AXΩ

National History

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alpha Chi Omega was founded on October 15, 1885 at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana by seven determined, young women. Professor James Hamilton Howe, Dean of the Music School, invited seven young women from the school to attend a meeting for the purpose of forming a society. Our seven founders were Anna Allen, Olive Burnett, Bertha Deniston, Amy DuBois, Nellie Gamble, Bessie Grooms and Estelle Leonard. Their first meeting was in Meharry Hall where they wore scarlet red and olive green ribbon streamers attached to their dresses giving way to our official colors. Later on, in 1903, Alpha Chi Omega joined the National Panhellenic Conference.

Alpha Chi Omega's Founders chose "Alpha," the first letter of the Greek alphabet, because they were forming the first fraternity in the school of music. Since they thought they might also be founders of the last such fraternity, "Omega" seemed appropriate for it was the last letter in the Greek alphabet. At its origin our name quite literally meant, "The first and last," or "the beginning and the end." "Kai," the Greek word for and was added to the name to form the complete phrase. "Kai" was soon changed to "Chi," a letter of the Greek alphabet.

Today, Alpha Chi Omega has over 200,000 members located throughout the world. There are 135 collegiate chapters on university campuses throughout the United States and over 200 alumnae chapters.​