Alpha Xi Delta
| Alpha Xi Delta | |
|---|---|
| ΑΞΔ | |
 |
|
| Founded | April 17, 1893 Lombard College, (Galesburg, Illinois) |
| Type | Social |
| Scope | National |
| Vision statement | Inspiring women to realize their potential. |
| Motto | The Pen is Mightier than the Sword |
| Colors | Light Blue Gold |
| Symbol | Quill |
| Flower | Pink Rose |
| Jewel | Pearl, Diamond |
| Publication | The Quill of Alpha Xi Delta |
| Philanthropy | Autism Speaks |
| Chapters | 126 active (220+ total) |
| Members | 160,000+ collegiate |
| Mascot | BetXi Bear |
| Headquarters | 8702 Founders Road Indianapolis, Indiana, USA |
| Homepage | http://www.alphaxidelta.org/ |
Alpha Xi Delta (ΑΞΔ or A-"Zee"-D ) is a sorority founded on April 17, 1893[1][2] at Lombard College in Galesburg, Illinois. Alpha Xi Delta is one of the oldest women's fraternities as well as one of the ten founding fraternities of the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC). Alpha Xi Delta has over 150,000 initiated members and maintains chapters at 126 institutions across the United States. By its Constitution, Alpha Xi Delta is one of the few social sororities that can accept graduate students as well as undergraduates.[3]
Contents
History
In 1893, ten women at Lombard College in Galesburg, Illinois, shared a vision and a dream of a national organization dedicated to the personal growth of women. Their dream became Alpha Xi Delta, one of the oldest women’s sororities in the United States.
The ten founders of Alpha Xi Delta were Cora Bollinger Block, Alice Bartlett Bruner, Bertha Cook Evans, Harriett Luella McCollum, Lucy W. Gilmer, Lewie Strong Taylor, Almira Lowry Cheney, Frances Elizabeth Cheney, Eliza Drake Curtis Everton, and Julia Maude Foster.
The ideals envisioned by Alpha Xi Delta’s founders have remained constant throughout the years, inspiring each member to pursue individual excellence. Now a national sorority with more than 160,000 initiated members, the Sorority is an organization with 126 active college chapters and alumnae associations throughout the United States.
Since Alpha Xi Delta’s founding over 120 years ago, the sorority continues to emphasize the ideals the Founders instilled in the sorority: sisterhood, leadership, knowledge and service to our communities.[4]
Alpha Xi Delta is the only National Panhellenic Conference sorority that uses Xi in its official name.
Creed
The open creed of Alpha Xi Delta is called The Symphony of Alpha Xi Delta in which it shows the ideals toward which all Alpha Xi's strive. It was written in 1924 by Helen Willis Lynn, Alice Matthews, and Almira Cheney, one of the original founders.
"These things do we earnestly desire:
A clear vision of life, that with gracious and kindly hearts we may share both joy and sorrow, and bring into living reality the sisterhood of women.
An appreciation of real merit and worth, steadfastness of soul, that without bitterness or defeat we may encounter misfortune and with humility meet success.
These things, O Lord, help us to instill within our hearts,
that we may grow in courage, graciousness, and peace."
Symbols
The colors of Alpha Xi Delta are double blue (light and navy) and gold.[2] The fraternity flower is the pink Killarney Rose,[2] as chosen by the Founders to complement the white rose of Sigma Nu fraternity whose brothers helped to found Alpha Xi Delta at Lombard College.[5] The mascot is a teddy bear, the official mascot is named BetXi Bear. Each initiated member wears the golden quill (the official symbol), which is depicted in the Alpha Xi Delta crest and represents the Alpha Xi Delta open motto "The Pen is Mightier than the Sword." Both the pearl and the diamond are the official jewels.
The mission statement of the fraternity is to <templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />
[...] enrich the life of every Alpha Xi Delta. We will:
- Nurture unity and cooperation.
- Foster intellectual, professional, and personal growth.
- Exemplify the highest ethical conduct.
- Instill community responsibility.
- Perpetuate fraternal growth.[6]
Philanthropy
Alpha Xi Delta's national philanthropy is called Autism Speaks. The new philanthropy was announced on April 2, 2009.[7] Since entering into a national partnership with Autism Speaks in April 2009, Alpha Xi Delta has raised more than $2,000,000 for its philanthropic partner. [8][9]
Alpha Xi Delta chapters and alumnae associations observe World Autism Awareness Day on April 2 and Autism Awareness Month throughout the month of April. Sisters "raise awareness" in various ways, including passing out blue ribbons, placing advertisements in campus and local newspapers, distributing information in the community and appearing on local television programs to educate people about autism.
