Alpha Sigma Alpha
Encyclopedia
Alpha Sigma Alpha is a US national sorority founded on November 15, 1901 at the Virginia State Female Normal School (later known as Longwood College and now known as Longwood University
) in Farmville, Virginia
. The Virginia State Female Normal School was the state’s first institution to open its doors to teacher education, at a time when higher education for women was a highly debated topic. There are currently over 145 chapters of Alpha Sigma Alpha
nationwide with more than 100,000 members.
Around the same time period three other sororities were formed: Kappa Delta
(1897), Sigma Sigma Sigma
(1898), and Zeta Tau Alpha
(1898). Following the founding of Alpha Sigma Alpha
in 1901, these four sororities were henceforth referred to as the "Farmville Four". Today, a four-faced clock tower on the university’s campus is dedicated these women’s organizations. Each clock face displays the Greek letters of one of the “Farmville Four” sororities founded on that campus.
1906: The first publication, Aegis, is printed
1913: Ida Shaw Martin is elected to membership, Only teachers' colleges and colleges of education within universities will be eligible as ASA chapters
1914: Convention over Thanksgiving weekend at the Miami University, Ohio: Rituals, customs, symbols elaborated and developed, constitution formulated, inception of weekly publication The Phoenix
1951: Alpha Sigma Alpha petitions for membership to the National Panhellenic Conference
(NPC) and is accepted on November 12
1976: Special Olympics added as national philanthropy
1990: Additional philanthropic project added: S. June Smith Center
1998: National headquarters moved to Indianapolis, Indiana
2008: National headquarters building opens in September 2008 at 9002 Vincennes Circle, Indianapolis, Indiana
2008: ASA adopts official ladybug mascot named Dot
would be the national philanthropic project. Since then it has taken several projects under its wing. In 1989 Alpha Sigma Alpha set up the Alpha Sigma Alpha Foundation. Initially it was a scholarship-granting body, but it has branched out to support a number of different interests with the intentions of providing opportunities for service, leadership, and lifelong learning. In 1990 the S. June Smith Center, located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
and named after Alpha Sigma Alpha member S. June Smith (Kappa Kappa chapter), rounded out its philanthropic interests.
Longwood University
Longwood University is a four-year public, liberal-arts university located in Farmville, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1839 and became a university on July 1, 2002...
) in Farmville, Virginia
Farmville, Virginia
Farmville is a town in Prince Edward and Cumberland counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 6,845 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Prince Edward County....
. The Virginia State Female Normal School was the state’s first institution to open its doors to teacher education, at a time when higher education for women was a highly debated topic. There are currently over 145 chapters of Alpha Sigma Alpha
Alpha Sigma Alpha
Alpha Sigma Alpha is a US national sorority founded on November 15, 1901 at the Virginia State Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia...
nationwide with more than 100,000 members.
History
In the fall of 1901, at Longwood University five friends, Virginia Lee Boyd-Noell (Virginia Boyd), Juliette Jefferson Hundley-Gilliam (Juliette Hundley), Calva Hamlet Watson-Wootton (Calva Watson), Louise Burks Cox-Carper (Louise Cox), and Mary Williamson-Hundley (Mary Williamson) decided to rush the local women's fraternities on campus. However, rather than accepting bids that would separate the group, they decided to form their own sorority. On November 15, 1901 Alpha Sigma Alpha was named and chartered. The open motto of the sorority is "Aspire, Seek, Attain."Around the same time period three other sororities were formed: Kappa Delta
Kappa Delta
Kappa Delta was the first sorority founded at the State Female Normal School , in Farmville, Virginia. It is one of the "Farmville Four" sororities founded at the university...
(1897), Sigma Sigma Sigma
Sigma Sigma Sigma
Sigma Sigma Sigma , also known as Tri Sigma, is a national American women’s sorority with membership of more than 100,000 members. Sigma Sigma Sigma is a member of the National Panhellenic Conference and hosts chapters on more than 110 college campuses and 89 alumnae chapters in communities all...
(1898), and Zeta Tau Alpha
Zeta Tau Alpha
Zeta Tau Alpha is a women's fraternity, founded October 15, 1898 at the State Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia. The Executive office is located in Indianapolis, Indiana...
(1898). Following the founding of Alpha Sigma Alpha
Alpha Sigma Alpha
Alpha Sigma Alpha is a US national sorority founded on November 15, 1901 at the Virginia State Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia...
in 1901, these four sororities were henceforth referred to as the "Farmville Four". Today, a four-faced clock tower on the university’s campus is dedicated these women’s organizations. Each clock face displays the Greek letters of one of the “Farmville Four” sororities founded on that campus.
Timeline of events
1901: Founding of Alpha Sigma Alpha at Longwood College on November 151906: The first publication, Aegis, is printed
1913: Ida Shaw Martin is elected to membership, Only teachers' colleges and colleges of education within universities will be eligible as ASA chapters
1914: Convention over Thanksgiving weekend at the Miami University, Ohio: Rituals, customs, symbols elaborated and developed, constitution formulated, inception of weekly publication The Phoenix
1951: Alpha Sigma Alpha petitions for membership to the National Panhellenic Conference
National Panhellenic Conference
The National Panhellenic Conference , founded in 1902, is an umbrella organization for 26 national women's sororities.Each member group is autonomous as a social, Greek-letter society of college women and alumnae...
(NPC) and is accepted on November 12
1976: Special Olympics added as national philanthropy
1990: Additional philanthropic project added: S. June Smith Center
1998: National headquarters moved to Indianapolis, Indiana
2008: National headquarters building opens in September 2008 at 9002 Vincennes Circle, Indianapolis, Indiana
2008: ASA adopts official ladybug mascot named Dot
Philanthropies
In 1976 Alpha Sigma Alpha National headquarters announced that the Special OlympicsSpecial Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
would be the national philanthropic project. Since then it has taken several projects under its wing. In 1989 Alpha Sigma Alpha set up the Alpha Sigma Alpha Foundation. Initially it was a scholarship-granting body, but it has branched out to support a number of different interests with the intentions of providing opportunities for service, leadership, and lifelong learning. In 1990 the S. June Smith Center, located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
and named after Alpha Sigma Alpha member S. June Smith (Kappa Kappa chapter), rounded out its philanthropic interests.
Notable alumnae
- Freida J. RileyFreida J. RileyFreida Joy Riley was an American science and math teacher. She taught at Big Creek High School in War, West Virginia during the late 1950s and early 1960s while suffering from Hodgkin's disease.-Life:...
(Beta Pi) - Teacher, her work as a teacher influenced the Rocket BoysRocket BoysRocket Boys is the first memoir in a series of three, by Homer Hickam, Jr. It is a story of growing up in a mining town, and a boy's pursuit of amateur rocketry in a coal mining town. It won the in 1998, the year of its release. Today, it is one of the most often picked community/library reads in...
, subjects of the movie October SkyOctober SkyOctober Sky is a 1999 American biographical film directed by Joe Johnston, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper and Laura Dern. It is based on the true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the launch of Sputnik 1 to take up rocketry against his father's wishes, and who...
.
- Dorcas Bates Reilly (Nu Nu) - Invented the Green Bean Caserole while working as a staff member in the home economics department of the Campbell Soup CompanyCampbell Soup CompanyCampbell Soup Company , also known as Campbell's, is an American producer of canned soups and related products. Campbell's products are sold in 120 countries around the world. It is headquartered in Camden, New Jersey...
.