The History of Sigma Omicron Pi
The sisterhood of Sigma Omicron Pi was established at San Francisco State University in 1930 by ten Asian American women: Elizabeth Hall, Frances Hall, Dorothy Lau, Gertrude Lee, Hannah Lee, Louise Lee, Fannie Lim, Nancy Lim, Emma Lum, and Beatrice Ng, pursuing the interest of teaching. They chose the Greek letters, Σ, Ο and Π to represent themselves as the "Sisters of Pedagogy." The Constitution was derived from an existing "Honorary Society of Education." The sorority was active in the Asian Community for the next 15 years. At the advent of World War II, the organization was forced to become inactive. In 1946, a group of women from the University of California, Berkeley re-established ΣΟΠ on their campus. Since its inception, ΣΟΠ has grown in membership with student chapters at:
Beta Chapter, San Francisco State University, 1988
Gamma Chapter, San Jose State University, 1992
Delta Chapter, University of California, Davis, 1993
Epsilon Chapter, California State University, Sacramento, 1993
Zeta Chapter, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1995
Eta Chapter, University of Maryland, 1997
Theta Chapter, University of California, Irvine, 2001
Iota Chapter, Pennsylvania State University, 2001
Kappa Chapter, University of California, San Diego, 2002
Lambda Chapter, The Johns Hopkins University, 2002
Mu Chapter, University of California, Riverside, 2003
Nu Chapter, Binghamton University, State University of New York, 2008
Though the sorority was no longer centered around the interest of teaching, it still maintained its commitment to the Asian American Community. All of the chapters became extremely involved in their respective communities, volunteering their time at community agencies and raising money to donate to favorable charities. ΣΟΠ earned respectable reputation as a benefactor to the Asian American cause. The purpose of ΣΟΠ is to promote unity, lifelong friendships, leadership, and community service. This organization offers women a supportive network of sisters to achieve academic and social growth. The sisterhood of ΣΟΠ provides an environment where sisters may utilize and develop their organizational skills. Each one of our sisters has different interests and aspirations, yet we all share one common ground - ΣΟΠ. We have based our sisterhood on four objectives - UNITY, FRIENDSHIP, LEADERSHIP and SERVICE. In addition, ΣΟΠ has a tradition of lifelong friendship that has prevailed for over 7 decades.
Nu Chapter History
In the Fall 2008, the sisterhood of Sigma Omicron Pi recognized eight determined women from the Binghamton University, State University of New York as Nu Chapter. This story began the Fall of 2007 as these girls joined together with the shared desire of eternal sisterhood to establish this thirteenth chapter as apart of one of the chapters on the east coast. These eight women: Christine Chan, Rose Chau, Jennifer Chung, Keli JiaLi Huang, Irene Lee, Jacqueline Lee, Angie Qing Lin, and Linda Su sought out a sisterhood based on friendship, trust and loyalty that could withstand the test of time. In order to make this goal possible, these eight women willed together their determination, persistence, and heart, and dedicated themselves to establishing Nu Chapter on Binghamton University Campus.
All existing chapters of Sigma Omicron Pi and the Inter Chapter Council took part in teaching this Nu Chapter, Charter Pledge Class, what it meant to be a part of a strong sisterhood. The sisters of Sigma Omicron Pi instilled within this class, a foundation passed along through over seven decades of sisters, from which Nu Chapter was to be built upon. Under the guidance of their Theta/Beta Chapter Pledge Coordinator Jennifer Lauren Nguyen, Nu Chapter's Charter Pledge Class completed their pledge period and crossed into the sisterhood of Sigma Omicron Pi on August 10, 2008. These eight women pledged to withhold the objectives of Unity, Friendship, Leadership and Service taught to them. Since then, Nu Chapter has exemplified the unity of sisterhood, the friendship of everlasting bonds, the leadership of spreading Asian American awareness and the philanthropic attitude towards society through community service. They continue to spread the spirit of sisterhood to all those that cross into the Nu Chapter house offering all of its sisters and potential sisters the tools to grow professionally, socially and academically.
