Sigma Phi Omega

Sigma Phi Omega

Infobox Fraternity
letters=ΣΦΩ
name=Sigma Phi Omega
colors=Kelley Green and Maize Yellow
flower=Yellow Rose
symbol=
motto="The Reward is in the Doing"
crest=
founded=1949
birthplace=University of Southern California
type=Social
scope=Asian-American
address=
city=
state=
country=USA
chapters
homepage= http://www.sigmaphiomega.com
free_label=Pillars
free=Strength and Character

Sigma Phi Omega (ΣΦΩ), also known as Sigmas, is an Asian American interest sorority.

History

Purpose

Sigma Phi Omega was founded at the University of Southern California in 1949, and is the oldest Asian American sorority at USC and UT Austin and third oldest in the United States. It was originally established as a social organization for Japanese and Japanese American women at USC.

Early years

In its early beginnings, the founding mothers of Sigma Phi Omega were invited by Chi Alpha Delta, an Asian-American sorority from UCLA, to become one of their chapters. Chi Alpha Delta had been chartered in 1928 at UCLA, but was rendered inactive between 1942 and 1945 because the majority of its members were unable to attend UCLA due to World War II. After the end of the war, the sorority was reorganized in 1946.

However, the founding mothers decided to start their own organization. The Greek letters were chosen at random and were not used by any other existing fraternities or sororities at that time. Although Sigmas did not originate as a sorority, one could speculate that the choosing of Greek letters was a public way of voicing a dissatisfactory opinion about the treatment of Asian Americans, specifically Japanese Americans, by the campus and Greek organizations.

Membership was primilary those of Japanese descent in the beginning, although it was open in membership. The pledge program was implemented in the late-1950s.

Founding Mothers

*Miki Haga
*Joyce Ishibashi Tawa
*Ida Kado Watanabe
*Kazuko Kay Matsumoto
*Helen Morita Matsunaga
*Mitzi Okamoto
*Cherry Okimoto
*Thelma Sasada
*Akiko Sato Miyamoto
*Edna Tanaka
*Helen Taniguchi Wakamatsu
*Miki Tanimoto
*Dottie Uno
*Julia Uriu
*Grace Wada Iino
*Betty Wakamatsu
*Chiyoe Yata Oki

Philanthropy

Sigma Phi Omega has chosen domestic violence awareness and prevention as its National Philanthropy. Throughout the month of October each year, all chapters of Sigma Phi Omega Sorority, Inc. organize a "SAFE (Stop Abuse in Family Environments) WEEK" filled with seminars and discussions about domestic violence and fundraising events. Sigma Phi Omega works to educate college campuses and surrounding communities, specifically reaching out to Asian and Asian American women, in an effort to stop domestic violence.

Sigma Phi Omega Today

Since its founding, Sigma Phi Omega has established eight other chapters located in California and Texas.

Chapters

* Α - [http://www.uscsigmas.com/ Alpha Chapter] : University of Southern California : 1949
* Β - [http://wwww.freewebs.com/lbsigmas/ Beta Chapter] : California State University, Long Beach : 1970
* Γ - [http://www.texassigmas.com Gamma Chapter] : University of Texas : May 1, 1991
* Δ - [http://www.sdsigmas.com Delta Chapter] : San Diego State University : December 18, 1991
* Ε - [http://www.uhsigmaphiomega.com/ Epsilon Chapter] : University of Houston : April 21, 1995
* Ζ - [http://www.berkeleysigmas.com Zeta Chapter] : University of California, Berkeley : April 5, 1997
* Η - [http://www.baylorsigmas.org Eta Chapter] : Baylor University : May 1, 1999
* Θ - [http://people.smu.edu/Sigmaphiomega/ Theta Chapter] : Southern Methodist University : May 20,2005

Affiliations

Brother fraternities:

* California: Beta Omega Phi
* Texas: Omega Phi Gamma [http://www.omegaphigamma.com]

Cousin fraternity (Texas)

* Delta Epsilon Psi

External links

* [http://www.sigmaphiomega.com Official Website]
* [http://www.stitchzone.com/designs3.html StitchZone - Offers Sigma Phi Omega's crest as a custom embroidery design for jackets, sweatshirts, etc.]
* [http://www.greekopedia.com/index.php?title=Sigma_Phi_Omega Sigma Phi Omega on Greekopedia]

Source

* [http://www.sigmaphiomega.com Official Website] (URL accessed May 28, 2006)


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