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Delta Gamma Fraternity ΔΓ Open Motto: Do Good Nicknames: Dee Gee's, Delta G's The Coat of Arms Founded: December 25, 1873 at Lewis School for Girls, (Oxford, Mississippi) Founders: Mary Comfort Leonard Anna Boyd Ellington Eva Webb Dodd Members: About 141,000, including 14,000 collegiate members Official Philanthropy: Service for Sight Official Colors: Bronze, Pink, and Blue New Member Pin: Member Badge: Official Flower: The Delta Gamma Cream Colored Rose Official Symbol: Anchor Official Mascot: Hannah Doll Delta Gamma Website

Delta Gamma (ΔΓ) is one of the oldest and largest women's fraternity^[1] in the United States, based in Columbus, Ohio.

Contents 1 Delta Gamma History 2 Delta Gamma Mission Statement 3 Famous Delta Gamma firsts 4 Notable Delta Gammas 5 Trivia 6 References 7 External link

Delta Gamma was founded on December 25, 1873, in Oxford, 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 only be worn by initiated members. Before the adoption of the golden anchor, the symbol of Delta Gamma was simply an "H" for the word "hope." Upon learning the traditional symbol of hope is an anchor, the badge was changed. Today's badge has a small rope wrapping around the top of the anchor with the Greek letters Tau Delta Eta (ΤΔΗ).

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 George Banta, Delta Gamma retains close historical ties with Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

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. Today, the National Panhellenic Conference is the governing body of sororities in America with 26 members.

As America's population moved west, Delta Gamma followed. What began as a social and philanthropic organization in the South soon became an international fraternity in both scope and thinking as Delta Gamma established itself not only in the United States, but also in Canada.

Through the years, goals and achievements have grown as Delta Gammas continue to live by the motto set forth by the founders, “Do Good.” During World War I, Delta Gamma established and funded an orphanage in Belgium and opened the Delta Gamma House for Children in Holland.

Delta Gamma offers to women of all ages a rich heritage based on principles of personal integrity, personal responsibility and intellectual honesty. Its primary purpose is to foster high ideals of friendship, promote educational and cultural interests, create a true sense of social responsibility, and develop the finest qualities of character.

• First fraternity to establish an independent philanthropic foundation in Ohio in 1951 (Service for Sight)
• The first sorority to have its own in-house printing press.
• The first and only panhellenic group to have its flower registered with the American Rose Society - "Delta Gamma"
• One of the seven original groups that began the National Panhellenic Conference
• First Panhellenic group to build its own facility, the Delta Gamma Executive Offices in Columbus, Ohio.
• First and only fraternity to sponsor a traveling art exhibit Art of the Eye, which benefits 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 blind and for sight conservation.

For a full list of notable Delta Gamma alumnae please visit here. [1]

• Edith Abbott (first woman to become dean of a graduate school -- The University of Chicago)
• Grace Abbott (social worker)
• Jill Arrington (sports reporter for ESPN)
• Carol Bellamy (CEO and President of World Learning)
• Sabrina Bryan (actress, singer)
• Ann Coulter (conservative political author)
• Cheryl Crawford (Broadway actress; founder of Group Theater and Actor's Studio)
• Margaret Crowley (Olympic speed skater)
• Heloise Cruse (advice columnist)
• Jo Ann Emerson (U.S. Congresswoman from Missouri)
• Mary Frann (actress, most notably from the television show Newhart.)
• Melissa Hart (U.S. Congresswoman from Pennsylvania)
• Patricia Heaton (actress, most notably from the television show Everybody Loves Raymond.))
• E.D. Hill (co-host of Fox and Friends on the Fox News Channel)
• Judge Sarah Tilghman Hughes (swore in President Lyndon B. Johnson on the day of President John F. Kennedy's assassination)
• Christine Lahti (actress)
• Mary Landrieu (United States Senator from Louisiana)
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Emmy Award-winning actress)
• Joan Lunden (former host of "Good Morning America")
• Donna Mills (actress)
• Terry Murphy (Emmy Award-winning journalist)
• Susan Nattrass (first woman shooter in the 1976 Olympics)
• Kyra Phillips (anchor on CNN)
• Eva Marie Saint (actress)
• Julia Sweeney (actress and comedian from "Saturday Night Live")
• Lizz Winstead (creator of Comedy Central's The Daily Show)

• Initiation fees pay for a member's lifetime subscription to the Delta Gamma publication Anchora.
• Delta Gamma currently has 145 chapters and one colony.
• Delta Gamma has 267 alumnae groups.
• Delta Gamma has approximately 14,000 collegians.
• The oldest existing chapter is at The University of Akron - Eta
• The largest Delta Gamma chapters are:
  • University of Mississippi - Alpha Psi
  • Louisiana State University - Gamma Zeta
  • University of Oklahoma - Alpha Iota
  • University of Missouri - Mu
  • University of Southern California - Alpha Nu
• As of March 2007, the newest Delta Gamma Colony is University of North Texas - Gamma Nu
• As of 2005, Delta Gamma has:
  • 2,037 25-year members
  • 1,097 50-year members
  • 646 60-year members
  • 67 75-year members
• Delta Gamma women were featured on the show "Happy Days"
• Delta Gamma is featured in the book "Legally Blonde." In the movie, the name of the sorority is changed to "Delta Nu," but the crest of the chapter remains the same with a chihuahua head substituted for the rose.
• Northwestern University's Sigma chapter of Delta Gamma appears on the "Evanston: Northwestern University" episode of TLC's show Trading Spaces.
• Delta Gamma was mentioned in "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip."

• Official web site

National Panhellenic Conference Alpha Chi Omega | Alpha Delta Pi | Alpha Gamma Delta | Alpha Epsilon Phi | Alpha Omicron Pi | Alpha Phi | Alpha Sigma Alpha | Alpha Sigma Tau | Alpha Xi Delta | Chi Omega | Delta Delta Delta | Delta Gamma | Delta Zeta | Delta Phi Epsilon | Gamma Phi Beta | Kappa Alpha Theta | Kappa Delta | Kappa Kappa Gamma | Phi Mu | Phi Sigma Sigma | Pi Beta Phi | Sigma Delta Tau | Sigma Kappa | Sigma Sigma Sigma | Theta Phi Alpha | Zeta Tau Alpha