Gamma Phi & Alpha Phi
 

I heard that Gamma Phi Beta was linked to Alpha Phi (gamma phi started from alpha phi...)

i was jus twondering if this is true?

Hello.

Both were founded at Syracuse University along with Alpha Gamma Delta, forming the Syracuse Triad. However there is nothing in Alpha Phi's history that speaks to Gamma Phi being founded from Alpha Phi.

Personally I think its SO GREAT that three strong women's organizations were all founded at the same University.

Two of Gamma Phi Beta's founders were invited to join Alpha Phi, but declined and began Gamma Phi instead. There is actually a little blurb on this in our book that we give to new members.

Edited because GeekyPenguin said it much better than I did... but here's an interesting article from the Alpha Gamma Delta magazine (that incidentally was written by a former Quarterly editor): http://web.archive.org/web/199904211...rg/sum981.html

That is an awesome article! I once sent it to a sister whose mother is an Alpha Phi...they both enjoyed the article and thought the connection was cool.

Side note - Alpha Gam and Alpha Phi's magazine is the Quarterly. Is Gamma Phi's magazine the Quarterly as well?

Nope, it's the Crescent.

I love threads about the Syracuse Triad!

Speaking of similarities, here's another big one--our Badges:

http://www.burrpatt.com/alphagammade...es/AGDBad5.jpg http://www.alphaphi.org/about_alpha_phi/images/pin.jpg http://www.gammaphibeta.org/GPBupClose/images/badge.jpg

While the meanings behind are Badges are different, the fact that the letters are superimposed on one another is pretty neat.

I knew that Professor Coddington worked with all three organizations but I had never seen that article before. My mom is an AGD and I forwarded the article to her b/c I think it's really cool that there is a connection.

I read once (it could have been on here) that sororities formed in the North have superimposed letters for badges and groups formed in the South have shields for badges. I know that applies to the Farmville Four.

re: Monograms vs. shields:

I think there are a few organizations founded in the midwest that also have shields or symbols for badges. Also, it seems that these rules also apply to the NPHC sororities and fraternities, in some instances.

There was an interesting line in that article (that was originally posted by Greeklawgirl - I can't take the credit) that said that unless you have your nose in the person's bosom, you can't really tell the badges apart. :) I don't agree with that, but it is interesting that all of the members of the Triad have "stacked" monogram style badges.

Loved the article. Thanks for sharing.

FYI:

Chi O's badge is superimposed letters. And we were founded at the University of Arkansas. :)

So is Alpha Omicron Pi's (founded at Barnard College in NY)

True, true. I was just noting that Chi O is a southern founded sorority with superimposed letters. 33girl mentioned she had heard that orgs with Northern founding, like AOPi, had superimposed letters while southern fouunded orgs had shields. Just pointing out that that idea is not totally true. But thanks for the info, CutiePie!! We are all such a plethora of Greek knowledge here on GC!!!! :D

I was just thinking how I have learned SOOOO MUCH from GC. It's pretty crazy to think I thought I knew so much before and have realized that I didn't know a thing!

I second that (for myself)...........

I guess I should have said there are exceptions to every rule, but by and large, many Southern/Midwestern founded schools use symbols or shields, whereas many Northern founded schools use monograms. :)

OK, now I have this sick urge to get out a map and plot on it where schools were founded by badge type ... but I will resist. That's one sign I'm a GC addict!

Need some help? :p It'll be our GC anonymous group. :)

The Results
 

(This list was put together by visiting NPCWomen.org, NPHChq.org, the individual (inter)National Websites of each of the NPC/NPHC member sororities, and from Ariesrising's Greek Info Pages. The results can be skewed based on whether you consider Virginia a Southern state (I did), and whether you consider Michigan a Midwestern state (I did). My original statement - that most sororities founded in the north had Monogram style badges - was taken from an article I read in a sorority magazine; I don't remember which one.)

NPC Member Sororities

Midwestern-founded Sororities with Monogram Badges
Theta Phi Alpha

Midwestern-founded Sororities with Shield/Symbol Badges
Pi Beta Phi
Kappa Alpha Theta
Kappa Kappa Gamma
Alpha Chi Omega
Alpha Xi Delta
Delta Zeta
Alpha Sigma Tau

Northern-founded Sororities with Monogram Badges
Alpha Phi
Gamma Phi Beta
Alpha Gamma Delta
Alpha Omicron Pi
Alpha Epsilon Phi

Northern-founded Sororities with Shield/Symbol Badges
Delta Delta Delta
Sigma Kappa
Phi Sigma Sigma
Delta Phi Epsilon
Sigma Delta Tau

Southern-founded Sororities with Monogram Badges
Chi Omega

Southern-founded Sororities with Shield/Symbol Badges
Delta Gamma
Zeta Tau Alpha
Alpha Delta Pi
Phi Mu
Kappa Delta
Sigma Sigma Sigma
Alpha Sigma Alpha

NPHC Member Sororities
(Depending on whether you consider Washington, DC a Southern or Northern City, your answers may differ)

Shield/Symbol Badges
Alpha Kappa Alpha (Washington, DC)
Sigma Gamma Rho (founded in the Midwest - Illinois)

Monogram Badges
Zeta Phi Beta (Washington, DC)
Delta Sigma Theta (Washington, DC)

This should hereby seal my fate as the PRESIDENT of the GC-anonymous group! ;)

Hey Sistermadly, after seeing that list, you totally got my vote! You should be president of the GC-A!

sistermadly,

My goodness! Didn't think anybody would do that. It's cool though. Thanks.

Ah ha, so XO is the oddball with our badge in regards to our Southern founding. That's ok, 'cuz I love my little X and horseshoe! :D

Seems it's pretty divided in the North, though. Thanks sistermadly (I mean Madame President!) for all of your research! Very interesting!

Sistermadly - just one small correction - it's Alpha Sigma ALPHA not Alpha Sigma Kappa. :)

Sorry about that! After typing out all those Greek letters, I'm amazed that I didn't make any more mistakes!

Actually, it didn't take that long - not more than 30 minutes. Luckily I had a copy of the NPC Badge poster handy!

Haha, really? Wow, you are good! :)

Sister Madly, you have way too much time on your hands! (J/K) I didn't even know there was a poster with all the NPC badges on it. I agree with you SA Aphi, I've learned so much from GC.