Sigma Kappa
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Sigma Kappa (ΣΚ) is a sorority founded in 1874 at Colby College in Waterville, Maine.
Sigma Kappa was created by five women: Mary Caffrey Low Carver, Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, Ida Mabel Fuller Pierce, Frances Elliott Mann Hall and Louise Helen Coburn. Since its founding in 1874, the sorority has initiated more than 141,800 members worldwide and created 105 active college chapters.
The sorority's colors are lavender and maroon. The official flower is the violet and the jewel the pearl. The sorority's symbols are the dove and the heart.
The sorority's official philanthropies are Alzheimer's research, gerontology, Inherit the Earth, and, in honor of its roots in Maine, the Maine Seacoast Mission. Sigma Kappa is one of the nation's largest supporters of Alzheimer's research.
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[edit] Symbols
Sigma Kappa's open motto is "One Heart, One Way."
The membership badge is represented by a triangle, which is not an official symbol of Sigma Kappa but is often represented along with the official symbols of the heart and the dove. The current badge is a one-inch jeweled triangle. On the front of the badge are the Greek letters ΣΚ. The badge is worn strictly as an emblem of membership and only by initiated members.
New members of Sigma Kappa wear a different badge. The new member pin is only worn during the new member period. Just prior to initiation, it is returned to the chapter.
The heart and the dove are official symbols of Sigma Kappa. The violet is the official flower, with lavender and maroon the official colors. The sorority jewel is the pearl. The sorority Coat-of-Arms combines all the elements of Sigma Kappa.
[edit] History
Colby College in Waterville, Maine, was the first college in New England to admit women on an equal basis with men. In 1871, Mary Caffrey Low Carver became the first female student at Colby. For two years, she was the only woman at the school. But in 1873, four more young women from Maine, Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, Ida Mabel Fuller Pierce, Frances Elliott Mann Hall and Louise Helen Coburn were admitted to Colby. Being the only women in the college, the five of them found themselves together frequently. In 1873-74, the five young women decided to form a literary and social society. They were instructed by the college administration that they would need to present a constitution and bylaws with a petition requesting permission to form Sigma Kappa Sorority. They began work during that year and on November 9, 1874, the five received a letter from the faculty approving their petition. They sought for and received permission to form a sorority with the intent for the organization to become national.
Since that time, Sigma Kappa annually celebrates November 9 as its Founders' Day.
Mary Caffrey Low was the first woman to appear on the rolls of Sigma Kappa and the first to preside over an initiation. The first Sigma Kappa emblem was designed by Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, who died shortly thereafter of tuberculosis. A large portion of the initiation ceremony was written by Louise Helen Coburn. Much of the original initiation music was written by Hoag's cousin, Emily Peace Meader, who was inducted shortly before Hoag's death in 1875. Frances Mann Hall was the first Sigma Kappa to get married, to a fellow Colby student.
In the first constitution, chapter membership was limited to 25. The original group was known as Alpha chapter and as the sorority grew, Beta chapter and Gamma chapter were also established at Colby College. Early records indicate that the groups met together; but in 1893, the Sigma Kappa members decided that intramural expansion was not desirable. They voted to fill Alpha chapter to the limit of 25 and to initiate no more into Beta and Gamma chapters. Eventually, the second and third chapters would vanish from Colby campus. Finally Sigma Kappas realized if the organization was going to continue to grow, it had to expand beyond the walls of Colby College.
The Delta Chapter of Boston University is now the oldest existing chapter. In 1984, Colby College banned fraternities and sororities, ensuring that Sigma Kappa's Alpha, Beta, and Gamma chapters will probably never be resurrected.
[edit] Purpose statement
The purpose of Sigma Kappa is to provide women lifelong opportunities and support for social, intellectual, and spiritual development by bringing women together to positively impact our communities.
[edit] Philanthropies
Sigma Kappa's philanthropical missions include:
Alzheimer's research, gerentology, the Maine Sea Coast Mission Society and Inherit the Earth.
