National Panhellenic Conference

Not to be confused with National Pan-Hellenic Council.

National Panhellenic Conference
Data
Established	1902
Members	26
Continent	North America
Country	United States and Canada
Organization type	Trade organization

The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), founded in 1902, is an umbrella organization for 26 (inter)national women's sororities.

Each member group is autonomous as a social, Greek-letter society of college women and alumnae. Members are represented on over 620 college and university campuses in the United States and Canada and in over 4,600 alumnae associations, making up over 4 million sorority women.^[1]

Vision Statement and Mission Statement

The National Panhellenic Conference's vision and mission statements were both adopted at their biennial sessions in October 2005.

National Panhellenic Conference Vision Statement

The National Panhellenic Conference will be the premier advocacy and support organization for its members, member groups, college and alumnae panhellenics and a proponent of women’s fraternity membership.^[2]

Conference Mission Statement

The National Panhellenic Conference exists to promote the values of and to serve as an advocate for its member groups in collaboration with those members, campuses and communities.

The National Panhellenic Conference provides support and guidance for its 26 member inter/national sororities/women’s fraternities and serves as the national voice on contemporary issues of sorority life. Founded in 1902, NPC is one of the oldest and largest women’s membership organizations representing more than 4 million women at 655 college/university campuses and 4,500 local alumnae chapters in the U.S. and Canada. Each year, NPC-affiliated collegians and alumnae donate more than $5 million to worthy causes, provide $2.8 million in scholarships to women and volunteer 500,000 hours in their communities.^[2]

The Panhellenic Creed

We, as undergraduate members of women's fraternities, stand for good scholarship, for guarding of good health, for maintenance of fine standards, and for serving, to the best of our ability, our college community. Cooperation for furthering fraternity life, in harmony with its best possibilities, is the ideal that shall guide our fraternity activities. We, as fraternity women, stand for service through the development of character inspired by the close contact and deep friendship of individual fraternity and Panhellenic life. The opportunity for wide and wise human service, through mutual respect and helpfulness, is the tenet by which we strive to live.^[3]

Members

Sorority	Year Founded	Year Joined NPC	Active Collegiate Groups	Total Initiates[note 1]
Alpha Chi Omega	1885	1903	133[4]	210,000+[4]
Alpha Delta Pi	1851[5][note 2]	1909	137[6]	215,000[7]
Alpha Gamma Delta	1904	1909	182[8]	145,000[8]
Alpha Epsilon Phi	1909	1951	47[9]
Alpha Omicron Pi	1897	1905	184[10]	145,000[11]
Alpha Phi	1872	1902	152[12]	170,000+[13]
Alpha Sigma Alpha	1901	1951	76[14]	67,000[14]
Alpha Sigma Tau	1899	1951	80
Alpha Xi Delta	1893	1904	110[15]	150,000[16]
Chi Omega	1895	1903	171[17]	300,000+[17]
Delta Delta Delta	1888	1902	138[18]	238,000+[18]
Delta Gamma	1873	1902	146[19]	171,788[19]
Delta Zeta	1902	1910	158[20]	222,000[20]
Delta Phi Epsilon	1917	1951	75	55,000
Gamma Phi Beta	1874	1902	126[21]	170,000[22]
Kappa Alpha Theta	1870	1902	125[23]	210,000[23]
Kappa Delta	1897	1912	142[24]	230,000[24]
Kappa Kappa Gamma	1870	1902	137[25]	235,000[26]
Phi Mu	1852[27][note 3]	1911	120 [28]	150,000[28]
Phi Sigma Sigma	1913	1951	115	60,000
Pi Beta Phi	1867	1902	133[29]	230,000[30]
Sigma Delta Tau	1917	1951	90[31]	40,000[31]
Sigma Kappa	1874	1905	110[32]	156,000 [32]
Sigma Sigma Sigma	1898	1951	110	100,000
Theta Phi Alpha	1912	1951	46[33]	20,000[33]
Zeta Tau Alpha	1898	1909	157[34]	207,000[34]

History

Early histories of women's fraternities contain accounts of "rushing and pledging agreements" or "compacts" among fraternities on various campuses, and also many stories of cooperation and mutual assistance. However, no actual Panhellenic organization existed and no uniform practices were observed.

By 1902, it was obvious that some standards were needed, so the women of Alpha Phi invited Pi Beta Phi, Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Delta Gamma, Gamma Phi Beta, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Zeta, Alpha Chi Omega and Chi Omega to a conference in Chicago on May 24. Alpha Chi Omega and Chi Omega were unable to attend. The remaining seven groups met and the session resulted in the organization of the first interfraternity association and the first intergroup organization on college campuses. National Interfraternity Conference for men's fraternities was organized in 1909, now called the North-American Interfraternity Conference.

This meeting, and the next few, resulted in several mutual agreements, especially regarding pledging. Up to this time, no guidelines had been set, and women could be pledged to groups before enrolling in college and, indeed, even belong to more than one group.

