Omega Phi Alpha

This article is about the national service sorority. For other uses, see Omega Phi Alpha (disambiguation).

Omega Phi Alpha
ΩΦΑ
Founded	June 15, 1967 (1967-06-15) Bowling Green State University
Type	Service
Scope	National
Motto	Today's Friends, Tomorrow's Leaders, Forever in Service
Colors	Dark Blue      Light Blue      Gold
Symbol	Chevron, Bee
Flower	Yellow Rose
Publication	The Chevron
Chapters	30
Mascot	Ophia (Raggedy Ann)
Headquarters	PO Box 955 East Lyme, Connecticut, 06333, US
Homepage	http://www.omegaphialpha.org

Omega Phi Alpha (ΩΦΑ) is an American national service sorority. It was founded in 1967 at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. Omega Phi Alpha, also known as OPhiA or OPA, currently has thirty active chapters in the United States.

Purpose

The purpose of Omega Phi Alpha reads as follows:

The purpose and goals of this sorority shall be to assemble its members in the fellowship of Omega Phi Alpha, to develop friendship, leadership, and cooperation by promoting service to the university community, to the community-at-large, to the members of the sorority, and to the nations of the world.

History

In 1953, the Zeta Kappa chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, a national service fraternity, expressed interest in forming a group much like theirs to help them in their service endeavors. The brothers of Zeta Kappa formed interest groups for a new organization, and many of the attendees at these interest groups were women. The need for a female service sorority then became evident.

The two groups were to be alike in objectives—friendship, leadership, and service. A similar name—Omega Phi Alpha—was chosen for the new organization. Just as the Alpha Phi Omega chapter was limited to former Boy Scouts, the Omega Phi Alpha chapter was originally limited to former Girl Scouts and Campfire Girls. This limitation continued until 1958.

Two more Omega Phi Alpha groups were formed at Eastern Michigan University and the University of Bridgeport in 1958 and 1962, respectively. All three groups had the intention of becoming a national sorority together; however, it would be five more years before national status was reached.

In 1966, plans for a national convention, at which the three chapters could meet, were made. In the summer of 1967, the three groups met in Bowling Green for the first time and laid the foundations for what is currently Omega Phi Alpha. The Bowling Green group was given the title of Alpha Chapter, University of Bridgeport became the Beta Chapter, and Eastern Michigan was named the Gamma Chapter.

The Alpha, Beta, and Gamma chapters continued for several years as a national sorority until women at Texas A&M University formed the Delta chapter in 1970. Currently, there are thirty-one active chapters of Omega Phi Alpha. Additionally, there are ten inactive chapters and eight alumnae chapters.

Service program

Omega Phi Alpha has a diverse, flexible service program which allows each member to contribute to the world around her. Many chapters have ongoing projects that they have worked with for years.

Six areas of service:

1. Permanent Project: The permanent project is mental health. Mental health service projects are defined as any project that improves the well being of others, and these projects are typically hands on projects such as playing with kids in an afterschool program, playing Bingo at a nursing home, or serving meals at a soup kitchen.

2. President's Project: Each year at Omega Phi Alpha National Convention, the National President of Omega Phi Alpha presents the cause she feels is worthy of being the focus of OPA service nationwide.

• 1968-1969: Mental health
• 1970-1971: Ecology
• 1973-1974: Elderly
• 1974-1975: Muscular Dystrophy
• 1977-1978: Heart Disease
• 1979-1980: International Year of the Child
• 1980-1981: Hands Across the Ages- Working with the Elderly
• 1982-1983: Girl Scouts of the USA
• 1983-1984: National Head Injury Foundation
• 1984-1985: Alcohol Awareness
• 1990-1991: Environment
• 1991-1992: Cultural Diversity
• 1993-1994: AIDS education
• 1995-1996: Breast Cancer
• 1996-1997: Ronald McDonald House
• 2002-2003: Girl Scouts of the USA
• 2003-2004: Alcohol abuse prevention/Alcohol Awareness
• 2004-2005: Support your sisterhood
• 2005-2006: Education
• 2006-2007: Women's health
• 2007-2008: Domestic violence awareness
• 2008-2009: Women's cancer awareness
• 2009-2010: Literacy
• 2010-2011: Money Management
• 2011-2012: Archiving OPA
• 2012-2013: Community Inclusion
• 2013-2014: Empowering Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)
• 2014-2015: Physical Fitness and Healthy Living
• 2015-2016: Mental Health Matters
• Past President's projects prior to 2002 include the environment, terminal illness, AIDS awareness and education, domestic violence, "Just Say No To Drugs", handicapped children, nursing, ecology, heart disease, children, the elderly, head injury prevention, Literacy, and internal organization keypoints.

