Alpha Omicron Pi

Alpha Omicron Pi
ΑΟΠ
Founded January 2, 1897 (1897-01-02)
Barnard College
(New York, New York)
Type Social
Scope International
Motto Inspire Ambition
Colors      Cardinal
Symbol Sheaf
Flower Jacqueminot rose
Jewel Ruby
Mascot Panda
Publication To Dragma
Philanthropy Arthritis and The Arthritis Foundation
Chapters 144 active collegiate chapters
Members 191,000 + lifetime
Headquarters 5390 Virginia Way
Brentwood, Tennessee
USA
Website alphaomicronpi.org

Alpha Omicron Pi (ΑΟΠ, AOII) is an international women's fraternity founded on January 2, 1897 at Barnard College on the campus of Columbia University in New York.[1]

"A-O-Pi," the familiar name of the sorority[2], is open to women regardless of ethnicity, religion or socio-economic background,[3] with 212 collegiate chapters (active and inactive) and 320 alumnae chapters in Canada and the U.S.A.[4] Its international headquarters is in Brentwood, Tennessee, The sorority is a member of the National Panhellenic Conference.[1] Major symbolism includes the color cardinal red, the ruby and the old French rose, known as the 'Général Jacqueminot' rose. Its national headquarters publishes a magazine for the benefit of alumni and members, named To Dragma.[1]

History

The fraternity was founded January 2, 1897, at Barnard College by four women: Jessie Wallace Hughan, Helen St. Clair Mullan, Elizabeth Heywood Wyman, and Stella George Stern Perry. They first met in the Columbia Law Library to begin their fraternity. Within one week of its founding, the four founders used their initiation ritual for the first time to initiate Anne Richardson Hall.[1]

National expansion began in 1898. The result was the founding of Pi Chapter at New Orleans' Sophie Newcomb College (now part of Tulane University). Stella George Stern Perry, who was then the president of the fraternity, contacted a New Orleans classmate, Evelyn Reed, who expressed compatible ideas about fraternities. Reed's sister, Katherine Reed, became the first pledge of Pi Chapter. After being initiated by Perry, Katherine Reed found others to initiate.[1][5]

In 1905, Alpha Omicron Pi joined the National Panhellenic Conference.[6]

In 1967, the fraternity partnered with the Arthritis Foundation.[7] In 1999, the fraternity's national council voted to establish AOII Properties, a branch which manages individual chapter housing, including safety, finances, and maintenance. The subsidiary was then officially formed in 2001 but did not begin to transfer local housing contracts to national corporation control until 2009.[8]

The fraternity now celebrates its founding date at any point between December 8 and January 2.[9]

Symbols

Alpha Omicron Pi has one official color, cardinal red. Its official flower is the Rosa 'Général Jacqueminot', or Jacqueminot rose.[9] Alternatively, a deep red rose may be used.[10] The fraternity's official jewel is the ruby, while its mascot is the giant panda, which the fraternity unofficially adopted in 1976 but officially voted for it in 2017.[10]

Members of the fraternity wear three different badges depending on membership status. New members who have not been initiated wear a pin of a gold sheaf of wheat, symbolizing friendship and strength in numbers. After initiation, members may wear the membership badge, which consists of the fraternity's greek letters superimposed on each other with the A on top and the Π on the bottom. When the fraternity establishes a new local chapter, the founding class wears a charter member pin of a gold rose, symbolizing new growth.[10]

Philanthropy

Alpha Omicron Pi participates in fundraising and volunteer efforts via its philanthropic arm, the Alpha Omicron Pi Foundation, which allocates grants to arthritis research and to scholarships, grants, and emergency funds for its own members.[11] The funds also support conference speakers, training events, and personal development programs for members.[9]

The fraternity is partnered with the Arthritis Foundation.[1][7] The partnership began in 1967, with the fraternity members contributing volunteer hours and fundraising events to raise money for arthritis research and camps for juvenile arthritis. The fraternity's national campaign for awareness is “AOII Goes Blue,” with local chapters creating individual chapter events. Many events are themed around "Strike Out Arthritis!" since the fraternity cites "strong relationships [with] Major League Baseball teams."[7]

Other programs the fraternity supports is Sisters for Soldiers, where members collect items and write letters to soldiers.[7]

