Delta Gamma
Encyclopedia
Delta Gamma is one of the oldest and largest women's fraternities
in the United States and Canada, with its Executive Offices based in Columbus
, Ohio
.
, 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 be worn only by initiated members.
Before the adoption of the golden anchor, the symbol of Delta Gamma was simply an "H" for the word "hope." In 1877, the original "Hope" badge was changed to the traditional symbol of hope, the anchor. Today's badge has a small rope wrapping around the top of the anchor, with the Greek letters Tau Delta Eta (ΤΔΗ) on the crosspiece. Delta Gamma's motto is "Do Good," and its flower is the cream rose. The Hannah Doll is their mascot.
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 Banta, Delta Gamma retains close historical ties with Phi Delta Theta.
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. Delta Gamma and the six other charter members formally joined the National Panhellenic Conference in 1902. Today, the National Panhellenic Conference is the governing body of sororities in America with 26 members.
Today Delta Gamma has over 143,400 members with 147 collegiate chapters in the United States and Canada, as well as 253 alumnae groups in the United States, Canada and England. The oldest existing chapter of Delta Gamma, Eta, is located at the University of Akron in Akron Ohio and was founded in 1879.
Ruth Billow, who was blinded in a childhood accident, made an impassioned plea to Convention in 1936. She asked that Delta Gamma make a difference in the lives of those with limited or no sight. Her wish was also to help society appreciate the talents of those who are visually impaired.
Delta Gammas give more than 96,000 Service for Sight volunteer hours each year. The most common Delta Gamma fundraisers for service for sight are Anchor Splash (a swimming event held in the spring) and Anchor Slam (a basketball event held in the spring). Many chapters participate in one of these events, with the decision being largely dependent on the climate in which the school is located.
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
in the United States and Canada, with its Executive Offices based in Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
History
Delta Gamma was founded in December 1873, in OxfordOxford, Mississippi
Oxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, at the Lewis School for Girls near the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
. The group was founded by Mary Comfort Leonard
Mary Comfort Leonard
Mary Comfort Leonard was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi. She is known primarily for being one of the three founders of the Delta Gamma Fraternity....
, Eva Webb Dodd, and Anna Boyd Ellington.
The badge of Delta Gamma is a golden anchor
Anchor
An anchor is a device, normally made of metal, that is used to connect a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the vessel from drifting due to wind or current. The word derives from Latin ancora, which itself comes from the Greek ἄγκυρα .Anchors can either be temporary or permanent...
and may be worn only by initiated members.
Before the adoption of the golden anchor, the symbol of Delta Gamma was simply an "H" for the word "hope." In 1877, the original "Hope" badge was changed to the traditional symbol of hope, the anchor. Today's badge has a small rope wrapping around the top of the anchor, with the Greek letters Tau Delta Eta (ΤΔΗ) on the crosspiece. Delta Gamma's motto is "Do Good," and its flower is the cream rose. The Hannah Doll is their mascot.
The early growth for Delta Gamma was confined to women’s colleges in the southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
. Within a few years, Delta Gamma had established itself in the northern United States
Northern United States
Northern United States, also sometimes the North, may refer to:* A particular grouping of states or regions of the United States of America. The United States Census Bureau divides some of the northernmost United States into the Midwest Region and the Northeast Region...
and later to the East with the help of George Banta
George Banta
George Banta was the founder of the George Banta Company and an influential figure in the development of the collegiate Phi Delta Theta fraternity and Delta Gamma women's fraternity.-Biography:...
, a member of Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta , also known as Phi Delt, is an international fraternity founded at Miami University in 1848 and headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad. The fraternity has about 169 active chapters and colonies in over 43 U.S...
Fraternity and Delta Gamma's only male initiate. Because of the assistance provided by Banta, Delta Gamma retains close historical ties with Phi Delta Theta.
Delta Gamma was one of seven charter members of 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...
when the first inter-sorority meeting was held in Boston, Massachusetts in 1891. Delta Gamma and the six other charter members formally joined the National Panhellenic Conference in 1902. Today, the National Panhellenic Conference is the governing body of sororities in America with 26 members.