3. Service to the University Community: Volunteering to help at a school event, holding stress relief classes, random acts of kindness

4. Service to the Community at Large: Local park clean ups, food banks, tutoring at a local school, Humane Society volunteering

5. Service to the members of the sorority: Alumnae, internal strengthening

6. Service to the nations of the world: UNICEF, AIDS Awareness, diabetes awareness (American Diabetes Association), breast cancer awareness (Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, among others)

Through these six areas of service, active and alumnae chapters plan a variety of service projects year each to carry out and make a difference.

Active chapters

These are the current active chapters of Omega Phi Alpha. Generally, chapters of Omega Phi Alpha are named in Greek alphabetical order. The only exception to this is the Penn State chapter, which was founded from a local sorority named Theta Alpha Pi. This chapter was named Alpha Theta as a tribute to their founding organization.

• Alpha - Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio (1953)
• Gamma - Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan (1962, 1967 (formation of the national org) - 1974, rechartered in 1993)
• Delta - Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas (1970)
• Epsilon - Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, Tennessee (1973)
• Mu - Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee (1983)
• Nu - Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia (1988)
• Omicron - Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama (1992)
• Rho - Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky (1993)
• Sigma - University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, Tennessee (1993)
• Tau - University of Texas, Austin, Texas (1994)
• Upsilon - University of Louisiana, Lafayette, Louisiana (1997)
• Phi - Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona (1998)
• Chi - University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina (1998)
• Psi - Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, Texas (1998)
• Omega - Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey (2000, rechartered in 2015)
• Alpha Alpha - Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona (2000)
• Alpha Beta - University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi (2003)
• Alpha Gamma - Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma (2004)
• Alpha Delta - Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia (2006)
• Alpha Theta - Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania (2006)

Chapter letters given out of order to honor the name of the local which joined, Theta Alpha Pi

• Alpha Epsilon - Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana (2006)
• Alpha Zeta - Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia (2006)
• Alpha Eta - University of South Carolina Aiken, Aiken, South Carolina (2009)
• Alpha Iota - Notre Dame of Maryland University, Baltimore, Maryland (May 2009)
• Alpha Kappa - University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas (2010)
• Alpha Lambda - North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina (2010)
• Alpha Mu - Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (2011)
• Alpha Nu - Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas (2013)
• Alpha Xi - University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL (2014)
• Alpha Omicron - University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (2014)
• Alpha Pi - West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV (2014)

Inactive chapters

These are the current inactive chapters of Omega Phi Alpha

• Beta - University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, Connecticut (1958 - )
• Zeta - Wayland Baptist College, Plainview, Texas (1974 - 1992)
• Eta - Amarillo College, Amarillo, Texas (1974 - 1983)
• Theta - West Virginia Institute of Technology, Montgomery, West Virginia (1975 - 1978)
• Iota - Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan (1978 - 1983)
• Kappa - Capital University, Columbus, Ohio (1978 - )
• Lambda - University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut (1981 - 1988)
• Xi - University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama (1990 - 1996(?))
• Pi - Teikyo Post University, Waterbury, Connecticut (1993 - )

Alumnae chapters

• Omega Alpha - Connecticut (inactive)
• Omega Beta - Michigan (inactive) (Provisional group reactivating)
• Omega Gamma - Greater Atlanta
• Omega Delta - Greater Nashville
• Omega Epsilon - Chattanooga (restarting)
• Omega Zeta - Austin
• Omega Eta - Knoxville (inactive)
• Omega Theta - Acadiana Louisiana
• Omega Tau - Houston Area (Name assigned out of order to honor this long-running group, previously named the Texas Alumnae Chapter.)
• Omega Iota - Phoenix
• Dallas / Fort Worth Provisional Alumnae Chapter

Convention

Omega Phi Alpha holds one national convention each year. The national conventions provide a forum for making sorority-wide decisions like aligning on a budget, electing national officers, or changing the national policies reflected in the constitution and by-laws. Each active chapter in good standing has two votes to use in deciding sorority issues. Active chapters who are not in good standing have only one vote. There are also alumnae delegates who represent each of OPA's four districts. For every three active votes, alumnae get one vote.