In 1984, Sigma Kappa decided to take on Alzheimer's research as its main philanthropy. Sigma Kappa is now one of the top five supporters of Alzheimer's research in the nation. Sigma Kappas selling lollipops on campuses are a familiar sight as SK collegiates raise money for this cause. Sigma Kappas are also one of the largest group participants in Alzheimer's Memory Walks across the nation every year. Each year, Sigma Kappa, through the Sigma Kappa Foundation, makes grants to universities in support of Alzheimer's research. Since 1954, Sigma Kappa has supported and recognized the needs of older individuals through its philanthropy of gerentology. Sigma Kappas visit nursing homes and volunteer their time to senior citizens. Since 1918, Sigma Kappa has paid tribute to its Maine roots by dedicating funds to the Maine Sea Coast Mission Society, which provides assistance to those in need along the seacoast of Maine. Sigma Kappa's support of Inherit the Earth allows it to incorporate a dedication to the environment into its philanthropical work.
[edit] Trivia
Amy Jones Holden, the screenwriter of the '80s movie Mystic Pizza, included Sigma Kappa symbolism throughout the movie.
[edit] Notable Sigma Kappas
For a full list of notable Sigma Kappa alumnae please visit here. [1]
- Margaret Chase Smith (Alpha) - first female U.S. Senator.
- Judith Guest la Vercombe (Alpha Mu) - Author, Ordinary People.
- M. Rhea Seddon (Lambda) - A mission specialist for NASA. Took her badge into space. [citation needed]
- Maitland Ward (Gamma Theta) - actress
- Sarah Weddington (Zeta Nu) - First woman elected from Austin to the Texas House of Representatives. Lawyer in Roe v. Wade.
- Linda Cross Dowdy (Epsilon Epsilon) - managing editor of The Lyons Group; creator and owner of Barney, the purple dinosaur featured on a children's show on PBS.
[edit] Collegiate Chapters
Dormant chapters are denoted with a * before the chapter name.
- * Alpha chapter - Colby College (Waterville, Maine)
- * Beta chapter - Colby College (Waterville, Maine)
- * Gamma chapter - Colby College (Waterville, Maine)
- Delta chapter - Boston University (BU) (Massachusetts)
- * Epsilon chapter - Syracuse University (New York)
- Zeta chapter - George Washington University (GWU) (District of Columbia)
- Eta chapter - Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, Illinois); founded 1850; longest continuously running chapter
- Theta chapter - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- * Iota chapter - The University of Denver (Colorado); founded 1908; dormant in 1967; Penrose Library, Sigma Kappa Sorority, Iota Chapter Collection
- Kappa chapter
- Lambda chapter - University of California, Berkeley (California)
- Mu chapter - University of Washington (UW) (Seattle, Washington)
- Nu chapter
- Xi chapter - The University of Kansas
- Omicron chapter
- Pi chapter
- Rho chapter
- * Sigma chapter - Southern Methodist University (Texas)
- * Tau chapter - Indiana University
- Upsilon chapter - Oregon State University (OSU)
- Phi chapter - University of Rhode Island (URI)
- * Chi chapter – The Ohio State University (OSU)
- * Psi chapter - The University of Wisconsin-Madison
- * Omega chapter – Florida State University
- Alpha Alpha chapter
- Alpha Beta chapter
- Alpha Gamma chapter - [Washington State University] (Wazzu) (Pullman, Washington)
- Alpha Delta chapter - The University of Tennessee (UT) (Knoxville, Tennessee)
- Alpha Epsilon chapter - Iowa State University (UCLA)
- * Alpha Zeta chapter - Cornell University [www.cornell.edu (Cornell)]
- * Alpha Eta chapter – University of Minnesota
- Alpha Theta chapter - University of Louisville (Louisville, Kentucky)
- * Alpha Iota chapter – Miami University
- Alpha Kappa chapter - University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL)
- * Alpha Lambda chapter - Adelphi University (Adelphi) (Garden City, New York)
- Alpha Mu chapter - University of Michigan
- * Alpha Nu chapter - The University of Montana
- Alpha Xi chapter
- * Alpha Omicron chapter - University of California, Los Angeles [ (UCLA)]
- Alpha Pi chapter
- Alpha Rho chapter
- Alpha Sigma chapter - Westminster College (Pennsylvania)
- Alpha Tau chapter - Michigan State University
- Alpha Upsilon chapter
- * Alpha Phi chapter - University of Oregon (UO) (Eugene, Oregon)
- Alpha Chi chapter - Georgetown College (Kentucky)
- Alpha Psi chapter
- Alpha Omega chapter
