Chi Omega
 |
This article contains wording that promotes the subject in a subjective manner without imparting real information. (May 2012) |
| Chi Omega | |
|---|---|
| ΧΩ | |
 |
|
| Founded | April 5, 1895 University of Arkansas (Fayetteville, Arkansas) |
| Type | Social |
| Vision statement | Sisters inspired by our values who serve the world while keeping Chi Omega ever at heart |
| Motto | Hellenic Culture & Christian Ideals[1] |
| Colors | Straw |
| Symbol | Skull and Crossbones |
| Flower | White Carnation |
| Jewel | Pearl, Diamond |
| Mascot | Owl |
| Publication | The Eleusis |
| Philanthropy | Make-A-Wish Foundation |
| Chapters | 174 |
| Members | 310,000+ collegiate |
| Purposes | friendship, personal integrity, service to others, academic excellence and intellectual pursuits, community and campus involvement, and personal and career development |
| Headquarters | 3395 Players Club Parkway Memphis, Tennessee, USA |
| Homepage | http://www.chiomega.com/ |
Chi Omega (ΧΩ) is a women's fraternity and the largest member of the National Panhellenic Conference.[2] Chi Omega has 174 active collegiate chapters and over 230 alumnae chapters.[3] Chi Omega's national headquarters is located in Memphis, Tennessee.
Contents |
History [edit]
Chi Omega was founded April 5, 1895 at the University of Arkansas by Ina Mae Boles, Jean Vincenheller, Jobelle Holcombe, and Alice Simonds, with the help of Dr. Charles Richardson (an initiate of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity). It first expanded in Fall 1898 with Chi chapter at Jessamine College, Nicholasville, Kentucky and Hellmuth Woman's College, London, Ontario.[4] Both chapters were transferred to other schools in 1993.[5] By its 10th anniversary, in 1905, and with the support of Alumnae and Dr. Richardson, Chi Omega had installed 17 chapters throughout the United States.
Chi Omega joined the National Panhellenic Conference in 1993.[6]
In 1995, Chi Omega established its executive headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky, pioneering the use of office space among all national women's fraternities, before moving to Cincinnati, Ohio in 1996. Since 1997, the Fraternity's executive headquarters has been situated on 1.5 acres (6,100 m2) in Memphis, Tennessee.
The Fraternity's colors are Cardinal and Straw, however, initially the fraternity only used Cardinal, and each chapter choose its own accent color. To establish a more united sisterhood a second official color, straw, was established at the national convention. Chi Omega's flower is the white carnation, the mascot is the owl, and the symbol is the skull and crossbones.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation has been Chi Omega's official philanthropy since 2002.[7] Chi Omega Fraternity members have supported philanthropy since the fraternity's inception in 1985 and in the late 1990s, the leadership in Chi Omega researched opportunities for establishing a national philanthropy, and in 2002, the Chi Omega/Make-A-Wish alliance was officially announced. Since the start of this alliance, Chi Omega has raised more than 9.5 million dollars and has volunteered over half a million hours for Make-A-Wish. Make-A-Wish therefore recognizes Chi Omega as one of their Cause Champion sponsors.[8]
Chi Omega is the largest women's fraternal organization in the world with over 310,000 initiates and 174 collegiate chapters. Chi Omega Fraternity reached a milestone in its history by initiating its 300,000th member in 2013. The Fraternity is the first group in the National Panhellenic Conference to achieve this landmark.
Purposes [edit]
[9]Chi Omega is an intergenerational women's organization forever committed to our founding purposes:
- Friendship
- Personal integrity
- Service to others
- Academic excellence and intellectual pursuits
- Community & campus involvement
- Personal & career development
Vision Statement [edit]
[10]Sisters inspired by our values who serve the world while keeping Chi Omega ever at heart.
Crest [edit]
Chi Omega's crest was adopted in 1902. Only initiated members may wear or use the crest. Centered on the crest is the white carnation, with the Chi to the left and the Omega to the right of the flower. Above these symbols are both the skull and crossbones and the owl. Beneath the carnation are the five letters, Rho, Beta, Upsilon, Eta and Sigma. A laurel wreath, used by ancient Greeks to honor scholars and heroes, surrounds all of the emblems known and loved by Chi Omegas. [11]
Organization [edit]
The sorority's day-to-day business activities are overseen by the Governing Council, which consists of five elected members. Each chapter of Chi Omega receives at least an annual visit from a National Consultant who aids in the development of the members. The Eleusis has been the official publication of Chi Omega since 1899 when Ida Pace Purdue, Chi Omega's first magazine editor, published the first issue. At that time when there were less than 100 members and the subscription price was $1/year. Eleusis, the city of Greece where the mystic rites were performed, was named in honor of the son of Mercury, the messenger of the Gods; hence the name of Chi Omega's messenger, The Eleusis. An account of the founding, histories and pictures of the chapters, and a directory of the members were all included in the first issue. Today, over 200,000 copies of The Eleusis are mailed out three times per year to our collegiate and alumnae members. If you are a Chi Omega in good standing, you have a free lifetime subscription to the Eleusis. [11]
Chapters [edit]
Notable alumnae [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ http://chaptersites.chiomega.com/default.aspx?site=173 Chi Omega at University of South Alabama
- ^ http://eleusis.chiomega.com/news.aspx?item=News/National/030510Exciting.xml
- ^ Quick Facts About Chi Omega
- ^ The Eleusis of Chi Omega, Volume 6, 1906p337
- ^ The Eleusis of Chi Omega, Volume 6, p32
- ^ https://www.npcwomen.org/about/member-organizations.aspx
- ^ http://www.chiomega.com/wemakeadifference/mawalliance
- ^ http://www.wish.org/supporters/current_sponsors/cause_champion/chi_omega_fraternity
- ^ http://www.chiomega.com/aboutus/missionvision
- ^ http://www.chiomega.com/aboutus/missionvision
- ^ a b Chi Omega - Did You Know?
