Alpha Sigma Alpha
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
Top
Alpha Sigma Alpha
| Alpha Sigma Alpha | |
|---|---|
|
ΑΣΑ
|
|
 |
|
| Founded |
November 15, 1901 |
| Type | Social |
| Emphasis | Developing women of poise & purpose |
| Scope | National |
| Mission statement | to promote high ideals & standards; strive to develop women of poise & purpose; and assist members in fostering lifetime friendships. |
| Motto | Aspire, Seek, Attain |
| Colors | Palm Green Gold[1] |
| Symbol | phoenix, crown, palm tree, star |
| Flower | Narcissus, Aster (genus) |
| Jewel | Pearl, Ruby |
| Publication | The Phoenix |
| Philanthropy | Special Olympics, S. June Smith Center |
| Chapters | 150 collegiate & alumnae chapters |
| Members | 100,000+ collegiate |
| Mascot | Dot the Ladybug |
| Headquarters | Indianapolis, Indiana, USA |
| Homepage | http://www.alphasigmaalpha.org/ |
Alpha Sigma Alpha (ΑΣΑ) 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.
|
Contents
|
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 (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 to 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 15
1906: The first publication, Aegis, is printed[1]
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[2][3]
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 Olympics 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.[4]
Notable alumnae
- Freida J. Riley (Beta Pi) - Teacher, her work as a teacher influenced the Rocket Boys, subjects of the movie October Sky.[5]
- 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 Company.[6]
- Hannah Blaylock (Beta Lambda) - Lead vocalist of Edens Edge
Current chapters
Main article: List of Alpha Sigma Alpha chapters
References
- ^ a b Baird, William Raimond; Brown, James Taylor (1920). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (9th ed.). G. Banta Company. pp. 576–577. OCLC 17350924. http://books.google.com/books?id=1qoVAAAAIAAJ. Retrieved 2011-04-10.
- ^ "Member Organizations". National Panhellenic Conference. http://www.npcwomen.org/about/member-organizations.aspx. Retrieved 2011-04-10.
- ^ "National Panhellenic Conference History". National Panhellenic Conference. http://www.npcwomen.org/about/history.aspx. Retrieved 2011-04-10.
- ^ "S. June Smith - Dr. S. June Smith". S. June Smith Center. http://www.sjunesmith.com/drsmith.htm. Retrieved 2011-04-10.
- ^ "Alpha Sigma Alpha Foundation: Scholarships, Awards and Grants". Alpha Sigma Alpha. http://www.alphasigmaalpha.org/asa/foundation/scholarships.htm. Retrieved 2007-04-10.
- ^ "District 2 recognitions". Alpha Sigma Alpha District Two. http://www.asadistrict2.com/ddf2009/recognitions.html. Retrieved 2012-02-03.
External links
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Copyrights:
Wikipedia on Answers.com
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Alpha Sigma Alpha.
Read more