Alpha Chi Omega was founded on October 15, 1885, at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana.  The first members were music students who were persuaded by Dean of the music school Professor James Hamilton Howe to create a women’s fraternity relative to their major. These women are now recognized as the founders of Alpha Chi Omega. They can be identified as Anna Allen, Olive Burnett, Bertha Deniston, Amy DuBois, Nellie Gamble, Bessie Grooms, and Estelle Leonard.

            Alpha Chi Omega was the first musical fraternity in the School of Music hence the coin“Alpha” meaning first of such fraternity. “Omega” is the last letter of the Greek alphabet, which suggests last of such fraternity.  “Chi” translates to the word “and”, thus making Alpha Chi Omega mean “the beginning and the end”.

           The Nu Chapter was founded on September 6, 1907. They recently celebrated their centennial in the fall of 2007.

Alpha Chi Omega’s badge is a Lyre symbolizing their musical interest.

The Coat of Arms is composed of a square shield, a crest, and a scroll. The scroll bears the Greek words of the open motto, “Together let us seek the heights”

The Red Carnation is the fraternity’s flower which exemplifies the colors of Alpha Chi Omega which are scarlet red and olive green.