The fact that NPC is a "Conference" is significant to the NPC philosophy because the organization is a conference, not a congress. It enacts no legislation except for the conduct of its own meetings. Other than the basic Unanimous Agreements which all groups have voted to observe, NPC confines itself to recommendations and advice, and acts as a court of final appeal in any College Panhellenic difficulty. One of its greatest services is providing Area Advisors for College Panhellenics and Alumnae Panhellenics.

AES merger with NPC

Members of Sigma Sigma Sigma and Alpha Sigma Alpha organized the Association of Pedagogical Sororities on July 10, 1915. The membership consisted of sororities, who were primarily located on state campuses where women entering the educational field were predominant. In 1917, Pi Kappa Sigma and Delta Sigma Epsilon joined the association, followed by Theta Sigma Upsilon in 1925, Alpha Sigma Tau in 1926, and Pi Delta Theta in 1931. At the third biennial conference, the name of the association was changed to the Association of Educational Sororities (AES). Later, the word "Educational" was changed to "Education".

The AES was a strong group of leaders that focused not only on educational (providing scholarships) and women-centric issues, but cooperated to support issues outside of the sorority world including defense projects during World War II. One of the projects started by the AES member groups resulted in what is today the world-renowned Leader Dogs for the Blind School in Rochester, Michigan.

After much work on the part of NPC and AES, on November 12, 1947, the six AES sororities were unanimously accepted as associate members of NPC. At the same time, five other sororities were also admitted, including Beta Gamma at University of Colorado. In December 1951, the six sororities became full members of NPC.

Since that time, three have merged with other NPC member groups leaving Alpha Sigma Alpha, Alpha Sigma Tau and Sigma Sigma Sigma as the remaining former-AES members.

Insignia

The National Panhellenic Conference's crest is composed of symbols that are symbolic of its members' beliefs and ideas, as well as the organization as a whole.

The shield symbolizes the organization's protective influence on its members.^[35]

Above the shield is a lamp, which represents the pursuit of leadership, scholarship, and enlightenment.^[35]

In the shield are is a laurel wreath, which denotes the victory of achieving ideals.^[35] In the center of the shield, a sword that is piercing the wreath. This signifies willingness to fight and stand up for one's ideals, penalty of obligation, as well as bravery, achievement, and discipline.^[35]

Lastly, there is a mantle, inscribed with the words "National Panhellenic Conference" surrounding the shield. This mantle symbolizes how education, and thus knowledge, gives its members a protective cloak.^[35]

Notes

1. ^ Some of these numbers represent only living initiated members, while others represent all initiated members, both living and deceased.
2. ^ Though Alpha Delta Pi had its origins in the Adelphean Society, an academic society founded in 1851, the group did not take Greek Letters or begin to expand to other institutions until 1905.
3. ^ Though Phi Mu had its origins in the Philomathean Society, a literary society founded in 1852, the group did not take Greek Letters or begin to expand to other institutions until 1904.

