Did any Greek organization founders become famous?

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by oldu

Someone PMed me asking if I knew of any fraternity or sorority founders who went on to become well known for anything else, or became famous. Off hand, I don't know of any. Can anyone offer any names? I think it would be interesting to trace the descendants of founders to learn how many joined that same organization, or the whereabouts of those family members alive today. Is anyone aware of any fraternity or sorority that has done this kind of research?

One of Alpha Gamma Delta's founders, Emily Helen Butterfield, was a well-respected architect (the first female licensed architect in her home state of Michigan) and founded the first professional women's club in the country (now a part of BPW). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Helen_Butterfield
Career


Architecture

Butterfield was accepted into the architecture program at Syracuse University in 1903. In 1907 she became the first licensed woman architect in the state of Michigan. With her father, she established the firm of Butterfield and Butterfield in 1917. The firm specialised in church architecture, and led the transformation of churches, especially Methodist, from Sunday meeting halls to centers of daily community and social activity. She practiced architecture in Detroit and Pontiac, planning 26 churches throughout the state as well as other buildings including factories, summer camps, stores, schools and homes.

The Detroit Business Women's Club and the BPW

The Detroit Business Women's Club, the first professional women's club in the nation, was started in 1912, by Butterfield (the first president), publisher Emma Spoor, and manufacturer's agent Grace Wright.
"I think it never occurred to us that we were doing something absolutely unique, I know I never would have had the idea if it had not been that all of my business acquaintances were men, and I was actually lonesome for speaking acquaintances with business women as I pattered up and down the avenue at the noon hour looking for a place where a lone woman might eat." --Emily Butterfield [3] In a series of mergers and assimilations, the Club became part of what is now known as BPW/Michigan, in turn a part of the oldest and largest organization for working women in the world, Business and Professional Women (BPW). The national BPW organization is made up of federations from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.[3]