Sigma Sigma Sigma (ΣΣΣ), also known as Tri Sigma or Sigma, is a national American women’s sorority with membership of more than 92,000 members (as of August 1, 2006). They are members of the National Panhellenic Conference and host chapters on more than 110 college campuses and 88 alumnae chapters in communities all over the world. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... While the term fraternity can be used to describe any number of social organizations, including the Lions Club and the Shriners, fraternities and sororities are most commonly known as social organizations of higher education students in the United States and Canada but there are fraternities in the whole world (for... The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), founded in 1902, is an umbrella organization for 26 inter/national womens sororities. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ...

History

In the 1890s, the State Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia (now known as Longwood University) was the state’s first institution to open its doors to teacher education, at a time when higher education for women was a highly debated topic. Eight students (Margaret Batten, Louise Davis, Martha Trent Featherston, Isabella Merrick, Sallie Michie, Lelia Scott, Elizabeth Watkins, and Lucy Wright) formed a special bond while studying for their future teaching careers. Lelia Scott and Lucy Wright led the first meetings of their secret society, the S.S.S. Club, in 1897. On April 20, 1898, these women officially announced the founding of the Greek letter society known as Sigma Sigma Sigma. The 1890s were sometimes referred to as the Mauve Decade, because William Henry Perkins aniline dye allowed the widespread use of that colour in fashion, and also as the Gay Nineties, under the then-current usage of the word gay which referred simply to merriment and frivolity, with no... Farmville is a town located in Virginia. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ... A sex worker in Germany. ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

At the same time, Lucy Wright’s roommate, Julia Tyler, worked to form Kappa Delta sorority. In the fall of 1898, Zeta Tau Alpha was founded, followed by the founding of Alpha Sigma Alpha in 1901. These four sororities were all founded at the State Female Normal School and were henceforth referred to as the Farmville Four. ΒΒ Kappa Delta (ΚΔ) is a sorority founded at the State Female Normal School, now Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia. ... Zeta Tau Alpha (ΖΤΑ) is a womens fraternity, founded October 15, 1898 at what used to be the Normal School for Girls but is now known as Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia. ... Alpha Sigma Alpha (ΑΣΑ) is a US national sorority founded on November 15, 1901 at Longwood College (now University) in Farmville, Virginia. ... 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

In its first decade, Tri Sigma recognized the need for both legal recognition as a social body and a written record of organization. Therefore, they filed documents with the Commonwealth of Virginia and received their Charter of Incorporation on February 12, 1903. Tri Sigma's first constitution was adopted by its first chapter, the Alpha Chapter, in April 1903. State nickname: Old Dominion Other U.S. States Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Governor Mark R. Warner Official languages English Area 110,862 km² (35th)  - Land 102,642 km²  - Water 8,220 km² (7. ... 1900 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Friday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ...

In the first decade since its inception, giant steps were taken in laying the groundwork of the sorority’s foundation. Additional collegiate chapters were established and all members met at a convention. As the sorority grew, the national nature of Tri Sigma solidified with the standardization of a ceremony for new members and the creation of a program to celebrate the day that Sigma Sigma Sigma was founded, Founders Day.

Each initiated member receives the latest edition of Tri Sigma's story, The Years Remembered of Sigma Sigma Sigma, and The Path from Farmville, which chronicles the beginnings of each collegiate chapter as well as the evolution of the national organization. Members also receive a lifetime subscription to the national magazine of Sigma Sigma Sigma, The Triangle, which is published three times a year.

The circle of friendship that began in the 1890s, with eight women sharing common experiences, now encompasses more than 80,000 women representing the diversity found on the college campuses of today. The growth and change that occurred in the many decades to follow always stayed true to the ideals of friendship espoused by the founders.

Mission and values

Sigma Sigma Sigma exists to provide a lifelong sorority experience for women through ensuring a perpetual bond of friendship, developing a strong womanly character, and promoting high standards of conduct.

Philanthropy

The Sigma Sigma Sigma Foundation is a non-profit corporation formed in 1984. The Foundation distributes funds for charitable, philanthropic, educational, and other benevolent purposes that focus its programs on the following categories: enhancing the leadership skills of modern-day women, providing grants and scholarships to students, and supporting play therapy programs for children. The Sigma Sigma Sigma Foundation centers its latter philanthropic efforts around the theme “Sigma Serves Children,” specifically through the Robbie Page Memorial (RPM).

On September 15, 1951, Robbie Page, the son of Tri Sigma’s National President, died of bulbar polio. At that time, there was no cure or prevention for polio. This prompted Robbie’s parents, Robert and Mary Hasting Holloway Page, to establish a memorial fund in honor of their son. Tri Sigma adopted the Robbie Page Memorial as its official philanthropy in 1954. In its early years, the RPM supported various polio research projects, including the Salk vaccine trials. The RPM now focuses on supporting play therapy for terminally ill children, and providing support for playrooms, libraries, and programs for children undergoing long-term hospital care. Current national efforts are centered in funding fellowships at the Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, and in funding graduate assistantships at the University of North Carolina Hospitals in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The National Therapeutic Recreation Society has recognized Sigma Sigma Sigma for their gracious support of Child Life and Play Therapy Programs. Poliomyelitis (polio), or infantile paralysis, is a viral paralytic disease. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Two polio vaccines are used throughout the world to combat polio. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Texas Coordinates: Country United States State Texas Counties Dallas, Collin, Denton, Kaufman, and Rockwall Incorporated 2 February 1856 Government  - Mayor Laura Miller Area  - City  385. ... Official language(s) No Official Language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... The University of North Carolina is a sixteen-university system which comprises all public four-year universities in North Carolina, United States. ... Nickname: Location in North Carolina Coordinates: Country United States State North Carolina Counties Orange, Durham, and Chatham Founded 1793 Government  - Mayor Kevin C. Foy Area  - City  19. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (240 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (901 km)  - % water 9. ...

