About Alpha Chi Omega

Alpha Chi Omega was founded on October 15, 1885, at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. 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. The first appearance of the seven founders - Anna Allen, Olive Burnett, Bertha Deniston, Amy DuBois, Nellie Gamble, Bessie Grooms and Estelle Leonard was in Meharry Hall, wearing scarlet and olive green ribbon streamers attached to their dresses.

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 founding the last such fraternity, "Omega" seemed appropriate. "Kai," meaning "and," was added to form the beginning and the end. "Kai" was soon changed to "Chi," a letter of the Greek alphabet.

Emblems & Traditions

Our Colors

Alpha Chi Omega's colors of scarlet and olive green were chosen to commemorate the Fraternity's autumn founding in Greencastle, Indiana.

Our Flower

Alpha Chi Omega's flower is the red carnation, exemplifying the Fraternity's colors.

Our Open Motto

Alpha Chi Omega's open motto is: "Together let us seek the heights."

Our Badge

A Greek lyre of gold, having three twisted strings spanned diagonally by a raised and slightly rounded scroll of black enamel bearing the Greek letter Alpha Chi Omega in gold.

Our Stick Pin

The stick pin, which can be worn with the lyre badge, is diamond-shaped with the top half enameled in scarlet and the bottom in olive green. It features a lyre across its face.

Our Coat of Arms

The coat of arms includes a square shield, a crest, and a scroll. The shield is scarlet, cut by a bar of olive green. The first section of the shield displays an open book in gold; at the base is a sheaf of wheat, also in gold. The bar has three white stars. The crest, a lyre bird, is in its natural color. The scroll at the bottom bears the Greek translation of our open motto, "Together let us seek the heights."

The Symphony of Alpha Chi

The symphony of Alpha Chi Omega was written by Celia McClure (Delta Chapter: Allegheny College) in 1914.

To see the beauty even in the common things of life,
To shed the light of love and friendship round me;
To keep my life in tune with the world that I shall make no discords in the harmony, of life;
To strike on the lyre of the universe only the notes of happiness, of joy, of peace;
To appreciate every little service rendered;
To see and appreciate all that is noble in another, be her badge what it may, and
To let my lyre send forth the chords of love, unselfishness, sincerity.
This is to be my symphony.
~ Celia McClure, 1914