OPA national convention locations include:

Year	Location	Theme	Dates	Refs
1967	Bowling Green, Ohio hosted by Alpha Chapter		June 12, 1967–June 15, 1967
1968	Bridgeport, Connecticut hosted by Beta Chapter		July 11, 1968–July 14, 1968
1969	Ypsilanti, Michigan hosted by Gamma Chapter		June 16, 1969–June 19, 1969
1970	Bowling Green, Ohio hosted by Alpha Chapter		1970
1971	Bowling Green, Ohio hosted by Alpha Chapter		June 1971
1972	Ypsilanti, Michigan hosted by Gamma Chapter		June 30, 1972–July 2, 1972
1973	College Station, Texas hosted by Delta Chapter		June 1973
1974	Cookeville, Tennessee hosted by Epsilon Chapter		June 25, 1974–June 28, 1974
1975	Bridgeport, Connecticut hosted by Beta Chapter		June 18, 1975–June 22, 1975
1976	College Station, Texas hosted by Delta Chapter		June 17, 1976–June 20, 1976
1977	Bowling Green, Ohio hosted by Alpha Chapter	Happy Tenth Birthday	June 15, 1977–June 19, 1977
1978	Cookeville, Tennessee hosted by Epsilon Chapter	Raggedy Ann Goes South	June 21, 1978–June 25, 1978
1979	Amarillo, Texas & Plainview, Texas hosted by Zeta Chapter & Eta Chapter		July 10, 1979–July 15, 1979
1980	College Station, Texas hosted by Delta Chapter	The Yellow Rose of Texas	June 18, 1980–June 22, 1980
1981	Bridgeport, Connecticut hosted by Beta Chapter		–June 20, 1981–
1982	Cookeville, Tennessee hosted by Epsilon Chapter	All of Tomorrow Depends On Today...Upon You	June 16, 1982–June 20, 1982
1983	Columbus, Ohio hosted by Kappa Chapter	Create!......Relate!.......Motivate!	August 3, 1983–August 7, 1983
1984	College Station, Texas hosted by Delta Chapter	Hit the Trail for the "The Wild Wild West"	August 1, 1984–August 5, 1984
1985	Murfreesboro, Tennessee hosted by Mu Chapter	OPA in for A Dixieland Delight	August 6, 1985–August 10, 1985
1986	Bridgeport, Connecticut hosted by Beta Chapter		August 11, 1986–August 17, 1986
1987	Bowling Green, Ohio hosted by Alpha Chapter	20th anniversary	August 4, 1987–August 8, 1987
1988	Cookeville, Tennessee hosted by Epsilon Chapter		1988
1989	College Station, Texas hosted by Delta Chapter		1989
1990	Atlanta, Georgia hosted by Nu Chapter		1990
1991	Bridgeport, Connecticut hosted by Beta Chapter	Convention '91 – Barnum and Beta Circus	July 29, 1991–August 4, 1991
1992	Cookeville, Tennessee hosted by Epsilon Chapter	Omega Phi Alpha 25 Years of Excellence	July 29, 1992–August 2, 1992
1993	Bowling Green, Ohio hosted by Alpha Chapter	Celebrate Cardinal Principles	July 29, 1993–August 1, 1993
1994	Auburn, Alabama hosted by Omicron Chapter	Sisterhood in the Heart of Dixie	July 27, 1994–July 31, 1994
1995	Atlanta, Georgia hosted by Nu Chapter		1995
1996	Chattanooga, Tennessee hosted by Sigma Chapter		1996
1997	Cookeville, Tennessee hosted by Epsilon Chapter		1997
1998	College Station, Texas hosted by Delta Chapter		1998
1999	Columbus, Ohio		1999
2000	Baton Rouge, Louisiana		2000
2001	San Antonio, Texas		July 18, 2001–July 22, 2001
2002	Radisson Hotel & Suites, Chicago, Illinois		July 17, 2002–July 21, 2002
2003	Renaissance Waverly Hotel Atlanta, Georgia		July 30, 2003–August 2, 2003
2004	Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt University Nashville, Tennessee		July 14, 2004–July 18, 2004
2005	Embassy Suites Biltmore Hotel Phoenix, Arizona	Service at the Oasis	July 20, 2005–July 24, 2005
2006	Hilton Hartford Hotel Hartford, Connecticut	Service in the City	July 19, 2006–July 23, 2006
2007	Wyndham Jacksonville Riverwalk Jacksonville, Florida	Service is our Greatest Treasure	July 25, 2007–July 29, 2007
2008	Doubletree North Denver Denver, Colorado	Rockin' in the Rockies	July 16, 2008–July 20, 2008
2009	Crowne Plaza Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	City of Sisterly Love	July 22, 2009–July 26, 2009
2010	Drury Plaza Hotel at the Arch St. Louis, Missouri	Destination O-Phi-A	July 21, 2010–July 25, 2010
2011	Holiday Inn, Charlotte, North Carolina	Queens of Service in the Queen City.	July 20, 2011–July 24, 2011
2012	Radisson Hotel, Salt Lake City, Utah	Abuzz about OPhiA	July 11, 2012–July 15, 2012
2013	DoubleTree Hotel, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	Women of Steel	July 18, 2013–July 21, 2013
2014	Hilton Indianapolis Downtown, Indianapolis, Indiana	Taking the Lead in Service	July 16, 2014–July 20, 2014
2015	DoubleTree Hotel, Chattanooga, Tennessee	TBD	July 15, 2015–July 19, 2015