- Beta Alpha chapter
- Beta Beta chapter
- Beta Gamma chapter
- Beta Delta chapter
- Beta Epsilon chapter - Louisiana Tech University
- Beta Zeta chapter - University of Maryland
- Beta Eta chapter - University of Massachusetts, Amherst (Amherst, Massachusetts)
- Beta Theta chapter - Marietta College (Ohio)
- * Beta Iota chapter - Boise State University (Idaho)
- * Beta Kappa chapter – Colorado State University
- Beta Lambda chapter
- Beta Mu chapter - Culver-Stockton College (Missouri)
- Beta Nu chapter - Bradley University (Peoria, Illinois); founded 1947
- Beta Xi chapter - The University of Memphis (Memphis, Tennessee)
- Beta Omicron chapter
- Beta Pi chapter
- * Beta Rho chapter – San Jose State University (California)
- Beta Sigma chapter - Purdue University (Indiana)
- Beta Tau chapter - University of Florida
- Beta Upsilon chapter - Ohio University (Ohio)
- Beta Phi chapter
- Beta Chi chapter – University of California Santa Barbara [ (UCSB)]
- Beta Psi chapter - San Diego State University [ (SDSU)]
- Beta Omega chapter - University of Nebraska at Omaha
- Gamma Alpha chapter - University of Northern Colorado
- Gamma Beta chapter - Western Michigan University
- Gamma Gamma chapter - Indiana State University
- Gamma Delta chapter - Thiel College (Pennsylvania)
- Gamma Epsilon chapter - Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania)
- Gamma Zeta chapter - Northern Illinois University
- Gamma Eta chapter - Ball State University (Indiana)
- Gamma Theta chapter - California State University, Long Beach; founded January 29, 1955
- * Gamma Iota chapter - Texas Tech Universit
- Gamma Kappa chapter - Southern Illinois University
- Gamma Lambda chapter - East Tennessee State University (Tennessee)
- Gamma Mu chapter - Eastern Illinois University
- Gamma Nu chapter
- Gamma Xi chapter
- Gamma Omicron chapter
- Gamma Pi chapter - Kentucky Wesleyan College (Kentucky); founded September 27, 1958
- * Gamma Rho chapter - Western Carolina University
- Gamma Sigma chapter
- Gamma Tau chapter - Midwestern State University
- Gamma Upsilon chapter - California University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania)
- Gamma Phi chapter - North Carolina State University (Raleigh, North Carolina); founded April 23, 1960
- Gamma Chi chapter
- Gamma Psi chapter - Tennessee Wesleyan College (Tennessee)
- Gamma Omega chapter - Wittenberg University
- Delta Alpha chapter - Eastern Michigan University
- * Delta Beta chapter - Marshall University
- Delta Gamma chapter
- Delta Delta chapter - Central Michigan University
- * Delta Epsilon chapter - Emporia State University
- Delta Zeta chapter
- Delta Eta chapter - Central Missouri State University
- Delta Theta chapter - Truman State University (Kirksville, Missouri)
- Delta Iota chapter - California State University, Chico
- Delta Kappa chapter
- Delta Lambda chapter
- Delta Mu chapter
- Delta Nu chapter - Longwood University (Virginia)
- Delta Xi chapter
- Delta Omicron chapter
- Delta Pi chapter - Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania
- Delta Rho chapter - James Madison University (Virginia)
- Delta Sigma chapter - Western Illinois University
- Delta Tau chapter - University of Central Arkansas [ (UCA)]
- Delta Upsilon chapter - Missouri State University
- Delta Phi chapter
- Delta Chi chapter - University of Central Oklahoma
- Delta Psi chapter - Radford University (Virginia)
- * Delta Omega chapter – Waynesburg College
- Epsilon Alpha chapter - Lenoir-Rhyne College (LRC) (Hickory, North Carolina); founded 1962; dormant 1984; recolonized 1989
- Epsilon Beta chapter - University of New Orleans (New Orleans, Louisiana)
- Epsilon Gamma chapter
- Epsilon Delta chapter - Susquehanna University (Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania)
- Epsilon Epsilon chapter - University of Georgia
- Epsilon Zeta chapter - Western Kentucky University
- Epsilon Eta chapter - The University of Findlay (Ohio)
- Epsilon Theta chapter
- Epsilon Iota chapter
- Epsilon Kappa chapter
- Epsilon Lambda chapter - California State University, Sacramento; founded 1967; recolonized May 11, 1991
- * Epsilon Mu chapter – University of Missouri, Columbia
- Epsilon Nu chapter
- Epsilon Xi chapter
- Epsilon Omicron chapter
- Epsilon Pi chapter
- Epsilon Rho chapter
- Epsilon Sigma chapter
- Epsilon Tau chapter - California State University, Fullerton
