Alpha Xi Delta (??? or A-"Zee"-D ) is a sorority founded on April 17, 1893 at Lombard College in Galesburg, Illinois, United States. It is one of the oldest women's fraternities as well as one of the ten founding fraternities of the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC). It has over 175,000 initiated members and maintains active chapters at 130 institutions across the United States. By its Constitution, Alpha Xi Delta is one of the few social sororities that can accept graduate students as well as undergraduates.
Video Alpha Xi Delta
History
In 1893, ten women at Lombard College in Galesburg, Illinois shared a vision and a dream of a national organization dedicated to the personal growth of women. Their dream became Alpha Xi Delta, one of the oldest women's fraternities in the United States. It is referred to as a fraternity due to having been founded before sororities were present.
The ten founders of Alpha Xi Delta were:
- Cora Bollinger Block (1869-1944) was the first President of Alpha Xi Delta. She went on to be the first Grand President. She married a Sigma Nu.
- Alice Bartlett Bruner (1878-1966) taught music at the Lombard Conservatory. She had two daughters who later joined the sorority as a legacy. She married a Sigma Nu.
- Bertha Cook Evans (1874-1957) had three daughters, two of whom joined Alpha Xi Delta. Later in her life, she served as a fraternity house director. She married a Sigma Nu.
- Harriett Luella McCollum (1874-1948) and Cora, roommates at Lombard, were the first to make the plan for Alpha Xi Delta. She married a Sigma Nu.
- Lucy W. Gilmer (1872-1939) was the first Vice President of Alpha Xi Delta. After 1893 she transferred schools, where she studied to be a physician.
- Lewie Strong Taylor (1867-1950) designed the quill symbol, which is on display at national headquarters.
- Almira Lowry Cheney (1875-1946) was a teacher who went on to pioneer religious education by becoming a minister of the Universalist Church. She was also Chaplain of the 12th, 13th, and 14th National Conventions for Alpha Xi Delta.
- Frances Elizabeth Cheney (1869-1901), in her time as an Alpha Xi, served as chaplain, secretary, and president. She is given credit for many of the fraternity's early songs.
- Eliza Drake Curtis Everton (1867-1934) was Alpha Xi Delta's second president. She married a Sigma Nu.
- Julia Maude Foster (1875-1948) was a member of the committee who drafted Alpha Xi Delta's first constitution.
The ideals envisioned by Alpha Xi Delta's founders have remained constant throughout the years, inspiring each member to pursue individual excellence. Now a national sorority with more than 175,000 initiated members, it is an organization with 130 active college chapters and alumnae associations throughout the United States.
Since Alpha Xi Delta's founding over 124 years ago, it continues to emphasize the ideals the founders instilled in the sorority: sisterhood, leadership, knowledge and service to communities.
Alpha Xi Delta is the only National Panhellenic Conference sorority that uses "Xi" in its official name.
Their brother fraternity is Sigma Nu.
Maps Alpha Xi Delta
Symbols
The colors of Alpha Xi Delta are double blue (light and navy) and gold. The fraternity flower is the pink Killarney Rose, as chosen by the founders to complement the white rose of Sigma Nu fraternity whose brothers helped to found Alpha Xi Delta at Lombard College. The mascot is a teddy bear, and the official mascot is named BetXi Bear. Each initiated member wears the golden quill (the official symbol), which is depicted in the Alpha Xi Delta crest and represents the Alpha Xi Delta open motto "The Pen is Mightier than the Sword." The pearl and the diamond are the official jewels.
The mission statement of the fraternity is to
[...] enrich the life of every Alpha Xi Delta. We will:
- Nurture unity and cooperation.
- Foster intellectual, professional, and personal growth.
- Exemplify the highest ethical conduct.
- Instill community responsibility.
- Perpetuate fraternal growth.
Symphony
The open creed of Alpha Xi Delta is called "The Symphony of Alpha Xi Delta", and shows the ideals toward which all Alpha Xis strive. It was written in 1924 by Helen Willis Lynn, Alice Matthews, and Almira Cheney, one of the original founders.
"These things do we earnestly desire:
A clear vision of life, that with gracious and kindly hearts we may share both joy and sorrow, and bring into living reality the sisterhood of women.
An appreciation of real merit and worth, steadfastness of soul, that without bitterness or defeat we may encounter misfortune and with humility meet success.
These things, O Lord, help us to instill within our hearts,
that we may grow in courage, and graciousness, and peace."
Philanthropy
Alpha Xi Delta's national philanthropy is called Autism Speaks. The new philanthropy was announced on April 2, 2009. The sorority has since raised more than $5,000,000 for its philanthropic partner.
Alpha Xi Delta chapters and alumnae associations observe World Autism Awareness Day on April 2 and Autism Awareness Month throughout the month of April. Sisters raise awareness in various ways, including passing out blue ribbons, placing advertisements in campus and local newspapers, distributing information in the community and appearing on local television programs to educate people about autism.
Alpha Xi Delta participates in Light It Up Blue, an initiative started by Autism Speaks in 2009 to help "Shine a Light on Autism by Illuminating Prestigious Buildings and Monuments Throughout the World". Alpha Xi Delta members participate by lighting their chapter houses, campus monuments and sports facilities blue during the month of April.
