Category Archives: Notable Fraternity Women

Happy Birthday, Carrie Chapman Catt!

“Carrie Chapman Catt, the person who was instrumental in getting women the right to vote, was in a sorority? You’ve got to be kidding me!,” exclaimed a student in the women’s studies discussion session I led years ago as a … Continue reading

Posted in Carrie Chapman Catt, Chi Omega, Founders' Day, Fraternity meetings, GLO, Grace Coolidge, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Notable Sorority Women, Pi Beta Phi, Sorority History, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Happy Birthday, Carrie Chapman Catt!

Maria Leonard, Alpha Lambda Delta Founder and Illini Dean of Women

Maria Leonard was an alumna of Butler University. After studying voice at Butler, she earned a Master’s degree in mathematics from Colorado College. Her intention was to be a mathematics teacher. Educational administration was then a relatively new field and, … Continue reading

Posted in Butler University, Colorado College, Fran Favorite, Fraternity meetings, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, National Panhellenic Conference, Notable Fraternity Women, Notable Sorority Women, Pi Beta Phi, Sorority History, The Arrow of Pi Beta Phi, University of Illinois | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Maria Leonard, Alpha Lambda Delta Founder and Illini Dean of Women

Happy Birthday to My Favorite First Lady, Grace Coolidge!

January 3 is the birthday of Grace Goodhue Coolidge. Gracious and humble, she was a dedicated member of Pi Beta Phi, having been a charter member of the chapter at the University of Vermont. She also served as Alpha Province … Continue reading

Posted in Boston University, First Ladies, Fran Favorite, GLO, Grace Coolidge, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Notable Sorority Women, Phi Kappa Psi, Pi Beta Phi, Presidents, Sorority History, University of Vermont, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Happy Birthday to My Favorite First Lady, Grace Coolidge!

New Ocean House, Swampscott, MA, the Site of Many Fraternity and Sorority Conventions

From the 1920s until the 1960s, the  New Ocean House in Swampscott, Massachusetts, was the site of many conventions, including those of fraternities and sororities. Alpha Chi Omega’s 1924 convention took place at the New Ocean House. Kappa Kappa Gammas … Continue reading

Posted in Alpha Chi Omega, Calvin Coolidge, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Gamma, First Ladies, Fran Favorite, Fraternity meetings, GLO, Grace Coolidge, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Kappa Sigma, Phi Gamma Delta, The Anchora of Delta Gamma, The Arrow of Pi Beta Phi | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on New Ocean House, Swampscott, MA, the Site of Many Fraternity and Sorority Conventions

An American Tragedy in Newtown Brings Thoughts of a First Lady

The events that took place on December 14, 2012, at the Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Connecticut, strike at the heart of us all. So many lives taken, so close to Christmas and none of it makes much sense. Among … Continue reading

Posted in Beta Theta Pi, Calvin Coolidge, First Ladies, Fran Favorite, GLO, Grace Coolidge, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Pi Beta Phi, Presidents, University of Vermont | Tagged , | Comments Off on An American Tragedy in Newtown Brings Thoughts of a First Lady

Volunteering Or You Never Know Who’s Going to Write a Best Seller (Jen Lancaster!)

One of the best volunteer jobs in any fraternity or sorority is one where you have the opportunity to interact with collegians. The lessons that are learned on both sides, as a collegian and as an alumna/alumni, can be enlightening, … Continue reading

Posted in Fran Favorite, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, National Panhellenic Conference, Notable Fraternity Women, Notable Sorority Women, Pi Beta Phi, Sorority History, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Volunteering Or You Never Know Who’s Going to Write a Best Seller (Jen Lancaster!)

Installed on Thanksgiving – Pi Beta Phi at UVM

It’s Thanksgiving and that always makes me think of an event that happened in 1898 in Burlington, Vermont. The installation of the Vermont Beta Chapter of Pi Beta Phi took place in the Goodhue family home. The Goodhue’s only child … Continue reading

Posted in First Ladies, Fran Favorite, GLO, Grace Coolidge, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, National Panhellenic Conference, Pi Beta Phi, Presidents, Sorority History, University of Vermont, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Installed on Thanksgiving – Pi Beta Phi at UVM

Happy Founders’ Day, Tri Delta!

Delta Delta Delta was founded at Boston University on November 28, 1888, which fell on the day before Thanksgiving that year. Founders’ Day is celebrated on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Sarah Ida Shaw [Martin] and Eleanor Dorcas Pond [Mann, M.D.] … Continue reading

Posted in Boston University, Delta Delta Delta, Founders' Day, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Ida Shaw Martin, National Panhellenic Conference, Notable Sorority Women, Sorority History, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Happy Founders’ Day, Tri Delta!

Doctors Who Wore Badges: Fraternity Women in Medicine 1867-1902

In 1870, there were 525 female doctors in the United States (Newcomer, 1959).   Among the fraternity women who became physicians were founders of two NPC groups, Rachel Jane “Jennie” Nicol, a founder of Pi Beta Phi, and Eleanor Dorcas Pond … Continue reading

Posted in Alpha Phi, Boston University, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Gamma, DePauw University, Gamma Phi Beta, GLO, Goucher College, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Iowa Wesleyan College, Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Alpha Theta (magazine), Kappa Kappa Gamma, Knox College, Lombard College, Monmouth College, National Panhellenic Conference, Northwestern University, Notable Fraternity Women, Notable Sorority Women, Pi Beta Phi, Sorority History, Syracuse University, The Anchora of Delta Gamma, The Arrow of Pi Beta Phi, The Key of Kappa Kappa Gamma, The Trident of Delta Delta Delta, University of California at Berkeley, University of Kansas, University of Michigan, University of Vermont, Women's Fraternities, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Doctors Who Wore Badges: Fraternity Women in Medicine 1867-1902

Happy Founders’ Day Alpha Sigma Alpha!

Alpha Sigma Alpha was founded on November 15, 1901 at the State Female Normal School (now Longwood University) in Farmville, Virginia. Its founders had been asked to join some of the other sororities on campus, but they wanted to stay … Continue reading

Posted in Alpha Sigma Alpha, Association of Education Sororities, Delta Delta Delta, Founders' Day, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Ida Shaw Martin, Longwood University, Notable Fraternity Women, Notable Sorority Women, Pi Beta Phi, Sorority History, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Happy Founders’ Day Alpha Sigma Alpha!