Alpha Pi Omega

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]

This article is about the Native American sorority, Alpha Pi Omega. For the unrelated service fraternity with a similar name, see Alpha Phi Omega.
Alpha Pi Omega
ΑΠΩ
An informal crest for ΑΠΩ, as used on their website.
FoundedSeptember 1, 1994 (1994-09-01)
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
MottoMy Sister As Myself
Colors  Fire red,   New Grass green and   Maize yellow
FlowerDogwood
TreeCedar
JewelAmethyst
MascotQueen Bee
Headquarters1441 E. 104th Street
Kansas City, MO 64131
U.S.
WebsiteOfficial website

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][lower-alpha 1]
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][lower-alpha 2]
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][lower-alpha 3]
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][lower-alpha 4]
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. 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. "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. Landry, Alysa (September 13, 2018). "Native Sorority Empowers Women and Promotes Culture". Ict News. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  6. "Alpha Pi Omega Sorority, Inc". Office of the Dean of Students, Oregon State University. 2013-06-06. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  7. "History". Alpha Pi Omega. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  8. "OSU Native American sorority nabs national honors". Stillwater News Press. July 20, 2017. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  9. Jackson, Tesina (September 19, 2011). "Native American sorority named chapter of the year". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  10. Negron, Loren (July 23, 2020). "WSU Greek chapter chartered by first Native American sorority in country". The Daily Evergreen. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  11. Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (December 29, 2022) Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed January 2, 2023.
  12. "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. "Professional Chapters". Alpha Pi Omega. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  15. "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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