Alpha Pi Omega

Native American collegiate sorority
  Fire red,   New Grass green and   Maize yellowFlowerDogwoodTreeCedarJewelAmethystMascotQueen BeeHeadquarters1441 E. 104th Street
Kansas City, MO 64131
U.S.WebsiteOfficial website

Alpha Pi Omega Sorority, Inc. (ΑΠΩ) is the oldest historically Indigenous national sorority in the United States.[1][2] It is the largest Indigenous Greek letter organization,[3] with 24 chartered chapters across nine states and the District of Columbia.[4]

History

Alpha Pi Omega Sorority was founded on Sept. 1, 1994, at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill by four Native women.[1][5] The founders, now known to as the Four Winds, are Shannon Brayboy (Lumbee), Jamie Goins (Lumbee), Amy Locklear (Lumbee and Coharie), and Christie Strickland (Lumbee).[3][5] Before forming the group, they sought and received the approval of elder women from the various tribes of North Carolina.[5]

The sorority's founding principles are traditionalism, spirituality, education, and contemporary issues.[1] Its first pledge class was called the Fifteen Warrior Women.[5] The sorority was incorporated with the State of North Carolina in 1995 and expanded to additional campuses.[6]

With more than 130 tribes represented by its members, the sorority has more than 900 sisters nationwide. Nationally, the sorority is governed by a thirteen-member board known as the Grand Keepers of the Circle. Grand Keepers are elected to two-year terms and meet bi-monthly.

Symbols

The sorority's colors are fire red, new grass green, and maize yellow.[6] Its mascot is the Queen Bee, while its jewel is the amethyst.[6] Its tree is the cedar and its flower is the dogwood.[6] The Alpha Pi Omega motto is "My Sister As Myself".[7]

Activities

Alpha Pi Omega preserves Native American traditions by celebrating and practicing cultural and spiritual heritage, such as hosting stickball games.[6][8] At the same time, it supports a network for college students and professionals in modern society.[5] The sorority's annual national convention is called the Grand Gathering.[9]

Its permanent national philanthropy is the National Indian Education Association, as of 2010.[6][7] Individual chapters also participate in local fundraising events such as Walk a Mile in Her Shoes or Remember the 10 Run.[9][8] The Washington State University chapter held sexual assault awareness classes and LGBTQ+ ally training, while the Oregon State University chapter held a fundraiser for the Humane Society.[10][8]

Membership

Interested women may join at the undergraduate or post-undergraduate level. Collegiate women must have completed at least one full-time academic term, have a 2.8 GPA or higher, and have no previous affiliation with any social sorority.[6] Women interested in joining a professional chapter must have completed a bachelor's degree or higher and have no previous affiliation with any social sorority.

Chapters

APO starts potential chapters as expansion chapters or honey pots.[10] After a year, the expansion chapter becomes a provisional chapter.[10] Chapters are chartered at the sorority's annual Grand Gathering.[10] Graduate chapters are for women who have received their undergraduate degrees.[7]

Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are shown in italic.