Prior to partnering with Autism Speaks, Alpha Xi Delta was the only sorority that did not have an official organization as a philanthropy. The "Choose Children" policy gave each chapter direction to choose which organization they wanted to help.
The AmaXIng Challenge
The AmaXIng Challenge is Alpha Xi Delta's signature fundraising event designed to raise critical funds for Autism Speaks. Each college chapter hosts at least one of the following AmaXIng Challenge events per year:
- Step It Up Walk/Run
- Xi Man Competition
- Xi Marks the Spot
- Football FrenXI
- Puzzlepalooza
- Karaoke for a Cause
Controversies
In 2010, the Miami University chapter of Alpha Xi Delta was suspended until 2014 for alcohol violations stemming from their raucous and destructive formal at Cincinnati's National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
In 2011, the Alpha Xi Delta national organization revoked the Binghamton University chapter's charter for "continu[ing]to violate Alpha Xi Delta's policies on risk management and observance of Fraternity rituals despite efforts to lead the chapter to a culture consistent with Alpha Xi Delta's policies and value."
In 2017, the Cornell University chapter of Alpha Xi Delta was placed on probationary status for three years, "as a result of incidents determined to include both hazing and alcohol policy violations."
In 2017, the University of Central Florida chapter of Alpha Xi Delta was suspended on the grounds of "allegations of alcohol-related misconduct, which includes providing alcohol to someone underage; hazing; and possessing and/or providing false and misleading information and/or falsification of university records."
Controversy over Autism Speaks affiliation
In 2017, editorials appeared in the Temple University and the College of New Jersey student newspapers criticizing Alpha Xi Delta for its philanthropic connections to Autism Speaks on the grounds that the organization misunderstands, misrepresents, and promotes harmful stereotypes of individuals with autism.
Membership
Chapters
Notable alumnae
Entertainment
- Audrey Banach (Alpha Kappa) - Miss Kansas USA, 2013-2014
- Sabra Berger (Zeta Omega) - actress, Left/Right
- Megan Blake (Gamma Eta) - actress, The Young and the Restless, The Opposite Sex, It Takes Two, Miss Georgia, 1983
- Ginny Carroll (Epsilon Kappa) - founder of Circle of Sisterhood
- Nichole Greene (Gamma Beta) - Miss West Virginia USA, 2016
- Jane Henson (Beta Eta) - co-founder of The Muppets with her husband, Jim Henson
- Gail Kobe (Alpha Xi) - actress, The 10 Commandments, Gunsmoke, Bewitched, The Outer Limits, The Twilight Zone; executive producer of Guiding Light
- Ambre Lake (Delta Xi) - reality TV contestant and winner on Rock of Love 2
- Carol Lawrence (Alpha Theta) - actress, singer, and dancer
- Alyssa Murray (Theta Gamma) - Miss Delaware, 2012
- Pamela Paugh (Gamma Beta) - Miss West Virginia, 1980
- Amanda Pennekamp (Epsilon Iota) - Miss South Carolina USA, 2004; Miss Earth USA, 2006
- Patsy Ramsey (Iota) - Miss West Virginia, 1977; mother of Jonbenet Ramsey
- Laurie Lea Schaefer (Pi) - actress; Miss America, 1972
- Jen Schefft (Pi) - reality TV contestant on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette
- Kim Webster (Iota) - actress, The West Wing, The Glass House
- Rebecca Yeh (Gamma Tau) - Miss Minnesota, 2013
- Chrissie Fit (Theta Xi) - actress, Pitch Perfect 2, Pitch Perfect 3
Business
- Verna Kay Gibson (Gamma Beta) - first female CEO of a Fortune 500 company (The Limited stores)
- Betsey Johnson (Eta) - fashion designer
- Kelley Earnhardt Miller (Zeta Chi) - Vice President and General Manager of JR Motorsports
- Carolyn Rafaelian (Beta Upsilon) - founder of Alex and Ani bracelets
- Karen Marie Shelton (Epsilon Xi) - Internet (Hairboutique.com) and telephony (T&S software) entrepreneur
- Karen Tumulty (Beta Alpha) - Time National Political Correspondent
Writers
- Carol Aebersold (Gamma Chi) - co-author of The Elf on the Shelf
- Dr. Karen Casey Elliot - writer, Alpha Xi Delta Woman of Distinction
- Ann Hyman (Iota Delta) - author of Diary of a Sorority House Mom
- Amy Sandvold (Delta Chi) - educational writer; co-author of The Passion-Driven Classroom: A Framework for Teaching and Learning (2010) and The Fundamentals of Literacy Coaching (2008)
- Karen Tumulty (Beta Alpha) - national political correspondent for Time magazine and The Washington Post
Government and military
- Jan Davis (Gamma Eta) - NASA astronaut
- Mimi Blackburn Drew (Nu) - first female Rear Admiral, United States Navy
- Mary Burt Nash - past president of Arkansas AAUW and retired juvenile court judge
- Deborah Pryce (Psi) - politician, U.S. Representative from Ohio
- Susan Winckler (Sigma) - former Acting Chief of Staff of the Food and Drug Administration
See also
- List of social fraternities and sororities
References
External links
- Alpha Xi Delta
- The Quill of Alpha Xi Delta
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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