Sigma Omicron Pi

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Sigma Omicron Pi
ΣΟΠ
Founded1930 (1930)
San Francisco State University
TypeSocial
AffiliationIndependent
StatusActive
EmphasisCultural interest - Asian American
ScopeNational
PillarsUnity, Friendship, Leadership, Service
Colors  Green and   Gold
FlowerDaisy
JewelPearl
Chapters12
Members1,000 lifetime
NicknameSOPi
HeadquartersC/O 9450 Gilman Drive 10302
La Jolla, California 92092
United States

Sigma Omicron Pi (ΣΟΠ) is an Asian American interest sorority. Founded in 1930 at San Francisco State University, the college social organization has active chapters on twelve campuses in the United States. The stated objective of the sorority is to "further the awareness of women in Asian culture" and "to promote unity, lifelong friendships, leadership, and community service".[1]

History

In 1930, ten Asian American women came together on the campus of San Francisco State University to form a sorority for women who were interested in teaching.[2][3] They adopted the Greek letters ΣΟΠ or Sigma Omicron Pi to represent "Sisters of Pedagogy".[3] It was the first Chinese sorority on that campus.[2] Elizabeth Ling-so Hall was a founder and the sorority's first president.[2]

Sigma Omicron Pi expanded to the University of California, Berkeley campus in 1936.[4][5] The sorority became active in the Asian community.[3] Annually, they held a fashion show to raise scholarship money with the UC Chinese Alumni Association.[2]

However, both chapters were forced to become inactive during World War II.[3] Sigma Omicron Pi was revived at the University of California, Berkeley in 1946.[3] The educational focus fell away, changing to providing fellowship, philanthropy, and cultural awareness for and among Asian American women of many Asian backgrounds.[3]

In 1994, the sorority created an Inter-Chapter Council with six elected officers to help unite the various chapters.[6] By 2025, the sorority had chartered fifteen chapters.[4] Its national office is in La Jolla, California.[7]

Symbols

The Greek letters ΣΟΠ or Sigma Omicron Pi were selected to represent "Sisters of Pedagogy".[3] The sorority's colors are green and gold.[8] Its flower is the daisy and its jewel is the pearl.[8][9]

Chapters

Active chapters are in bold. Inactive chapters are in italics.[4][5]

Chapter Charter date and range Institution Location Status Reference
Alpha Prime (See Beta) 1930–194x ? San Francisco State University San Francisco, California Reissued [3][a]
Alpha (see Beta Prime) 1946 University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, California Active [b]
Beta Prime (see Alpha) 1936–194x ? University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, California Reissued [3][c]
Beta (see Alpha Prime) 1988 San Francisco State University San Francisco, California Active [3][d]
Gamma 1992 San Jose State University San Jose, California Active
Delta February 6, 1993 University of California, Davis Davis, California Active [8]
Epsilon 1993 California State University, Sacramento Sacramento, California Active
Zeta 1995 University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, California Active
Eta 1997-2000 University of Maryland, College Park College Park, Maryland Inactive
Theta 2001 University of California, Irvine Irvine, California Active
Iota 2001 Pennsylvania State University University Park, Pennsylvania Active
Kappa 2002 University of California, San Diego San Diego, California Active
Lambda 2002 Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, Maryland Inactive
Mu 2003 University of California, Riverside Riverside, California Active
Nu 2008 Binghamton University Binghamton, New York Active

Notes

  1. ^ Chapter went dormant during World War II.
  2. ^ Originally the Beta chapter that went inactive during World War II. After the war, the Berkeley chapter was reformed and named Alpha.
  3. ^ Chapter went dormant during World War II and was reformed as Alpha after the war.
  4. ^ Reforming of the original Alpha chapter which went inactive during WWII.

Notable members

See also

References

  1. ^ "Sigma Omicron Pi Welcome". National Sigma Omicron Pi. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d Knight, Heather (13 August 2003). "Elizabeth Hall -- broke barriers in S.F. schools". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 21 May 2012. Along with nine other women, Ms. Hall founded Sigma Omicron Pi, the school's first Chinese sorority, and served as its first president.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "National History". Wayback Machine. National Sigma Omicron Pi. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  4. ^ a b c William Raimond Baird; Carroll Lurding (eds.). "Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities (Baird's Manual Online Archive)". Student Life and Culture Archives. University of Illinois: University of Illinois Archives. Retrieved 5 Jul 2021. The main archive URL is The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
  5. ^ a b "Chapters". Sigma Omicron Pi. 2015-10-26. Archived from the original on October 26, 2015. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  6. ^ "ICC History". Sigma Omicron Pi. Archived from the original on 2015-08-22. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  7. ^ "Sigma Omicron Pi Sorority Student Chapters Inc". GuideStar Profile. Retrieved 2025-03-31.
  8. ^ a b c "Sigma Omicron Pi | CSI". csi.ucdavis.edu. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  9. ^ "About Us". San Jose State University Sigma Omicron Pi. Retrieved 2023-01-04.