The sisterhood of Sigma Omicron Pi was established at San Francisco State University in 1930 by ten Asian American women: Elizabeth Hall, Frances Hall, Dorothy Lau, Gertrude Lee, Hannah Lee, Louise Lee, Fannie Lim, Nancy Lim, Emma Lum, and Beatrice Ng, pursuing the interest of teaching. They chose the Greek letters, Σ, Ο and Π to represent themselves as the "Sisters of Pedagogy." The Constitution was derived from an existing "Honorary Society of Education." The sorority was active in the Asian Community for the next 15 years. At the advent of World War II, the organization was forced to become inactive. In 1946, a group of women from the University of California, Berkeley re-established ΣΟΠ on their campus. Since its inception, ΣΟΠ has grown in membership with student chapters at:
Beta Chapter, San Francisco State University, 1988Gamma Chapter, San Jose State University, 1992
Delta Chapter, University of California, Davis, 1993
Epsilon Chapter, California State University, Sacramento, 1993
Zeta Chapter, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1995
Eta Chapter, University of Maryland, 1997
Theta Chapter, University of California, Irvine, 2001
Iota Chapter, Pennsylvania State University, 2001
Kappa Chapter, University of California, San Diego, 2002
Lambda Chapter, The Johns Hopkins University, 2002
Mu Chapter, University of California, Riverside, 2003
Nu Chapter, Binghamton University, State University of New York, 2008
Though the sorority was no longer centered around the interest of teaching, it still maintained its commitment to the Asian American Community. All of the chapters became extremely involved in their respective communities, volunteering their time at community agencies and raising money to donate to favorable charities. ΣΟΠ earned respectable reputation as a benefactor to the Asian American cause. The purpose of ΣΟΠ is to promote unity, lifelong friendships, leadership, and community service. This organization offers women a supportive network of sisters to achieve academic and social growth. The sisterhood of ΣΟΠ provides an environment where sisters may utilize and develop their organizational skills. Each one of our sisters has different interests and aspirations, yet we all share one common ground - ΣΟΠ. We have based our sisterhood on four objectives - UNITY, FRIENDSHIP, LEADERSHIP and SERVICE. In addition, ΣΟΠ has a tradition of lifelong friendship that has prevailed for over 7 decades.
Nu Chapter History
In the Fall 2008, the sisterhood of Sigma Omicron Pi recognized eight determined women from the Binghamton University, State University of New York as Nu Chapter. This story began the Fall of 2007 as these girls joined together with the shared desire of eternal sisterhood to establish this thirteenth chapter as apart of one of the chapters on the east coast. These eight women: Christine Chan, Rose Chau, Jennifer Chung, Keli JiaLi Huang, Irene Lee, Jacqueline Lee, Angie Qing Lin, and Linda Su sought out a sisterhood based on friendship, trust and loyalty that could withstand the test of time. In order to make this goal possible, these eight women willed together their determination, persistence, and heart, and dedicated themselves to establishing Nu Chapter on Binghamton University Campus.
All existing chapters of Sigma Omicron Pi and the Inter Chapter Council took part in teaching this Nu Chapter, Charter Pledge Class, what it meant to be a part of a strong sisterhood. The sisters of Sigma Omicron Pi instilled within this class, a foundation passed along through over seven decades of sisters, from which Nu Chapter was to be built upon. Under the guidance of their Theta/Beta Chapter Pledge Coordinator Jennifer Lauren Nguyen, Nu Chapter's Charter Pledge Class completed their pledge period and crossed into the sisterhood of Sigma Omicron Pi on August 10, 2008. These eight women pledged to withhold the objectives of Unity, Friendship, Leadership and Service taught to them. Since then, Nu Chapter has exemplified the unity of sisterhood, the friendship of everlasting bonds, the leadership of spreading Asian American awareness and the philanthropic attitude towards society through community service. They continue to spread the spirit of sisterhood to all those that cross into the Nu Chapter house offering all of its sisters and potential sisters the tools to grow professionally, socially and academically.