Alpha Xi Delta participates in Light It Up Blue, an initiative started by Autism Speaks in 2009 to help "Shine a Light on Autism by Illuminating Prestigious Buildings and Monuments Throughout the World". Alpha Xi Delta members participate by lighting their chapter houses, campus monuments and sports facilities blue during the month of April.[10]
Prior to Autism Speaks, Alpha Xi Delta was the only sorority that did not have an official organization as a philanthropy. "Choose Children" was the policy that gave each chapter direction to choose which organization they wanted to help.
The AmaXIng Challenge
The AmaXIng Challenge is Alpha Xi Delta’s signature fundraising event designed to raise critical funds for Autism Speaks. Each college chapter hosts at least one of the following AmaXIng Challenge[11] events per year:
- Step It Up Walk/Run
- Xi Man Competition
- Xi Marks the Spot
- Football FrenXI
- Puzzlepalooza
- Karaoke for a Cause
Chapters
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Notable alumnae
Entertainment
- Audrey Banach (Alpha Kappa) - Miss Kansas USA 2013-2014
- Megan Blake (Gamma Eta) - Actress "The Young and the Restless," "The Opposite Sex," "It Takes Two," and others. Miss Georgia 1983
- Autumn-Skye Boothe (Iota Sigma) - Mrs. Virginia United States 2014 [12]
- Jane Henson (Beta Eta) – Co-founder of The Muppets with her husband, Jim Henson
- Gail Kobe (Alpha Xi) - Actress "The 10 Commandments," "Gunsmoke," "Bewitched," "The Outer Limits," "The Twilight Zone," and others. Executive producer of "Guiding Light."
- Carol Lawrence (Alpha Theta) - Actress, singer, dancer
- Alyssa Murray (Theta Gamma) - Miss Delaware 2012
- Amanda Pennekamp (Epsilon Iota) – Miss South Carolina USA 2004, Miss Earth USA 2006[13]
- Laurie Lea Schaefer (Pi) - Actress and Miss America 1972
- Jen Schefft (Pi) - Reality TV contestant on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette
- Kim Webster (Iota) – Actress "The West Wing \," "The Glass House"[14]
Business
- Kelley Earnhardt Miller (Zeta Chi) - Vice President and General Manager of JR Motorsports
- Verna Kay Gibson (Gamma Beta) - First female CEO of a Fortune 500 company (The Limited stores)
- Betsey Johnson (Eta) – Fashion designer[15]
- Karen Marie Shelton (Epsilon Xi) – Internet (Hairboutique.com) and telephony (T&S Software) entrepreneur[16]
- Karen Tumulty (Beta Alpha) – Time National Political Correspondent[17]
- Carolyn Rafaelian (Beta Upsilon)[18] - Founder of Alex and Ani bracelets [19]
Writers
- Carol Aebersold (Gamma Chi) - co-author of "The Elf on the Shelf"
- Dr. Karen Casey Elliot - Writer, "Alpha Xi Delta Woman of Distinction"
- Amy Sandvold (Delta Chi) - Educational Writer and co-author, "The Passion-Driven Classroom: A Framework for Teaching and Learning (2010) Routledge Publishers and The Fundamentals of Literacy Coaching (2008) ASCD.
- Karen Tumulty (Beta Alpha) - National political correspondent for Time Magazine and The Washington Post
Government and Military
- Jan Davis (Gamma Eta) – Astronaut for NASA[20]
- Mimi Blackburn Drew (Nu) - First female Rear Admiral, United States Navy[citation needed]
- Mary Burt Nash - Past president of Arkansas AAUW and retired juvenile court judge.
- Deborah Pryce (Psi) – Politician, U.S. Representative from Ohio[17]
- Susan Winckler (Sigma) - Acting Chief of Staff for the Food and Drug Administration
- Diane Wood (Beta Alpha) – federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit[21]
See also
References
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- ↑ The Constitution itself is not available to the public. However, an official workbook of the organization's academic standards specifically mentions "graduate students who were initiated as graduate students," clearly making reference to the Constitutional possibility of such members. Link: http://www.alphaxidelta.org/clientuploads/Academic/2012%20Academic%20Achievement%20Chair%20Breakout%20Workbook.pdf.
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- ↑ Blog post: ΑΞΔ raises more than $2M for Autism Speaks, accessed 27 May 2014
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- ↑ Autumn-Sky Booth Crowned Mrs. Virginia, accessed 26 May 2014
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