- Epsilon Upsilon chapter
- Epsilon Phi chapter
- Epsilon Chi chapter - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Epsilon Psi chapter
- Epsilon Omega chapter - California Polytechnic State University
- Zeta Alpha - Indiana University Southeast
- Zeta Beta chapter
- Zeta Gamma chapter
- Zeta Delta chapter
- * Zeta Epsilon chapter – California State University, Northridge
- Zeta Zeta chapter - Babson College (Massachusetts)
- Zeta Eta chapter
- Zeta Theta chapter
- Zeta Iota chapter - Elmhurst College (Illinois)
- Zeta Kappa chapter - Angelo State University (Texas)
- * Zeta Lambda chapter – California State University, Sacramento
- Zeta Mu chapter - University of California, San Diego [ (UCSD)]
- Zeta Nu chapter - The University of Texas at San Antonio
- Zeta Xi chapter
- Zeta Omicron chapter - The University of Arizona [ (UA)]
- Zeta Pi chapter - Colorado School of Mines (Golden, Colorado); founded 1890
- Zeta Rho chapter
- Zeta Sigma chapter
- Zeta Tau chapter
- Zeta Upsilon chapter - California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
- Zeta Phi chapter - Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
- * Zeta Chi chapter – Florida Institute of Technology
- Zeta Psi chapter
- Zeta Omega chapter
- Theta Alpha chapter - Appalachian State University (North Carolina)
- Theta Beta chapter - University of LaVerne (California)
- * Theta Gamma chapter – Northeast Louisiana University/University of Louisiana at Monroe
- Theta Delta chapter - University of Delaware
- Theta Epsilon chapter - University of California, Riverside
- Theta Zeta chapter - University of Virginia (Charlottesville, Virginia)
- Theta Eta chapter - University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Las Vegas, Nevada)
- Theta Theta chapter - Albright College (Pennsylvania)
- Theta Iota chapter - The State University of New York College at Fredonia
- Theta Kappa chapter
- Theta Lambda chapter - Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT
- Theta Mu chapter - The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Charlotte, North Carolina)
- Theta Nu chapter
- Theta Xi chapter - Auburn University (Alabama)
- * Theta Omicron chapter – Arizona State University [ (ASU)]
- Theta Pi chapter - The State University of New York College at Geneseo (Geneseo, New York); founded 1987 (New York)
- Theta Rho chapter - University of Kentucky (Kentucky)
- Theta Sigma chapter - University of Hartford (Connecticut)
- Theta Tau chapter - Kansas State University (Manhattan, Kansas); Second Theta Tau website (Kansas)
- Theta Upsilon chapter - Bowling Green State University (Ohio)
- Theta Phi chapter - The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (Tennessee)
- Theta Chi chapter - West Virginia University (West Virginia)
- Theta Psi chapter - The Pennsylvania State University (Pennsylvania)
- * Theta Omega chapter – Loyola University Chicago
- Kappa Alpha chapter - Northwest Missouri State University
- Kappa Beta chapter - Grand Valley State University (Michigan)
- Kappa Gamma chapter – University of Dayton
- Kappa Delta chapter
- Kappa Epsilon chapter – Pepperdine University
- Kappa Zeta chapter - Elon University (Elon, North Carolina)
- Kappa Eta chapter - Texas Christian University (Texas)
- Kappa Theta chapter - Saint Louis University (St. Louis, Missouri)
- Kappa Iota chapter - University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania)
- Kappa Kappa chapter
- Kappa Lambda chapter - North Georgia College and State University
- Kappa Mu chapter - Dusquesne University
- Kappa Nu chapter
- Kappa Xi chapter - University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) (Reno, Nevada); founded October 2006
Active Chapters (but do not know chapter's greek letters)
- Marquette University (Wisconsin)
[edit] Alumnae Chapters
Alabama Chapters
- Birmingham Alumnae
- SE Alabama/SW Georgia Alumnae
Alaska Chapters
- Anchorage Alumnae
DC Chapters
Delaware Chapters
- Trenton-Delaware Valley
Georgia Chapters
Kansas Chapters
- Greater Kansas City Alumnae
Kentucky Chapters
- Bluegrass Alumnae
- Greater Louisville Alumnae
- Southern Kentucky Alumnae
Louisiana Chapters
- Baton Rouge Alumnae
- Greater New Orleans Alumnae
- Luling Alumnae
- Monroe/Ruston Alumnae
- Natchitoches Alumnae
- Shrevesport/Bossier City Alumnae
Massachusetts Chapters
- Amherst Alumnae
- Boston Alumnae
Maine Chapters No collegiate or alumnae chapters at this time.