National headquarters

Tri Sigma’s National Memorial Headquarters is located in Woodstock, Virginia at the Mabel Lee Walton House. Named after the sorority’s third National President, the Walton House serves as the main operations center of Tri Sigma, where day-to-day business is conducted. Walton House was acquired in 1963 and was purchased, furnished, and is maintained by the contributions of individual members, and the dues and fees of alumnae and collegiate chapters. Woodstock is a town located in Shenandoah County, Virginia. ...

National Panhellenic Conference

The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) is an organization which fosters strong interfraternity relationships, assists collegiate chapters, partners with colleges and universities in maintaining high scholastic and social standards, and provides structure for and ensures continuous growth of the Greek system. Comprised of 26 national general sororities or women’s fraternities, all NPC member groups focus on service, education, scholarship programming and social activities. Sigma Sigma Sigma is a member of the National Panhellenic Conference and has held the distinction of chairing the NPC once; Mary K. Barbee, Iota chapter, served as Chairman (the NPC’s highest leadership position) from 1981–1983. The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), founded in 1902, is an umbrella organization for 26 inter/national womens sororities. ...

National Presidents

• 1903–1908 Rhea Scott, Alpha chapter
• 1908–1913 Bess Brower Willis, Gamma chapter
• 1913–1947 Mabel Lee Walton, Gamma chapter
• 1947–1956 Mary Hastings Holloway Page Lovejoy, Alpha chapter
• 1956–1965 Margaret Freeman Dixon Everett, Sigma chapter
• 1965–1971 Nelda Francis Crawford, Alpha chapter
• 1971–1983 Helen Marie Eggert Snyder, Alpha Xi chapter
• 1983–1989 Mimi Brandt Hiner, Beta Xi chapter
• 1989–1995 Anne Buchler Williams, Gamma Eta chapter
• 1995-2001 Diana Hornick Sarber, Beta Mu Chapter
• 2001–2004 Mary K. Barbee, Iota Chapter
• 2004—     Laura Sweet, Alpha Sigma chapter

Tri Sigma facts

• Tri Sigma is the only sorority with two chapters in Alaska.
• Tri Sigma is the first sorority to establish an international chapter outside of North America.
• Tri Sigma's national symbol, the sailboat, illustrates the sorority's constant forward motion.
• The badge of Tri Sigma is an indented triangle, bordered with pearls. A gold skull and crossbones lies in the center and a single sigma marks each corner of the black enamel.
• Tri Sigma was the first NPC organization to install a deaf chapter. The Epsilon Psi Chapter at Rochester Institute of Technology was installed in 1991.^{[citation needed]}
• The play atriums featured in the movie Patch Adams are funded by Tri Sigma

Official language(s) English Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Area  Ranked 1st  - Total 663,267 sq mi (1,717,855 km²)  - Width 808 miles (1,300 km)  - Length 1,479 miles (2,380 km)  - % water 13. ... A triangle is one of the basic shapes of geometry: a polygon with three vertices and three sides which are straight line segments. ... Strand of akoya pearls from China Pearl farm, Seram, Indonesia A pearl is a hard, rounded object produced by certain animals, primarily mollusks such as oysters. ... EU standard toxic symbol, as defined by Directive 67/548/EEC. A skull and crossbones (☠) is a symbol consisting of a human skull and two bones crossed together under the skull. ...

Notable alumnae

• Linda Denham - created the Care Bears. The Harmony Bear, was created especially for Tri-Sigmas.
• Billie Letts - Author of the novel Where the Heart Is.
• Jennifer Blackburn Dunn - Representative for Washington, U.S. House of Representatives
• Gladys Morelock - Superintendent of the U.S. Mint
• Carrie Underwood - the winner of the fourth season of American Idol; member of the Alpha Iota chapter of Tri Sigma
• Krystle Kitchen- Miss Virginia-National American Miss 2006/2007;member of the Zeta Pi Chapter

Linda Denham is a member of the college sorority, Sigma Sigma Sigma, and is famous for creating the Care Bears franchise (along with Elena Kucharik, who painted the original cards featuring the characters). ... The ten original Care Bears in the logo for the 1980s franchise, with Tenderheart Bear at top. ... For other uses, see Where the Heart Is. ... Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is a Grammy Award winning American pop country music singer who won the fourth season of American Idol. ... AMERICAN IDOL HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO DEATH OF SIMON ...

References

• Greek 101 List of famous Greek members (2005). [1] retrieved October 29, 2006.

• Schuch, Kate Kaczmarek (1990). The Path From Farmville: Years Remembered 1898–1989. Sigma Sigma Sigma, Inc.. ISBN. 

• Executive Council of Sigma Sigma Sigma, Inc. (1993). Forever Sigma. Sigma Sigma Sigma, Inc.. ISBN. 

• Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority (2005). Sigma Sigma Sigma Home. Retrieved March 4, 2006.

• Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority Press Release(2006). Press Release. Retrieved August 7, 2006.