Today Delta Gamma has over 143,400 members with 147 collegiate chapters in the United States and Canada, as well as 253 alumnae groups in the United States, Canada and England. The oldest existing chapter of Delta Gamma, Eta, is located at the University of Akron in Akron Ohio and was founded in 1879.
Philanthropy
Delta Gamma's philanthropic focus is on service for sight. Delta Gammas have funded genetic research, low-vision adaptive devices, tapes, Braille books and hundreds of life-enhancing programs.Ruth Billow, who was blinded in a childhood accident, made an impassioned plea to Convention in 1936. She asked that Delta Gamma make a difference in the lives of those with limited or no sight. Her wish was also to help society appreciate the talents of those who are visually impaired.
Delta Gammas give more than 96,000 Service for Sight volunteer hours each year. The most common Delta Gamma fundraisers for service for sight are Anchor Splash (a swimming event held in the spring) and Anchor Slam (a basketball event held in the spring). Many chapters participate in one of these events, with the decision being largely dependent on the climate in which the school is located.
Delta Gamma firsts
- First fraternityFraternities and sororitiesFraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
in the United States to establish an independent philanthropic foundation in 1951 in OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
(Service for Sight) - The first sorority to have its own in-house printing press.
- The only panhellenic group to have its flower registered with the American Rose Society - "Delta Gamma Cream Colored Rose"
- One of the seven original groups that began the National Panhellenic Conference
- First and only fraternity to sponsor a traveling art exhibit, which was called Art of the Eye and benefited 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.
- First recipient of the Virginia Boyce Award presented by Prevent Blindness America
- First woman’s fraternity to employ a full-time staff member to address the health and wellness needs of its members
- First to have an archivist handling historical materials at the international headquarters
- First to receive recognition from the American Academy of Ophthalmology for Distinguished Public Service
- First to establish challenge grants in values in ethics, through the Dorothy Garrett Martin Lectureship in Values and Ethics
- First to allow a transgender member to become president
Famous Delta Gammas
- Edith AbbottEdith AbbottEdith Abbott was an American economist, social worker, educator, and author. Abbott was born in Grand Island, Nebraska. Her younger sister was Grace Abbott....
(Kappa) - first woman to become dean of a graduate school, The University of Chicago. - Grace AbbottGrace AbbottGrace Abbott was an American social worker who specifically worked in advancing child welfare. Her elder sister was social worker Edith Abbott....
(Kappa) - social worker - Paige Adams-Geller (Alpha Nu) - model, fashion designer, founder Paige Premium Denim, Miss California 1991
- Jill ArringtonJill ArringtonTiffany "Jill" Arrington is an American sportscaster with Fox Sports. She was previously a sideline reporter on college football for ESPN during the 2004 season.-Personal life:...
(Beta Tau) - sports reporter for ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming.... - Carol BellamyCarol BellamyCarol Bellamy has been Director of the Peace Corps, Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund , and President and CEO of World Learning. In April, 2009, Bellamy was appointed as Chair of the International Baccalaureate Board of Governors...
(Beta Lambda) - CEO and President of World Learning - Heather Buchanan Spohr (Alpha Nu) - writer, author, philanthropist
- Cheryl CrawfordCheryl CrawfordCheryl Crawford was an American theatre producer and director.Born in Akron, Ohio, Crawford majored in drama at Smith College. Following graduation, she moved to New York City and enrolled at the Theatre Guild's school...
(Eta) - Broadway actress; founder of Group Theater and Actor's Studio - Heloise CruseHeloise (columnist)Heloise is an American writer, author, and speaker specializing in lifestyle hints, including consumer issues, pets, travel, food, home improvement, and health...
(Zeta Eta) - advice columnist - Ann CoulterAnn CoulterAnn Hart Coulter is an American lawyer, conservative social and political commentator, author, and syndicated columnist. She frequently appears on television, radio, and as a speaker at public events and private events...
