The Ladybugs are getting ready for Fall 2010 Recruitment! Are you ready to join a lifelong sisterhood that that exists to promote high ideals and standards for its members throughout their lives? Then ASA is the sorority for you!
We strive to develop women of poise and purpose and assist our members in fostering lifetime friendships.
Sign up here: https://secureapp.icsrecruiter.com/ICS/GM/v3/Pan/Web/Enrollment/RegistrationV3b.aspx?UID=UNSOIN
HISTORY...
The State Female Normal School, now Longwood University, in Farmville, Va., was the first institution of higher learning in Virginia to admit women for collegiate study. Naturally, it attracted superior students, many of them daughters of college professors already familiar with the fraternity idea.
Among the students in the fall term of 1901 were five women who had become very good friends. Attractive, vivacious and intelligent, they had been recruited and bid by the existing sororities. However, if they accepted these bids, it would mean that the five would not be sorority sisters.
On November 15, 1901, a new sorority was organized and named Alpha Sigma Alpha. As stated in the charter, The purpose of the association shall be to cultivate friendship among its members, and in every way to create pure and elevating sentiments, to perform such deeds and to mould such opinions as will tend to elevate and ennoble womanhood in the world. Signatures to this document include those of Alpha Sigma Alphas five Founders: Virginia Lee Boyd (Noell), Juliette Jefferson Hundley (Gilliam), Calva Hamlet Watson (Wootton), Louise Burks Cox (Carper), and Mary Williamson Hundley.
A TURNING POINT...
Although Alpha Sigma Alpha installed 13 chapters in those early years, by 1913 Alpha Chapter was the only active chapter of Alpha Sigma Alpha. The chapter turned to Ida Shaw Martin, founder and past national president for Delta Delta Delta, for assistance. Mrs. Martin suggested that Alpha Sigma Alpha get in touch with Pi Alpha Tau from Miami University in Ohio, and as a result, Pi Alpha Tau was installed as a chapter of Alpha Sigma Alpha in May 1913. The two chapters recognized the insight that Mrs. Martin could provide and immediately elected her to lead the sorority.
At this point, Alpha Sigma Alpha decided to limit its chapters to teachers colleges and colleges of education within universities. By October 1914, two other local groups were sufficiently interested in Alpha Sigma Alpha to arrange for a convention.
The Miami, OH convention was held over Thanksgiving weekend 1914, with delegates from the four chapters present. In two days they adopted a constitution, formulated more elaborate ritual, made some changes in symbols and customs and arranged for a weekly publication, the Phoenix.
In the next years, the Phoenix was the central medium linking the chapters. It was edited by Mrs. Martin, who had been elected national president, and read like a family letter sent periodically to far-away children by a strong-minded mother whose experience and age gave her authority of opinion and action. The years 1914 to 1930 were formative ones for Alpha Sigma Alpha. Under the guidance of Mrs. Martin and the dedication of Alpha Sigma Alphas serving as national officers, the sorority began to flourish.
A VISION FOR THE FUTURE...
By 1930, Alpha Sigma Alpha was firmly re-established and ready for new leadership. At the 1930 national convention in Boston, MA, the convention body elected Wilma Wilson Sharp, Zeta Zeta Chapter, as national president. After 16 years of guidance by Mrs. Martin, Alpha Sigma Alpha was now under the leadership of one of her very own initiates. Mrs. Sharp served for 17 years as national president and served a total of 35 years as a national officer, granting her the honored title of president emerita.
Through Mrs. Sharps vision and dedication, our ritual was bound into a book form, the Creed of Alpha Sigma Alpha was composed, a memorial to the Founders at Longwood University was established, a new constitution was designed, the first published history of the sorority was released and November 15 was declared Founders Day.
JOINING NPC...
Prior to 1947, Alpha Sigma Alpha and other members of the Association of Educational Sororities (AES) limited their expansion to teachers colleges. When the teachers colleges began granting liberal arts degrees instead of granting teaching certificates, National Panhellenic Conference sororities were free to expand on those campuses while AES groups could not expand on any other type of campus.
Considering that the activities and purposes of the social and educational sorority were identical, Alpha Sigma Alpha and Sigma Sigma Sigma initiated the vote to dissolve AES and join NPC. In September 1947, Alpha Sigma Alpha petitioned the National Panhellenic Conference for membership and was accepted on November 12, 1947.
In the years since 1947 many exciting milestones have been reached by Alpha Sigma Alpha. The 1950s brought about the celebration of the sororitys fiftieth anniversary and the Golden Anniversary Convention held in 1952 at the Hotel Roanoke in Roanoke, VA. In 1957 the memorial garden was dedicated at Longwood University in recognition of the sororitys founding.
At the 1958 convention aid to the mentally challenged was selected as the national service focus. In 1976, the Special Olympics was named as the national philanthropic project. Today Alpha Sigma Alphas around the country volunteer as judges, timers and huggers for Special Olympics events. In 1990, an additional philanthropic project was selected, the S. June Smith Center. The center is located in Lancaster, PA and is named after Alpha Sigma Alpha member Dr. S. June Smith, Kappa Kappa Chapter. The S. June Smith Centeris a private non-profit agency providing early identification, education, training and therapy to infants and children in Lancaster, PA with developmental disabilities and delays.