Membership

Chapters

Since 1897, the fraternity has initiated over 190,000 members in 212 collegiate chapters across the United States and Canada.[1] Expansion continues today: for example, a chapter was established at Columbia University in 2013.[12]

Alumnae

Entertainment

Name Chapter Notability Ref(s)
Aneta Corsaut Rho Actress best known for her role as Helen Crump in The Andy Griffith Show and the 1958 film The Blob. [13]
Ashley Crow Delta Delta Actress [14]
Ashley Davis Zeta Pi Miss Alabama 2010 [15]
Katie Layman Epsilon Gamma Miss Colorado 2009 [16]
Jamie Lynn Macchia Theta Pi Miss New York 2015 [17]
Mary Margaret McCord Alpha Delta 2013 Miss USA first runner-up (representing state of Alabama) [18]
Natasha Paracha Sigma Miss Pakistan World 2008 [19]
Parvati Shallow Lambda Sigma contestant on Survivor: Cook Islands, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, Winner of Survivor: Micronesia at the University of Georgia. [20]
Katherine Southard Epsilon Chi Miss North Carolina 2009 [21]
Sofia Vassilieva Alpha actress: My Sister's Keeper (2009), Medium (2005), and The Wonderful World of Disney (1995) [22]
Natalie White Sigma Omicron Winner of Survivor: Samoa [23]

Literature and Music

Name Chapter Notability Ref(s)
Anne Byrn Lambda Sigma Author of "Cake Mix Doctor," books, University of Georgia [24]
Janice Torre Pi Songwriter, lyricist of song Paper Roses [25]

Media

Name Chapter Notability Ref(s)
Margaret Bourke-White Omicron Pi Photographer and journalist, joined Alpha Omicron Pi while at the University of Michigan. Her works were donated to Alpha Omicron Pi upon her death in 1971, and today are displayed at the international headquarters. [26]
Janis Mackey Frayer Beta Tau Television journalist with CTV National News [27]
Angie Goff Gamma Alpha News Anchor and Journalist for WRC-TV [28]
Catherine Mackin Pi Delta Television personality, Two Time Broadcast Journalism Emmy Award Winner for NBC, ABC News (20/20). First Woman to broadcast from a National Convention Floor (1972). Also, First Woman to solely Anchor an Evening Network Newscast on a regular basis, NBC Nightly News. [29]
Dr. Melina Jampolis Delta Diet & Nutrition Author-The Calendar Diet, The Doctor on Demand Diet, etc. CNN Diet and Nutrition Medical Correspondent. Seen on Discovery Channel's The Fitness Doctor (Host) 2005. Also, seen on TV shows such as: The Doctors; Dr. Oz; Live with Kelly; Today Show. [30]

Politics

Name Chapter Notability Ref(s)
Susan Brooks Omega United States Congresswoman representing Indiana. [31]
Wendy Chamberlin Rho Former U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan. [32]
Mary Dawson Kappa Phi The current Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner of Canada. She was appointed by the minority Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper on July 9, 2007 as the Conflict of Interest Act came into force. Mary Dawson was made a Queen's Counsel in 1978 and was named a Member of the Order of Canada in 2007. [33]
Lucy Somerville Howorth Kappa Lawyer, feminist, and politician known for her New Deal legislative efforts. [34]
Jessie Wallace Hughan Alpha Founder and first Secretary of the War Resisters League. [35]
Teresa Lubbers Kappa Alpha Indiana State Senator 1992—2009, current Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education. [36]

