Alpha Omicron Pi
| Alpha Omicron Pi | |
|---|---|
| ΑΟΠ | |
 |
|
| Founded | January 2, 1897 Barnard College (New York, New York) |
| Type | Social |
| Scope | International |
| Mission statement | "Women Enriched through Lifelong Friendship.", "Exceed the Expectation." |
| Colors | Cardinal |
| Symbol | Sheaf |
| Flower | Jacqueminot rose |
| Jewel | Ruby |
| Mascot | Panda |
| Publication | To Dragma |
| Philanthropy | Arthritis Research and Education |
| Chapters | 138 active collegiate chapters |
| Members | 151,000 + collegiate |
| Headquarters |
5390 Virginia Way Brentwood, Tennessee USA |
| Homepage | http://www.alphaomicronpi.org/ |
Alpha Omicron Pi (ΑΟΠ, AOII) is an international women's fraternity promoting friendship for a lifetime, and inspiring both academic excellence and lifelong learning. ΑΟΠ was founded on January 2, 1897 at Barnard College on the campus of Columbia University in New York. Its founders were Stella George Stern Perry, Helen St. Clair Mullan, Elizabeth Heywood Wyman, and Jessie Wallace Hughan. The founders met in the Columbia Law Library to begin their fraternity and to forever seal their friendships and the friendships of all future members. The philosophy which the founders guided their principles included membership to women who share their belief in lifelong friendship, service and love. Membership is offered to women regardless of ethnicity, religion or socio-economic background.
Today, Alpha Omicron Pi is an international women's fraternity, with 208 collegiate chapters (active and inactive combined) and 320 alumnae chapters in Canada and the U.S.A. Its international headquarters is located in Brentwood, Tennessee, and it is a member group of the National Panhellenic Conference, which is the governing council of the 26 member women's fraternities and sororities. It is the only member to the NPC to have one official color (cardinal), as all the other members have two to four official colors.
Like many other Greek organizations for women, Alpha Omicron Pi is a fraternity, not a sorority, although both terms are often used. The term sorority was not yet in widespread use at the time of Alpha Omicron Pi's founding, and therefore it is officially a "fraternity for women." The fraternity promotes the values of service, scholarship, and leadership.
The Alpha chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi was founded January 2, 1897, by four women: Jessie Wallace Hughan, Helen St. Clair Mullan, Elizabeth Heywood Wyman, and Stella George Stern Perry. Within one week of the founding of Alpha Omicron Pi, the four founders used their initiation Ritual for the first time, initiating Anne Richardson Hall.
National expansion of the women's fraternity began almost immediately in 1898. The resulting chapter was Pi Chapter at New Orleans' Sophie Newcomb College (part of Tulane University). Stella George Stern Perry, who was then the President of Alpha Omicron Pi, contacted a New Orleans classmate, Evelyn Reed, who expressed compatible ideas about fraternities. Evelyn's sister, Katherine Reed, became the first pledge of Pi Chapter. After being initiated by Stella, she found others to initiate.
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