About Us
Delta Delta Delta purpose:
The purpose of Delta Delta Delta shall be to establish a perpetual bond of friendship among its members, to develop a stronger and more womanly character, to broaden the moral and intellectual life, and to assist its members in every possible way. It shall also be the purpose of Delta Delta Delta to promote and develop mutually beneficial relationships between the Fraternity and the colleges and universities where the Fraternity has established chapters, to develop qualities of unselfish leadership among its members, and to encourage them to assume, with integrity and devotion to moral and democratic principles, the highest responsibilities of college women.New Member Experience:
As a new member of Delta Delta Delta, I will be teaching you all what there is to know about this wonderful sorority. Not only will I introduce you to the girls that make up the sorority, but also the great projects we do to help the community. I will also teach you all the great things that have formed our chapter into what our chapter is now. I will tell you the traditions and the legends of this chapter and the National Chapter. There is so much history that is behind what makes a Tri-Delta and that is what I get to teach you as the New Member Educator!:: Lauren Blumenstock, New Member Educator
Being a Member in this Chapter:
Between having meetings on Sundays, Delta’s Only, and sisterhood events, our chapter is busy throughout the semester with fun activities like winning intramurals, raising money for our philanthropies, having exchanges, or going to one of our many dances.There is never a dull moment in Tri-Delta because there is always someone to talk to or something to do. One thing is true about being a Tri-Delta -- if you’ve never had a sister before, joining this group of girls, you are bound to find sisters for life.
:: Hilary Horan, Stand Up! Stand Out! executive council
Academics & Achievement:
Delta Delta Delta takes academics seriously (GPA information (.pdf) ). Over half of our members currently hold over a 3.5 GPA. Tri-Delta holds study halls for new members to ensure they get off on the right foot when entering Drury. Our chapter has tutors for almost every subject and we keep each other accountable for grades by proctoring study hall 5 out of 7 days a week. Tri-Delta is committed to making sure everyone can maintain their goal GPA and is doing well in class. As the VP of Academics, it means taking the time to make sure each and every girl in the sorority is reaching her full potential academically.:: Sami Lester, Vice President of Academics
Social Events & Activities:
Tri-Delta has many social events throughout the year that allow us to meet new people and have a great time. Each year, Tri-Delta hosts four different kinds of dances and fraternity exchanges. These can include theme parties, formals, BBQs, barn swinging, and game nights. Our social events help to enhance our sisterhood and are a very exciting part of our sorority.:: Sarah Carlstrom, Social Chair
Sisterhood & Friendship:
As Tri Deltas we believe in the importance of establishing a perpetual bond of friendship among our members. We plan monthly Deltas Only events which help our sisters grow and establish lifelong friendships and memories. We also plan weekly sisterhood events like meeting at our local philanthropy, the Potter’s House, to have coffee or smoothies. We also believe in broadening our intellectual lives. To accomplish this we bring in speakers to talk to the chapter about financial planning, and career paths.:: Sarah Montgomery, Sisterhood Chair
Our Founding
The History of Sororities
In the late 19th century, a woman's place in society was very different from what it is today. Women were not permitted to vote, and few women were found in the workplace. In the frontier states of the mid-west, women began to attend the formerly all-male universities, but they were not welcomed by their male classmates. Because of this cool reception, it was natural for women students to join together in small groups for friendship and support. At first these groups were limited to their individual campuses, but as they developed they imitated the existing men's fraternities, and the various groups spread from one school to another.
By 1885 (when Sarah Ida Shaw entered Boston University), there were six of these "ladies' societies" with enough chapters to be called national organizations: Pi Beta Phi (founded 1867), Kappa Alpha Theta (founded 1870), Kappa Kappa Gamma (founded 1870), Alpha Phi (founded 1872), Delta Gamma (founded 1873) and Gamma Phi Beta (founded 1874). Other groups existed at that time but had only one chapter. They included: Alpha Chi Omega, Sigma Kappa and the societies which would later become Alpha Delta Pi and Phi Mu.
Expansion of these groups into conservative New England was slow. The first to come was Kappa Kappa Gamma to Boston University in 1882, followed by Alpha Phi (also at Boston) in 1883. A chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta opened at Vermont in 1883.
Our Founding
Although there were three women's groups represented at Boston University in 1888 (Kappa Kappa Gamma, Gamma Phi Beta and Alpha Phi), Sarah Ida Shaw saw a need for a group which would be different from the others. She said to her friend, Eleanor Dorcas Pond, "Let us found a society that shall be kind alike to all and think more of a girl's inner self and character than of her personal appearance."
So the two young women began the work of creating a new national fraternity. Later Sarah wrote, "...The two enthusiastic friends were unaware of the fact that there was something stupendous about the task they had set hands, heads and hearts to accomplish. They were working for a principle, and it never occurred to them that there could be such a thing as failure. Earnestness of purpose, energy and enthusiasm had brought them both success in college and why should not these same qualities bring assurance of good fortune to the new venture."
Not only did they found a fraternity, but at the same time they wrote the rituals and constitution, and designed the emblems. The choosing of the name was a joint decision. Eleanor suggested a triple letter and Sarah chose the letter and worked on the Greek mottos and passwords. Inspiration for these came from a variety of sources: Egyptian lore, Hindu mysticism, Greek and astronomy, reflecting the wide and various interests of Sarah Ida Shaw.
Never before had a sorority been founded so completely and with such depth of meaning from the very beginning, and the actual day of founding is beautifully described in Sarah's words.
"At last, all was finished on Tuesday...November 27, 1888, but there was one more meeting of the two friends on the following afternoon before they separated for the Thanksgiving recess, at the top of the college building in what was then the Philological Library. It was there that the two girls embraced each other and said 'Tri Delta is founded'...It is not strange that the hearts of these sponsors were full of emotion as together they went out of the college building, for each felt there were added reasons why her Thanksgiving should be a very happy one. When they came to the parting of the ways at the historic Boston Common, Miss Pond said, 'We can make the girls we initiate promise secrecy, but what shall hold us two?' So there in the shadow of the old Park Street Church, with a bright new moon and three brilliant stars nearby...the two faithful friends clasped hands and said, 'In the presence of these myriads of witnesses, I swear eternal loyalty and fealty to Delta Delta Delta.'"