{Lawyer, political commentator, Author} - Jo Ann EmersonJo Ann EmersonJo Ann Emerson is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1996. The district consists of Southeast and South Central Missouri and includes the Bootheel, the Lead Belt and the Ozarks. Emerson is a member of the Republican Party....
(Alpha Rho) - U.S. Congresswoman from Missouri (1996-pres.) - Mary FrannMary FrannMary Frann was an American actress best known for her role as Bob Newhart's wife, Joanna Loudon, on the television series Newhart.-Early life and career:...
(Sigma) - actress, (NewhartNewhartNewhart is a television situation comedy starring comedian Bob Newhart and actress Mary Frann as an author and wife who owned and operated an inn located in a small, rural Vermont town that was home to many eccentric characters. The show aired on the CBS network from October 25, 1982 to May 21, 1990...
) - Melissa Hart (Epsilon Delta) - U.S. Congresswoman from Pennsylvania (2001-2007)
- Patricia HeatonPatricia HeatonPatricia Helen Heaton is an American actress, comedienne, producer and model, best known for portraying Debra Barone on the CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond from 1996 to 2005, for which she won two Emmy Awards....
(Epsilon) - actress, (Everybody Loves RaymondEverybody Loves RaymondEverybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff...
) - E.D. Hill (Beta Eta) - co-host of Fox and Friends on the Fox News Channel
- Judge Sarah Tilghman HughesSarah T. HughesSarah Tilghman Hughes was an American lawyer and federal judge who swore in Lyndon B. Johnson as President of the United States on Air Force One after the Kennedy assassination. She is the only woman in U.S...
(Psi II) - swore in PresidentPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Lyndon B. JohnsonLyndon B. JohnsonLyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
on the day of President John F. KennedyJohn F. KennedyJohn Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
's assassination - Nadine JolieNadine HaobshNadine Jolie, born Nadine Freedon Haobsh, is an American novelist, blogger and beauty journalist. She maintains a blog, "Nadine Jolie" , which has received international press, and is the author of Beauty Confidential: The No Preaching, No Lies, Advice-You'll-Actually-Use-Guide to Looking Your Best...
(Zeta Theta) - beauty journalist and author - Judith FordJudith FordJudi Nash [née Judith Anne Ford] is a retired teacher who was Miss America 1969. Ford qualified to compete in the Miss America pageant by winning first the title of Miss Boone County and then the Miss Illinois pageant...
Johnson Nash (Iota) - Miss America 1969 - Amy Lamare (Alpha Nu) - writer, author, radio personality
- Christine LahtiChristine LahtiChristine Lahti is an American actress and film director. Lahti has had a successful career in television and film. Throughout her career she has garnered 2 Golden Globe Awards from 8 Nominations, An Emmy Award from 6 Nominations and 2 Academy Award nominations...
(Xi) - actress, (Chicago HopeChicago HopeChicago Hope is an American medical drama series created by David E. Kelley that ran from September 18, 1994, to May 5, 2000. It takes place in a fictional private charity hospital.-Premise:The show stars Mandy Patinkin as Dr...
) - Mary LandrieuMary LandrieuMary Loretta Landrieu is the senior United States Senator from the State of Louisiana and a member of the Democratic Party.Born in Arlington, Virginia, Landrieu was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana...
(Gamma Zeta) - United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Louisiana (1997-pres.) - Julia Louis-DreyfusJulia Louis-DreyfusJulia Scarlett Elizabeth Louis-Dreyfus is an American actress and comedienne, widely known for her sitcom roles in Seinfeld and The New Adventures of Old Christine....
(Sigma) - Emmy Award-winning actress - Samantha Harris (Sigma) - former host of Dancing with the StarsDancing with the StarsDancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
and host of various shows on E!, model and actress. - Joan LundenJoan LundenJoan Lunden is an American journalist, author and television host. She was the co-host of ABC's Good Morning America from 1980 through 1997 and is the author of 8 books...