Sports

Name Chapter Notability Ref(s)
Nancy Winifred Diehl Dear Alpha Phi American Quarter Horse Association's Hall of Fame Inductee and National Cowgirl Hall of Fame Inductee. [37]
Mercedes Farhat Gamma Omicron 2008 Olympic Swimmer. Second woman to swim for Libya in the Olympic Games. [38]
Courtney Kupets Lambda Sigma Olympic and World Champion Gymnast at the University of Georgia. [39]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. pp. IV-13–15. ISBN 978-0963715906.
  2. ↑ For convenience, all womens' fraternities are collectively known as sororities to distinguish them from mens' groups, while legal documents and more formal writing may refer to a group as a womens' fraternity.
  3. ↑ To Dragma. Fall/Winter 2012,
  4. ↑ http://www.alphaomicronpi.org/#_p.About FAOII at a Glance
  5. ↑ ΑΟΠ's national website notes the Tulane expansion, accessed 26 Aug 2018.
  6. ↑ "Manual of Information" (PDF). National Panhellenic Conference. Jan 2018. p. 10. Retrieved 2018-06-17.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Alpha Omicron Pi's Philanthropy is the Arthritis Foundation". Alpha Omicron Pi. Retrieved 2018-08-27.
  8. ↑ "The History Of AOII Properties | Alpha Omicron Pi". Alpha Omicron Pi. 2018-08-06. Retrieved 2018-08-27.
  9. 1 2 3 "Manual of Information" (PDF). National Panhellenic Conference. Jan 2018. p. 18. Retrieved 2018-06-17.
  10. 1 2 3 "AOII Believes in a Fraternal Culture | Alpha Omicron Pi". Alpha Omicron Pi. Retrieved 2018-08-27.
  11. ↑ "Our Scholarship and Grant Programs | Alpha Omicron Pi". Alpha Omicron Pi. Retrieved 2018-08-27.
  12. ↑ Vigeland, Finn. "Alpha Omicron Pi, Gamma Phi Beta to open chapters on campus". Archived 27 September 2012.
  13. ↑ "Aneta Corseaut". Alpha Omicron Pi. Summer 2008. Archived from the original on 2011-09-27.
  14. ↑ "Ashley Crow". IMDb. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  15. ↑ Baxi, Nishita (May 12, 2010). "Ashley Davis-Miss Alabama 2010". Rollins College: Mu Lambda Chapter. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Katie Layman". IMDb. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  17. ↑ "Jamie Lynn Macchia, Miss New York 2015". Jamie Lynn Macchia, Miss New York 2015. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  18. ↑ "Mary–Margaret McCord – Miss Alabama USA 2013". Pageant Update. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  19. ↑ Dominus, Susan (2008-12-18). "Pakistan May Not Be Ready for Its Beauty Queen". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  20. ↑ "Parvati Shallow". CBS.com. Archived from the original on 2008-06-08. Retrieved 2008-06-23.
  21. ↑ WRAL. "Raleigh woman crowned new Miss North Carolina :: WRAL.com". WRAL.com. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  22. ↑ "Sofia Vassilieva". IMDb. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  23. ↑ "Survivor Winner". CBS.com. Archived from the original on 17 December 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-21.
  24. ↑ I Univers
  25. ↑ International Motion Picture Almanac – Page 320 – 1951
  26. ↑ "Margaret Bourke-White Papers". Syracuse University. July 20, 2005. Retrieved 2007-02-04.
  27. ↑ "Janis Mackey Frayer | NBC News Journalist | Muck Rack". muckrack.com. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  28. ↑ "angie goff ohmygoff". angie goff ohmygoff. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  29. ↑ To Dragma magazine of AOII, 1997
  30. ↑ "PHILOSOPHY – Nutrition MD". www.drmelina.com. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  31. ↑ Source: Alpha Omicron Pi Women's Fraternity.
  32. ↑ Kattan, Lara (May 25, 2007). "Alums in politics reflect on NU's changed political landscape". North By Northwestern. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  33. ↑ Source: Alpha Omicron Pi Women's Fraternity.
  34. ↑ "Lucy Somerville Howorth: Lawyer, Politician, and Feminist | Mississippi History Now". www.mshistorynow.mdah.ms.gov. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  35. ↑ Mari Jo Buhle, "Jessie Wallace Hughan (1875–1955)," in Mari Jo Buhle, Paul Buhle, and Dan Georgakas (eds.), Encyclopedia of the American Left. New York: Garland Publishing Co., 1990; pg. 339.
  36. ↑ "TeresaLubbers". Archived from the original on 23 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  37. ↑ "Doug and Nancy Dear". March 2011.
  38. ↑ "Marco swimmer Mercedes Farhat reflects on her experiences after the Olympics". archive.naplesnews.com. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  39. ↑ "Courtney Kupets: Info: Biography". Got-Chalk.com. Archived from the original on 27 January 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-04.
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