References

1. ^ "About NPC". NPC. 2009. http://www.npcwomen.org/undergrads/about-npc.aspx. Retrieved 2009-07-25. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "National Panhellenic Conference". National Panhellenic Conference. http://www.npcwomen.org/about.aspx. Retrieved 2010-01-01. 
3. ^ "About NPC Member Groups PowerPoint". National Panhellenic Conference. July 2009. https://www.npcwomen.org/college-panhellenics/resources/cph-materials.aspx. Retrieved 2010-09-11. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Alpha Chi Omega Fraternity History". Alpha Chi Omega. http://www.alphachiomega.org/index.aspx?id=56. Retrieved 2010-06-06. 
5. ^ "Alpha Delta Pi History". Alpha Delta Pi. http://www.alphadeltapi.org/contentmanager/page.asp?webpageid=199. Retrieved 2009-07-26. 
6. ^ "Collegiate Chapters". Alpha Delta Pi. 2008. http://www.alphadeltapi.org/contentmanager/page.asp?webpageid=606. Retrieved 2009-02-28. 
7. ^ "Learn About ADPi". Alpha Delta Pi. 2008. http://www.alphadeltapi.org/contentmanager/page.asp?webpageid=1. Retrieved 2009-02-28. 
8. ^ ^{a b} "Alpha Gamma Delta Quick Facts". Alpha Gamma Delta. http://www.alphagammadelta.org/AboutAGD/QuickFacts.html. Retrieved 2009-07-25. 
9. ^ "Chapter List". Alpha Epsilon Phi. http://www.aephi.org/what/default.asp?page=active_chapters. Retrieved 2009-02-28. 
10. ^ "About Alpha Omicron Pi". Alpha Omicron Pi. http://www.alphaomicronpi.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=About_AOII. Retrieved 2009-03-13. 
11. ^ "About Alpha Omicron Pi". Alpha Omicron Pi. http://www.alphaomicronpi.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=About_AOII. Retrieved 2009-02-28. 
12. ^ "Alpha Phi About Us". Alpha Phi. http://www.alphaphi.org/AboutUs. Retrieved 2011-02-11. 
13. ^ "Alpha Phi About Us". Alpha Phi. http://www.alphaphi.org/AboutUs. Retrieved 2011-02-11. 
14. ^ ^{a b} "Press". Alpha Sigma Alpha. http://www.alphasigmaalpha.org/visitors/parents. Retrieved 2009-07-25. 
15. ^ "Alpha Xi Delta Chapters". Alpha Xi Delta. http://www.alphaxidelta.org/index.php?submenu=Collegians&src=gendocs&ref=chapters-associations&category=Main. Retrieved 2009-02-28. 
16. ^ "History". Alpha Xi Delta. http://www.alphaxidelta.org/index.php?submenu=About&src=gendocs&ref=about-history&category=Main. Retrieved 2009-07-25. 
17. ^ ^{a b} "Quick Facts About Chi Omega". Chi Omega. http://www.chiomega.com/students/about.aspx?item=students/AboutXO/A1_QuickFacts.xml. Retrieved 2010-11-16. 
18. ^ ^{a b} "Delta Delta Delta Chapter Directory". Delta Delta Delta. http://www.tridelta.org/collegians/Collegiate_Chapter_Directory/default.asp. Retrieved 2009-07-25. 
19. ^ ^{a b} "Delta Gamma Fast Facts". Delta Gamma. http://www.deltagamma.org/content.aspx?audience=&item=About%20Us/facts.xml. Retrieved 2009-07-25. 
20. ^ ^{a b} "Facts About Delta Zeta". Delta Zeta. http://www.deltazeta.org/Content/NavigationMenu/AboutDeltaZeta/History/Facts/default.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-28. 
21. ^ "Gamma Phi Beta Chapter Locator". Gamma Phi Beta. http://www.gammaphibeta.org/chapter-locator.asp?chapter_type=collegiate#n. Retrieved 2010-07-09. 
22. ^ "Careers at Gamma Phi Beta". Gamma Phi Beta. http://www.gammaphibeta.org/sorority-jobs/executive-director-gamma-phi-beta-sorority. Retrieved 2010-07-09. 
23. ^ ^{a b} "Theta Today". Kappa Alpha Theta. http://www.kappaalphatheta.org/learnabouttheta/whatistheta/theta_today.cfm?from=RelatedLink. Retrieved 2009-07-25. 
24. ^ ^{a b} "Fast Facts". Kappa Delta. http://kappadelta.org/fastfacts. Retrieved 2010-11-16. 
25. ^ "Permanent Roll" (PDF). Kappa Kappa Gamma. 2010-08-10. http://www.kappakappagamma.org/Content/ContentGroups/Other_Resources/Extension_Materials/Penn/ChaptersListing.pdf. Retrieved 2010-11-16. 
26. ^ "Kappa Facts". Kappa Kappa Gamma. http://www.kappakappagamma.org/Content/NavigationMenu/All_About_Kappa/Facts/Facts.htm. Retrieved 2009-07-25. 
27. ^ "Phi Mu - About Us". Phi Mu. http://www.phimu.org/aboutUs/Default.aspx. Retrieved 2009-07-26. 
28. ^ ^{a b} "Phi Mu - About Us". Phi Mu. http://www.phimu.org/aboutUs/content.aspx?item=AboutUs/WhoIsPhiMu/General%20Phi%20Mu.xml. Retrieved 2009-07-25. 
29. ^ "College Chapters". Pi Beta Phi. http://www.pibetaphi.org/pibetaphi/ChapterDirectory.aspx. Retrieved 2009-02-28. 
30. ^ "About Us". Pi Beta Phi. http://www.pibetaphi.org/pibetaphi/aboutus.aspx?id=106. Retrieved 2009-02-28. 
31. ^ ^{a b} "About Sigma Delta Tau". Sigma Delta Tau. http://www.sigmadeltatau.com/. Retrieved 2009-07-25. 
32. ^ ^{a b} "Sigma Kappa Facts". Sigma Kappa. http://www.sigmakappa.org/default.aspx?id=60. Retrieved 2010-08-18. 
33. ^ ^{a b} "Theta Phi Alpha - Find a Chapter by Greek Letters". Theta Phi Alpha. http://thetaphialpha.org/find-a-chapter-by-greek-letters. Retrieved 2009-07-28. 
34. ^ ^{a b} "Zeta Tau Alpha Facts". Zeta Tau Alpha. http://www.zetataualpha.org/cms400min/Template2SF.aspx?id=175&tlmid=17. Retrieved 2009-07-25. 
35. ^ ^{a b c d e} "National Panhellenic Conference". National Panhellenic Conference. http://www.npcwomen.org/about/insignia.aspx. Retrieved 2010-01-21. 

External links

• Official site