Longwood University, which was once known as Virginia State Female Normal School, had already been the site of the founding of three national sororities and women's fraternities prior to the turn of the twentieth century. Kappa Delta, Zeta Tau Alpha, and Sigma Sigma Sigma had all grown from the desires of women students at the school for fellowship and fraternity.
History of Alpha Sigma Alpha
Alpha Sigma Alpha was founded at Longwood University by five women on Novmeber 1, 1901. The five founders, Virginia Boyd Noell, Juliette Hundley Gilliam, Calva Watson Wootton, Louise Cox Carper, Mary Williamson Hundley had all gone through the sorority recruitment process, then known as rush. However, the five women decided not to accept bids (invitations to join an organization) and instead formed their own organization.
In 1913, the leadership of Alpha Sigma Alpha decided that, as a pedagogical or educational sorority, only institutions of higher learning that had teacher education programs or colleges or universities within larger institutions that supported teacher education programs.
A year later, Alpha Sigma Alpha held its first national convention over Thanksgiving weekend at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. The delegates decided on rituals and customs, as well as standardized and elaborated on symbols and a constitution.
In 1947, Alpha Sigma Alpha and the members of the Association of Education Sororities (AES) petitioned the National Panhellenic Council (NPC) for membership in the NPC. On November 12, while the Association of Education Sororities was holding its national convention in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Alpha Sigma Alpha and the other member organizations recieved word that they had been granted associate membership with reservations in the National Panhellenic Conference.
In order to gain full member status, Alpha Sigma Alpha and the other former AES had to reevaluate their organizational structure. The NPC does not allow organizations to charter chapters at colleges or universities that are not accredited by an outside organization; therefore, Alpha Sigma Alpha and other former AES organizations had to close chapters on unaccredited campuses.
In addition, many women at the time held membership in both NPC and AES organizations. Under unanimous agreements written by NPC-member organizations, women can only be initiated into one sorority or women's fraternity during their lifetime. Therefore, many women who held memberships in both kinds of organizations had to relinquish one membership before Alpha Sigma Alpha and the remaining former AES groups could gain full NPC membership.
Finally, in 1951, Alpha Sigma Alpha gained full member status in the National Panhellenic Conference.
Alpha Sigma Alpha Today
Today, Alpha Sigma Alpha has over 74 active collegiate chapters and numerous alumnae organizations across the United States. There are about 60,000 collegiate members of Alpha Sigma Alpha.
In 1976, Alpha Sigma Alpha adopted the Special Olympics as its philanthropic project. Today, Alpha Sigma Alpha continues to support the Special Olympics in addition to its newer philanthropic cause, the S. June Smith Center.
Alpha Sigma Alpha, like many other Greek letter organizations, can be identified through various distinct insignia adopted throughout the organization's history.
- Colors: crimson, pearl white, palm green, and gold
- Mascot: Dot the ladybug
- Symbols: the phoenix, crown, palm tree, and star
- Flowers: narcissus and aster
- Philanthropies: Special Olympics and S. June Smith Center
- Motto: Aspire, Seek, Attain
Founded in 1909, Alpha Sigma Alpha continues to grow and adapt to meet the needs of collegiate and alumnae members as the organization embarks on its second century of existence.
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