Gamma Phi Delta Sorority

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Gamma Phi Delta Sorority (ΓΦΔ) is a sorority founded on February 28, 1943, by the late Elizabeth Garner, teacher and the late Violet T. Lewis, owner of Lewis Business College, Detroit, Michigan. The founders, along with the other eleven members are known as "the Sorority's 13 Original Pearls".

Each of the teachers pledged to organize a chapter of the Sorority in her home city. The next chapter to be formed was Gamma Chapter in Indianapolis, Indiana, Ivalue Lennear's hometown. As a special dispensation, the chapter was allowed to use Gamma (instead of Beta, the second letter in the Greek alphabet) as its name.

1 Membership
2 Legitimacy
3 Purpose
4 Scholarships
5 Youth groups
6 Charities
7 External links

[edit] Membership

Gamma Phi Delta Sorority attracts business-women and professional women from many fields, and Chapters are located throughout the United States.

[edit] Legitimacy

Many people contest the legitimacy of this organization because of its aim to be like or similar to a Black Greek Letter Organization (BGLOs). Examples of BGLOs are Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Delta Sigma Theta, Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, Zeta Phi Beta, Sigma Gamma Rho and Iota Phi Theta. As such, many members have said they receive little or no respect from members of BGLOs on the college campus. Ironically, Gamma Phi Delta is not a member of the Pan-Hellenic Council, made of up the "Divine Nine" Fraternities and Sororities that are African-American in origin. Because of this, members of Gamma Phi Delta are able to and do often seek membership in sororities that are apart of the Divine Nine, and are rejected because of their membership in Gamma Phi Delta.

[edit] Purpose

The purpose of the organization is:

To unite fraternally for charitable, educational and fraternal purposes, and to establish and maintain active chapters throughout the United States.
To foster the improvements of the educational and vocational status of young people with special emphasis on underprivileged youth.
To assist said youth through broadening their educational objectives by encouragement, dissemination of information and financial assistance, and to promote the beneficial use of acquired education and/or training to the best interest of the community. And finally;
To create a better understanding between women of all races and creeds; promoting higher education through encouragement and financial aid; and to promote cultural enrichment and to serve mankind.

[edit] Scholarships

On the National level, four (4) scholarships and two (2) Endowments are awarded annually. The Scholarships are: The Gamma Phi Delta Merit Scholarship; the Elizabeth Garner Memorial Scholarship; the Violet T. Lewis Memorial Scholarship and the Undergraduate Scholarship. And the Endowment Funds are; The Luthermae E. Adams Endowment Fund and The Ann McElwee Perpetual Endowment Fund. In addition, our member chapters award scholarships on the local level.

[edit] Youth groups

The most satisfying and rewarding experience is the four youth groups, Rosebuds, Phi-Teens, Junior Cavaliers and Cavaliers. Youth group programs promote the continual quest for knowledge and academic excellence and it epitomizes the Sorority's aim of striving for refinement and culture. Each group is challenged to achieve their worthwhile goals through association with Gamma Phi Delta Sorority, Inc.

[edit] Charities

Gamma Phi Delta supports charities that are serving humanity and whose objectives are paralleled to its aims. Its chapter members with charities of their choice, contribute their time, expertise and finance. Gamma Phi Delta is non-political and non-sectarian. However, the sorority encourages members to participate in political actions of their choosing and welcome members of religious beliefs and a general recognition of a Supreme Being is a part of its CREED.