Alpha Delta Pi - University of Missouri, Columbia

Alpha Delta Pi was founded on May 15, 1851 at
Wesleyan Female College in Macon, Georgia.
Originally known as the Adelphean Society, it was
the first secret society for college women. It was
even more fitting that ADPi should have her roots
at Wesleyan since Wesleyan was the first institution chartered to grant college degrees to women.

Eugenia Tucker Fitzgerald founded the Adelphean Society along with Octavia Andrews Rush, Mary Evans Glass, Ella Pierce Turner, Elizabeth Williams, and Sophronia Woodruff Dews. The Adelphean Society, from the Greek word for Sister, had as its object the betterment of one another and themselves "morally, mentally, and socially," and they took for their open motto "We live for each other." They developed a ritual and oath, grip, badge, and motto, all things by which we would recognize any fraternity or sorority today. They also chose colors, azure blue and white, as further symbols of their ideals, as well as an official flower, the woodland violet.

With the influence of national Greek Letter Organizations growing, the Adelpheans eventually decided to become national themselves rather than risk being absorbed into another group. In 1904, the Adelpheans obtained a charter of incorporation as Alpha Delta Phi. Thus the chapter at Wesleyan became Alpha Chapter. Beta Chapter at Winston-Salem was founded in 1905, and Gamma Chapter at Mary Baldwin Seminary followed in 1906. Delta Chapter at University of Texas was founded the same year, as was Epsilon at Sophie Newcomb College. The expansion as Alpha Delta Phi continued at a brisk pace through 1913 with the installation of Phi Chapter at Hanover College. During Convention that summer, the Sorority's name was changed to Alpha Delta Pi, due to continued confusion with the fraternity Alpha Delta Phi.

From the beginnings of its expansion through the present day, Alpha Delta Pi has continued to grow and today has over 130 chapters across the United States and Canada.Throughout our history, from Adelphean Society, to Alpha Delta Phi, to Alpha Delta Pi, the core ideals of our Sorority have remained the same: loyalty and sisterhood as exemplified in our open motto, "We Live for Each Other."

The Alpha Gamma chapter was founded on April 15, 1915 at the University of Missouri. It was the university's 8th sorority, with 8 members. Throughout the years, the chapter continued to grow until it moved, in 1927, to the present-day home located on 809 Richmond Ave. in Columbia, Missouri. Membership has continued to grow through the years, and today the chapter has approximately 200 members.

These daring young women quickly added more to their number, and the Society was soon an influential social force on the Wesleyan Campus. A year after our founding, the Philomathean Society (present day Phi Mu) was formed, and the two groups were friendly rivals for many years before both groups spread beyond Wesleyan to become national organizations.

Additionally, the house has received numerous additions and renovations since its original construction. This summer, the first floor will receive a complete face lift! New updates include enlarged first floor restrooms, a new stone floor and chandelier in the foyer, hardwood floors in the date room, formal room, and TV room, and a large flat screen television!