Districts

Omega Phi Alpha has nine districts of active chapters. Each district meets at least once a year to hold a district summit, which includes service projects, workshops, and sisterhood activities. Alumnae ties were removed from districts and changed to regions at Convention 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

• D1 - Liberty District
  • Alpha Theta (Penn State)
  • Alpha Iota (Notre Dame of Maryland)
  • Alpha Mu (Boston University)

• D2 - Bluegrass District
  • Epsilon (Tennessee Tech)
  • Mu (Middle Tennessee State)
  • Rho (Western Kentucky)
  • Sigma (University Tennessee Chattanooga)

• D3 - Azalea District
  • Nu (Georgia Tech)
  • Omicron (Auburn)
  • Alpha Zeta (Kennesaw State)

• D4 - Cajun Country District
  • Upsilon (Louisiana at Lafayette)
  • Alpha Beta (Ole Miss)
  • Alpha Epsilon (Southeastern Louisiana)

• D5 - Lonestar District
  • Delta (Texas A&M)
  • Tau (Texas at Austin)
  • Psi (Texas A&M Corpus Christi)
  • Alpha Nu (Texas State)

• D6 - Cactus Pine District
  • Phi (Arizona State)
  • Alpha Alpha (Northern Arizona)

• D7 - Founding District
  • Alpha (Bowling Green State)
  • Gamma (Eastern Michigan)

• D8 - Carolina District
  • Chi (South Carolina)
  • Alpha Lambda (North Carolina State)
  • Alpha Eta (South Carolina Aiken)

• D9 - Heartland District
  • Alpha Gamma (Oklahoma State)
  • Alpha Kappa (Kansas)

• D10 - Peaches and Beaches
  • Alpha Delta (Georgia Southern)
  • Alpha Xi (University of Central Florida)
  • Alpha Omicron (University of Florida)

Regions

Omega Phi Alpha has four regions of alumnae. Alumnae regions are drawn on state lines and are based on population distribution of OPA alumnae. Each alumnae region sends a specific number of delegates to OPA's National Convention every year; this number is based on the number of active votes possible at that year's Convention. Alumnae representation makes up 25% of the total representation at any given Convention.

• West Region
  • States: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, International locations
• Midwest Region
  • States: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin
• South Region
  • States: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee
• East Region
  • States: Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia

External links

• Omega Phi Alpha National website
• BGSU Omega Phi Alpha Website