The Philanthropic Fund, originally established in 1926 and used to issue loans, was changed to a fund that provided scholarships in 1967. The fund grew and scholarships were added. In the mid-1990s the Philanthropic Fund was transferred to the Alpha Sigma Alpha Foundation. The Foundation now awards all Alpha Sigma Alpha scholarships.
Leadership development and training was enhanced beginning in the 1960s with the development of the traveling secretary program, today known as the leadership consultant program. Recent graduates were recruited to spend a year traveling from chapter to chapter to provide training and assistance in all areas of chapter operations and membership development. The first Emma Coleman Frost Leadership Development Institute was also hosted at Penn State in 1989. Today there are two institutes held regionally in years when a national convention is not held.
Finally during this period the first central office was established in Kenmore, New York. Prior to this time the records of the sorority had been housed with individual officers. In 1962, the central office was relocated to Springfield, MO and in 1966 the sorority purchased its first building to house the sorority office.The property at 1201 East Walnut Street was dedicated as the first National Headquarters in 1969. After more than 30 years in Springfield, MO, the needs of the sorority outgrew the lovely old home. The decision was made in 1998 to move the national headquarters to Indianapolis, IN, where a concentration of Greek organizations have located their headquarters. A permanent facility is now under construction and is expected to be completed in 2008.
The centennial celebration kicked off at the 41st Alpha Sigma Alpha National Convention in Richmond, VA on June 28, 2000. Also in 2000, Alpha Sigma Alpha unveiled its Strategic Plan which is still being implemented.
On November 11, 2001 collegians and alumnae gathered across the nation to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the founding of Alpha Sigma Alpha and look toward the future
Symbols
Aims
The aim of this sorority shallhave for its four-fold objective the intellectual, physical, social and spiritual development of its members. The aims have been carefully chosen to represent the ideals toward which every Alpha Sigma Alpha is to strive. These are areas of human development that must be nurtured if an individual is to reach her full potential.
Mission
Alpha Sigma Alpha is a womens organization that exists to promote high ideals and standards for its members throughout their lives by emphasizing balance among the four aims of intellectual, physical, spiritual and social development. Alpha Sigma Alpha provides structure and guidance through:
Sisterhood, which is a strong bond of unconditional friendship based on common values and
Heritage, which is expressed through creed, ritual and history,
Opportunities for leadership and involvement in chapter, campus and community.
Core Values
Relationships
Integrity
Balance
Learning
Generosity
Growth
Responsibility
Enjoyment
Insignia
The insignia of Alpha Sigma Alpha are the star, crown, palm tree and phoenix. The star represents the aspirations of Alpha Sigma Alphas to live up to the ideals of the Sorority. The crown represents leadership attained and the name of recognition given to our alumnae. The palm tree represents an emblem of sturdy development. The phoenix, the central symbol in our coat-of-arms, openly represents the reorganization of the Sorority that occurred in 1914.
Colors
The primary colors of Alpha Sigma Alpha are crimson and pearl white, supplemented by the secondary colors palm green and gold.
Crimson, indicating loyalty, is a primary color of Alpha Sigma Alpha. It is represented through our exemplar St. Valentine and our jewel the ruby.
Pearl White, representing fellowship and a perfect blending of all colors, is also a primary color of Alpha Sigma Alpha. It is represented through our exemplar Christ and our second jewel, the pearl.
Palm Green, a supplementary color, signifying hope, immortality, and victory, is represented through our exemplar Hermes and symbol, the palm.
Gold, a supplementary color, signifying wisdom, wealth, and social achievement, is represented through our exemplar King Asa and our symbol, the crown.
Jewels
The pearl represents the beauty that comes with growth and belongs distinctly to the new member.
The ruby, its color claimed for an indistinguishable flame in ancient Hindu legend, belongs distinctly to the initiated member.
Motto
Alpha Sigma Alpha has four mottoes. All have their initials the letters Alpha Sigma Alpha. The open motto is (Greek letters first) Aspire, Seek, Attain.
Flowers
The fall flower is the aster and the spring flower is the narcissus.
Official mascot
Dot, the ladybug, was officially adopted as Alpha Sigma Alpha's mascot at the 2008 national convention and leadership conference held in Albuquerque, NM. It is an identifying symbol not only used in promoting Alpha Sigma Alpha to its members and the public, but also on Alpha Sigma Alpha merchandise
Celebrations
Founders Day is celebrated November 15 of every year and all members of Alpha Sigma Alpha are asked to wear green and gold ribbons underneath their membership badges to represent our enduring sisterhood since 1901 and the social aspect of the sorority.
The Christmas celebration centers around Christ as an exemplar and Alpha Sigma Alphas service to others. Members are asked to wear crimson and green ribbons underneath their badges to represent loyalty and immortality.
St. Valentines Day is celebrated February 14 and members are asked to wear crimson and gold ribbons underneath their membership badges to represent loyalty and the social aspect of the occasion.
Hermes Day, May 25, marks the beginning and end of the Alpha Sigma Alpha year. Members are asked to wear green and pearl white ribbons underneath their membership badges on this day, representing victory and fellowship.
President Amy Neuner
alneuner_mail.usi.edu
VP of Recruitment Andrea Fields
alfields_mail.usi.edu
Webmaster : asa.dk.webmaster_gmail.com