Undergraduate chapters

Chapter Chartered/Range Institution Location Status Reference
Alpha September 1, 1994 University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, North Carolina Active [11]
Beta November 27, 1997 University of North Carolina at Pembroke Pembroke, North Carolina Active [11][12]
Gamma May 29, 2004 Oklahoma State University–Stillwater Stillwater, Oklahoma Active [11][8][7][a]
Delta May 28, 2005 – 20xx ? University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico Inactive [11][12]
Epsilon May 27, 2006 – 20xx ? Dartmouth College Hanover, New Hampshire Inactive [11][12]
Zeta May 27, 2006 University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona Active [11][12]
Eta June 2, 2007 North Carolina State University Raleigh, North Carolina Active [11][12]
Theta June 2, 2007 Northeastern State University Tahlequah, Oklahoma Active [11][12]
Iota June 8, 2008 Arizona State University Temple, Oklahoma Active [11][1][12][b]
Kappa July 14, 2013 Oregon State University Corvallis, Oregon Inactive [11][12]
Lambda July 12, 2014 University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison, Wisconsin Active [11][12]
Mu- July 9, 2016 – 201x ? Haskell Indian Nations University Lawrence, Kansas Inactive [13][11][12][c]
Nu July 11, 2020 Duke University Durham, North Carolina Active [11][12]
Xi July 11, 2020 Washington State University Pullman, Washington Active [11][3][10][12][d]
Expansion 2005 University of Northern Colorado Greeley, Colorado Active [14]
Expansion 2008 Harvard University, Northeastern University, Wellesley College Boston, Massachusetts Active [7][14]
Expansion 2010 Western Carolina University Cullowhee, North Carolina Active [7][15]
Expansion 2011 University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas Active [7][14]
Expansion 2011 University of North Dakota Grand Forks, North Dakota Active [7][14]
Provisional 2018 University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, North Carolina Active [14][15]

Notes

  1. ^ Founded as an expansion chapter in November 2002.
  2. ^ Started as a provisional chapter in May 2007.
  3. ^ Started as an expansion chapter in April 2010.
  4. ^ Established as a provisional chapter March 30, 2018.

Graduate chapters

Name Chartered/Ranged Location Status Reference
Alpha Pi September 1, 1994 The Triangle, North Carolina Active [14]
Beta Pi November 27, 1996 Robeson County, North Carolina Active [14]
Gamma Pi- May 29, 2004 Columbus County, North Carolina Active [14]
Delta Pi- May 28, 2005 Payne County, Oklahoma Active [14]
Epsilon Pi July 13, 2013 Bernalillo County, New Mexico Active [5][14]
Zeta Pi July 13, 2013 Washington, D.C. Active [5][14]
Eta Pi July 12, 2014 – 20xx ? Pima County, Arizona Inactive [14]
Theta Pi- July 11, 2015 Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Active [14]
Iota Pi July 14, 2018 Cherokee County, Oklahoma Active [14]
Kappa Pi July 10, 2021 Rocky Mount, North Carolina Active [14]
Provisional 2022 Twin Cities (Minneapolis–Saint Paul) Active [14][16]
Expansion Dane County, Wisconsin Active [14]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Belec, Hannah Moulton (October 24, 2019). "Alpha Pi Omega, the first sorority for native women". Arizona State University Student Life. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  2. ^ "Encore: Alpha Pi Omega — The First Sorority For Native American Women". WGBH News. 2020-07-03. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  3. ^ a b c "Xi Chapter of Alpha Pi Omega Sorority, Incorporated". Coug Presence Pullman | Washington State University - Pullman. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  4. ^ "Alpha Pi Omega Sorority". www.alphapiomega.org. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Landry, Alysa (September 13, 2018). "Native Sorority Empowers Women and Promotes Culture". Ict News. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Alpha Pi Omega Sorority, Inc". Office of the Dean of Students, Oregon State University. 2013-06-06. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h "History". Alpha Pi Omega. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  8. ^ a b c d "OSU Native American sorority nabs national honors". Stillwater News Press. July 20, 2017. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  9. ^ a b Jackson, Tesina (September 19, 2011). "Native American sorority named chapter of the year". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  10. ^ a b c d e Negron, Loren (July 23, 2020). "WSU Greek chapter chartered by first Native American sorority in country". The Daily Evergreen. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (December 29, 2022) Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed January 2, 2023.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Undergraduate Chapters". Alpha Pi Omega Sorority. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  13. ^ Girard, Scott (May 31, 2010). "Native sisterhood: Students building Haskell's first sorority". Lawrence Journal-World. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Professional Chapters". Alpha Pi Omega. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  15. ^ a b "University of North Carolina at Greensboro". Alpha Pi Omega Sorority. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  16. ^ "Twin Cities Professional Provisional Chapter". Alpha Pi Omega Sorority. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
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