(Delta Eta) - former host of Good Morning AmericaGood Morning AmericaGood Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now... - Donna MillsDonna MillsDonna Mills is an American actress, most well known for her role as Abby Fairgate Cunningham Ewing Sumner on the primetime soap opera Knots Landing.-Early years:...
(Iota) actress, (Knots LandingKnots LandingKnots Landing is an American primetime television soap opera that aired from December 27, 1979 to May 13, 1993 on CBS. Set in a fictitious coastal suburb of Los Angeles in California, the show centered on the lives of four married couples living in a cul-de-sac, Seaview Circle...
) - Terry Murphy (Epsilon) - Emmy Award-winning journalist
- Susan NattrassSusan NattrassSusan "Sue" Marie Nattrass, is a Canadian shooter and medical researcher in osteoporosis. She was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta. She competed at six Olympic Games in 1976, 1988, 1992, and 2000 to 2008; she is one of sixteen shooters worldwide to compete at at least six Olympic Games...
(Beta Beta) - first woman shooter in the 1976 Summer Olympics1976 Summer OlympicsThe 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and... - Kyra PhillipsKyra PhillipsKyra Phillips is an American news anchor. She is on the weekday edition of CNN Newsroom.-Early life and career:Phillips was born in North Carolina. She grew up in San Diego and graduated from Helix High School. She received her Bachelor's degree in journalism from University of Southern California...
(Alpha Nu) - anchor on CNN - Eva Marie SaintEva Marie SaintEva Marie Saint is an American actress who has starred in films, on Broadway, and on television in a career spanning seven decades. She won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the drama film On the Waterfront , and later starred in the thriller film North by...
(Beta Mu) - actress, (On the WaterfrontOn the WaterfrontOn the Waterfront is a 1954 American drama film about union violence and corruption among longshoremen. The film was directed by Elia Kazan and written by Budd Schulberg. It stars Marlon Brando, Rod Steiger, Eva Marie Saint, Lee J. Cobb and Karl Malden. The soundtrack score was composed by Leonard...
) - Julia SweeneyJulia SweeneyJulia Anne Sweeney is an American actress, comedian and author best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for her autobiographical solo shows.-Personal life:...
(Beta) - actress and comedian from Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture... - Lizz WinsteadLizz WinsteadLizz Winstead is an American comedienne, radio and television personality, and blogger. A native of Minnesota, Winstead was co-creator of The Daily Show along with Madeleine Smithberg, and served as head writer....
(Lambda) - creator of Comedy Central's The Daily ShowThe Daily ShowThe Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998... - Melanne PenningtonMelanne PenningtonMelanne Pennington was a former Miss West Virginia competition winner and a delegate to the 1984 Miss America pageant.-Early life and education :...
(Alpha Xi)- Miss West Virginia 1984 - Alice Ripley (Gamma Iota) - Broadway actress; Tony Award winner ("Next to Normal")
- Anne Michael Langguth (Zeta Phi)- Miss Iowa 2009
- Allyn RoseAllyn RoseAllyn Rose is an American beauty pageant titleholder and collegiate athlete from Newburg, Maryland.Rose won the Miss Maryland USA 2011 title in a state pageant held in Bethesda, Maryland on October 31, 2010. Rose's previous pageant experience includes winning the 1st Miss Sinergy beauty pageant...
(Beta Sigma) - Miss Maryland USA 2011 - Camilla Morgan Grove (Alpha Zeta) - Screen Writer, Balls To The WallBalls to the WallBalls to the Wall is the fifth album by the German metal band Accept. European label Lark Records released the album in December 1983, but its US release was delayed until a month later as to not compete with the band's then-current album Restless and Wild, which had arrived in the US in early 1983...
- Caroline McGowan (Beta Upsilon)- Miss Oregon USA 2011
- Noelle FreemanNoelle FreemanNoelle Hope Freeman from Carlsbad, California, is the reigning Miss California 2011 and will compete in the Miss America 2012 pageant.Freeman previously held the titles of Miss Teenage California 2007 and Miss Teen World U.S. 2007-2008....
(Zeta Iota)- Miss California 2011