Sigma Phi Omega

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ΣΦΩ - Sigma Phi Omega

Motto	The Reward is in the Doing
Colors	Kelley Green and Maize Yellow
Flower	Yellow Rose
Founded	1949 at University of Southern California
Type	Social
Scope	Asian-American
Headquarters	, , USA
Pillars	Strength and Character
Homepage	http://www.sigmaphiomega.com

Sigma Phi Omega (ΣΦΩ), also known as Sigmas, is an Asian American interest sorority that has helped young women adjust to college life for over fifty years. Sigma Phi Omega prides itself for its diversity in membership as it embraces the unique qualities and gifts each woman brings. Sigma alumnae have gone onto successful careers in business, law, medicine, entertainment, and education.

1 History
2 Philanthropy
3 Sigma Phi Omega Today
- 3.1 Chapters
- 3.2 Affiliations
4 External links
5 Source

[edit] History

[edit] Purpose

Sigma Phi Omega was founded at the University of Southern California in 1949, and is the oldest Asian American sorority at USC and third oldest in the United States. It was originally established as a social organization for Japanese and Japanese American women at USC. There was much anti-Asian sentiment left behind by World War II. As one alumni said, "At that time it was understood that Asian women could not become members of a sorority. It has since changed. Thank goodness."

[edit] Early Beginnings

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 mid-1950s.

[edit] 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

* Indicates the passing of the individual

[edit] 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.