| Sigma Phi Omega | |
|---|---|
| ΣΦΩ | |
 | |
| Founded | 1949; 76 years ago (1949) University of California, Los Angeles |
| Type | Social |
| Affiliation | Independent |
| Status | Active |
| Emphasis | Service, Asian-Interest |
| Scope | Regional |
| Motto | "The Reward is in the Doing" |
| Pillars | Strength and Character |
| Colors | Kelly Green and MaizeYellow |
| Symbol | White Dove |
| Flower | YellowRose |
| Chapters | 7 active |
| Nickname | Sigmas |
| Headquarters | 10683 Heather Ridge Drive San Diego,California 92130 United States |
| Website | www |
Sigma Phi Omega (ΣΦΩ), also known asSigmas, is anAsian American interestsorority founded at theUniversity of California, Los Angeles inLos Angeles, California
Sigma Phi Omega was founded at theUniversity of Southern California in 1949, and is the oldestAsian Americansorority in theUnited States.[1][2] It was originally established as a social organization forJapanese andJapanese American women at USC and has since then come to consist of a diverse membership of women hailing from numerous racial and cultural backgrounds.[2]
Its founding mothers were:[1][2]
Sigma Phi Omega was to joinChi Alpha Delta, an Asian-American sorority chartered atUCLA in 1928 that was reforming afterWorld War II.[1] However, the founding mothers of Sigma Phi Omega decided to start their own organization.[1]
The Greek lettersΣΦΩ were chosen at random and were not used by any other existing college fraternities or sororities at that time.[1] (The Greek letters were, however, being used by a national high school fraternity.) Although Sigma Phi Omega did not originate as a sorority, one could speculate that the choosing of Greek letters was a public way of voicing an unsatisfactory opinion about the treatment of Asian Americans, specifically Japanese Americans, by the campus and Greek organizations.[2][1] Although was were no limitations, the organization's initial membership was primarily women of Japanese descent.[1]
The sorority operated as a single-chapter organization until 1973, when a chapter was established atCalifornia State University, Long Beach.[3] It became a regional sorority in 1991 with the formation of Gamma at theUniversity of Texas at Austin.[3] By December 2013, Sigma Phi Omega had chartered ten chapters in California and Texas.[3]
The motto of Sigma Phi Omega is ''The Reward is in the Doing''.[2] Its pillars are Strength an Character. The sorority's colors are Kelly green and maize yellow. Its symbol is the white dove.[2] Its flower is the yellow rose.[2] The sorority's nickname is the Sigmas.
Sigma Phi Omega's national board was established in May 1988 at its third annual convention.[4] The national board consists of a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, California governor, Texas governor, and philanthropy chair.[4] Officers are elected at the annual convention, hosted by chapters in rotation. The sorority's headquarters and foundation are inSan Diego, California.[5]
Sigma Phi Omega has chosendomestic violence awareness and prevention & sexual assault awareness as its nationalphilanthropy.[6] In October, all chapters organize a "SAFE (Stop Abuse For Everyone) WEEK" filled with seminars and discussions about domestic violence and fundraising events.[6] Chapters also sponsor and participate service activities.
In 2009, the sorority established the Sigma Phi Omega Sorority Charitable Foundation, primarily to oversee scholarship for members of the sorority.[7]
Sigma Phi Omega has installed nine chapters located inCalifornia andTexas. Active chapter noted inbold, inactive chapters noted initalics.[3][8]
| Chapter | Charter date and range | Institution | Location | Status | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha | 1949 | University of California, Los Angeles | Los Angeles, California | Active | [1] |
| Beta | 1973 | California State University, Long Beach | Long Beach, California | Active | |
| Gamma | May 1, 1991 | University of Texas | Austin, Texas | Active | |
| Delta | December 18, 1991 | San Diego State University | San Diego, California | Active | |
| Epsilon | April 21, 1995 | University of Houston | Houston, Texas | Active | |
| Zeta | April 5, 1997 | University of California, Berkeley | Berkeley, California | Active | |
| Eta | May 1, 1999 – 20xx ? | Baylor University | Waco, Texas | Inactive | |
| Theta | May 20, 2005 – 202x ? | Southern Methodist University | University Park, Texas | Inactive | |
| Iota | May 2, 2009 | Texas A&M University | College Station, Texas | Active | |
| Kappa | December 8, 2013 | University of Texas at Dallas | Richardson, Texas | Active |