Maryland Chapters
- Baltimore Alumnae
- Suburban Maryland/DCAlumnae
Michigan Chapters
- Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Alumnae
- Birmingham/Bloomfield Alumnae
- Detroit Alumnae
- Grand Rapids Alumnae
- Greater Lansing Michigan Alumnae
- Grosse Pointe Alumnae
- Kalamazoo Alumnae
- Mid-Michigan
- South Oakland County Alumnae
- Western Lakeshore Alumnae
Minnesota Chapters No collegiate or alumnae chapters at this time.
Mississippi Chapters No collegiate or alumnae chapters at this time.
Missouri Chapters
- Greater Kansas City Alumnae
- Mid-Missouri Alumnae
- Northwest Missiouri Alumnae
- Poplar Bluff Alumnae
- Southwest Missouri Alumnae
- Spirit of St. Louis Alumnae
- Springfield Alumnae
- Tri-States Alumnae
- West-Central Missouri Alumnae
Montana Chapters
- Montana Alumnae
Nebraska Chapters
- Lincoln Alumnae
- Omaha/Central Bluff Alumnae
- Siouxland Alumnae
Nevada Chapters
- Las Vegas Area Alumnae
- Sierra Alumnae
New Hampshire Chapters No collegiate or alumnae chapters at this time.
New Mexico Chapters
- El Paso TX/Las Cruces NM Alumnae
New Jersey Chapters
- New Jersey Suburban Alumnae
- Ocean Area Alumnae
- South Jersey Alumnae
- Trenton-Delaware Valley
New Mexico Chapters
- Albuquerque Alumnae
New York Chapters
- Buffalo Alumnae
- Long Island Alumnae
- New York City Alumnae
- Rochester Alumnae
- Syracuse Alumnae
North Carolina Chapters
- Charlotte Alumnae
- Raleigh Alumnae
North Dakota Chapters No alumnae chapters at this time.
Ohio Chapters
- Akron/Canton Alumnae
- Central Ohio Alumnae
- Cincinnati Alumnae
- Cleveland Alumnae
- Cleveland East Side Alumnae
- Cleveland West Side Alumnae
- Dayton Alumnae
- Toledo Alumnae
Oklahoma Chapters
- Ardmore Alumnae
- Oklahoma City Alumnae
- Ponca City Alumnae
- Tulsa Alumnae
Oregon Chapters
- Portland Alumnae
- Southern Oregon
Pennsylvania Chapters
- Berks/Lancaster Alumnae
- Lehigh Valley Alumnae
- Northwest Pennsylvania Alumane
- Philadelphia Alumnae
- Pittsburg Alumnae
Rhode Island Chapters
- Rhode Island Alumnae
South Carolina Chapters
- Coastal Carolina Alumnae
- Columbia Alumnae
- Upstate South Carolina Alumnae
South Dakota Chapters
- Siouxland Alumnae
Tennessee Chapters
- Athens Alumnae
- Chattanooga Area Alumnae
- Knoxville Alumnae
Texas Chapters
- Austin Alumnae
- Concho Valley Alumnae
- Dallas Alumnae
- El Paso TX/Las Cruces NM Alumnae
- Fort Worth Alumnae
- Houston Alumnae
- Mid-Cities Alumnae
- North Harris County Alumnae
- Red Oak/South Dallas Alumnae
- San Antonio Alumnae
- Wichita Falls Alumnae
Utah Chapters
- Provo Alumnae
Vermont Chapters
- Rutland Alumnae
Virginia Chapters
- Charlottesville Alaumnae
- Greater Hampton Roads Alumnae
- Northern Virginia DC Alumnae
- Richmond Alumnae
- Roanoke/New River Valley Alumnae
Washington Chapters
- North Puget Sound Alumnae
- Pullman Alumnae
- Seattle Alumnae
- Spokane Alumnae
- Tacoma Alumane
- Tri-Cities Alumnae
West Virginia
- Northern Alumnae
Wisconsin Chapters
- Southeastern Wisconsin Alumnae
Wyoming Chapters
- Wyoming Alumnae
