delta Gamma' ('ΔΓ') is one of the oldest and largest women's fraternities^[1] in the United States and Canada, with its Executive Offices based in Columbus, Ohio.

Contents

Delta Gamma History

Delta Gamma Mission Statement

Famous Delta Gamma firsts

Notable Delta Gammas

Trivia

References

External links

Delta Gamma History

Delta Gamma was founded on December 25, 1873, in Oxford, Mississippi, at the Lewis School for Girls near the University of Mississippi. The group was founded by Mary Comfort Leonard, Eva Webb Dodd, and Anna Boyd Ellington.
The badge of Delta Gamma is a golden anchor and may only be worn by initiated members. Before the adoption of the golden anchor, the symbol of Delta Gamma was simply an "H" for the word "hope." Upon learning the traditional symbol of hope is an anchor, the badge was changed. Today's badge has a small rope wrapping around the top of the anchor with the Greek letters Tau Delta Eta (''ΤΔΗ'').
The early growth for Delta Gamma was confined to women’s colleges in the southern United States. Within a few years, Delta Gamma had established itself in the northern United States and later to the East with the help of George Banta, a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and Delta Gamma's only male initiate. Because of the assistance provided by George Banta, Delta Gamma retains close historical ties with Phi Delta Theta fraternity.
Delta Gamma was one of seven charter members of the National Panhellenic Conference when the first inter-sorority meeting was held in Boston, Massachusetts in 1891. Today, the National Panhellenic Conference is the governing body of sororities in America with 26 members.
As America's population moved west, Delta Gamma followed. What began as a social and philanthropic organization in the South soon became an international fraternity in both scope and thinking as Delta Gamma established itself not only in the United States, but also in Canada.

Through the years, goals and achievements have grown as Delta Gammas continue to live by the motto set forth by the founders, “Do Good.” During World War I, Delta Gamma established and funded an orphanage in Belgium and opened the Delta Gamma House for Children in Holland.

Delta Gamma Mission Statement

''Delta Gamma offers to women of all ages a rich heritage based on principles of personal integrity, personal responsibility and intellectual honesty. Its primary purpose is to foster high ideals of friendship, promote educational and cultural interests, create a true sense of social responsibility, and develop the finest qualities of character.''

Famous Delta Gamma firsts

★ First fraternity to establish an independent philanthropic foundation in Ohio in 1951 (Service for Sight)

★ The first sorority to have its own in-house printing press.

★ The first and only panhellenic group to have its flower registered with the American Rose Society - "Delta Gamma"

★ One of the seven original groups that began the National Panhellenic Conference

★ First Panhellenic group to build its own facility, the Delta Gamma Executive Offices in Columbus, Ohio.

★ First and only fraternity to sponsor a traveling art exhibit Art of the Eye, which benefits Service for Sight.

★ First recipient of the Helen Keller Philanthropic Service Award, given by the American Foundation for the Blind, for assistance to those who are visually impaired and for sight conservation.

Notable Delta Gammas

''For a full list of notable Delta Gamma alumnae please visit here. [1]''

★ Edith Abbott (Kappa) - first woman to become dean of a graduate school, The University of Chicago.^[2]

★ Grace Abbott (Kappa) - social worker²

★ Jill Arrington (Beta Tau) - sports reporter for ESPN²

★ Carol Bellamy (Beta Lambda) - CEO and President of World Learning²

★ Sabrina Bryan (Zeta Iota) - actress, singer, member of the ''The Cheetah Girls''²

★ Ann Coulter (Chi) - conservative political author²

★ Cheryl Crawford (Eta) - Broadway actress; founder of Group Theater and Actor's Studio²

★ Heloise Cruse (Zeta Eta) - advice columnist²

★ Jo Ann Emerson (Alpha Rho) - U.S. Congresswoman from Missouri²

★ Mary Frann (Sigma) - actress, (''Newhart'')²

★ Melissa Hart (Epsilon Delta) - U.S. Congresswoman from Pennsylvania²

★ Patricia Heaton (Epsilon) - actress, (''Everybody Loves Raymond'')²

★ E.D. Hill (Beta Eta) - co-host of ''Fox and Friends'' on the Fox News Channel²

★ Judge Sarah Tilghman Hughes (Psi II) - swore in President Lyndon B. Johnson on the day of President John F. Kennedy's assassination²

★ Christine Lahti (Xi) - actress, (''Chicago Hope'')²

★ Mary Landrieu (Gamma Zeta) - United States Senator from Louisiana²

★ Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Sigma) - Emmy Award-winning actress²

★ Joan Lunden (Delta Eta) - former host of ''Good Morning America''²

★ Donna Mills (Iota) actress, (''Knots Landing'')²

★ Terry Murphy (Epsilon) - Emmy Award-winning journalist²

★ Susan Nattrass (Beta Beta) - first woman shooter in the 1976 Olympics²

★ Kyra Phillips (Alpha Nu) - anchor on CNN²

★ Eva Marie Saint (Beta M) - actress, (''On the Waterfront'')²

★ Julia Sweeney (Beta) - actress and comedian from ''Saturday Night Live''²

★ Lizz Winstead (Lambda) - creator of Comedy Central's ''The Daily Show''²

Trivia

★ Initiation fees pay for a member's lifetime subscription to the Delta Gamma publication ''ANCHORA''.

★ Delta Gamma currently has 146 chapters.

★ Delta Gamma has 253 alumnae groups.

★ Delta Gamma has approximately 15,650 collegians.

★ Delta Gamma has approximately 127,000 living Delta Gamma alumnae.

★ Delta Gamma has 39% legacies pledged.

★ The oldest existing chapter is at The University of Akron - Eta

★ As of 2006, Delta Gamma has:

★
★ 2,037 25-year members

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★ 1,097 50-year members

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★ 646 60-year members

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★ 67 75-year members

★ Delta Gamma women were featured on the show "Happy Days"

★ Delta Gamma is featured in the book "Legally Blonde." In the movie, the name of the sorority is changed to "Delta Nu," but the crest of the chapter remains the same with a chihuahua head substituted for the rose.

★ Northwestern University's Sigma chapter of Delta Gamma appears on the "Evanston: Northwestern University" episode of TLC's show Trading Spaces.

★ Delta Gamma was mentioned in "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip."

References

1. Most organizations typically referred to as "sororities" are officially fraternities.
2. Anchors Online Noteworthy Delta Gammas

External links

★ Official web site