Delta Gamma's Founder’s Day is celebrated around March 15, so I thought my beloved sorority deserved some recognition this week. Delta Gamma came into being in 1873 on a snowy winter’s evening by three outstanding women at the Lewis School for Girls in Oxford, Mississippi. Those women were Anna Boyd Ellington, Mary Comfort Leonard, and Eva Webb Dodd. Anna, Mary, and Eva have left an incredible legacy. After all, who knew that so many young Delta Gamma women today could have so much in common with three women from the 1800s?
In my own experience with Delta Gamma, this legacy has been especially important. My grandmother (whom I used to call Nonna) passed when I was still very young. Years after she passed, I came across her Delta Gamma pin. At the time, I was in high school, so I didn’t know much about sororities. However, since the pin was my grandmother’s, I decided to keep it safe in my room. I forgot about it after awhile, and I never even had an inkling of knowledge about what that golden anchor would come to mean to me.
Years later, when I received my bid to Delta Gamma, I cried tears of joy. It felt so amazing to be a part of a sisterhood that I had looked up to, and also to share my membership in Delta Gamma with my Nonna. I have never felt my grandmother’s presence more than during my first initiation. It was absolutely incredible to listen to the words that my Nonna had heard so many years ago, in the Spring of 1943 at UC Berkeley. The first time I wore my Nonna’s pin, I felt like she was right there with me. To me, Delta Gamma means comfort and peace.
I have also gained valuable friendships in Delta Gamma. My family in Delta Gamma have become my best friends. Both my Grand-Big and Big have shown me the meaning of sisterhood, and have always been able to make me laugh until I feel a six-pack coming on. I am also so thankful for the kindness from all the girls in my Delta Gamma chapter. Whenever I come back to our DG quad, I have someone to talk to, and I know that my sisters genuinely care about my well-being. There’s no one I’d rather go on late-night Sheetz runs with, make couch-beds with, or eat endless amounts of pizza with. To me, Delta Gamma means laughter and lifelong sisterhood.
One of the reasons why I love Delta Gamma is because we always strive to live by our motto, “Do Good.” I am so proud to be a part of an organization that values helping those in need, and encourages its members to put others first. I have seen the difference that Delta Gamma has made in the lives of the visually impaired, whether it be children, the elderly, or veterans. I have thoroughly enjoyed making a difference in the lives of others, and it is truly incredible that an organization that started out with only Anna, Mary, and Eva has made such a great contribution to society. To me, Delta Gamma means hope, selflessness, and compassion.
I am so grateful to be a member of such an amazing organization that inspires me each day to be a better woman. Happy Founder’s Day, Delta Gamma!
