Alpha Pi Omega

{{About|the Native American sorority, Alpha Pi Omega|the unrelated service fraternity with a similar name|Alpha Phi Omega}}

{{Infobox Fraternity

| name = Alpha Pi Omega

| letters = {{lang|grc|ΑΠΩ}}

| crest = Alpha_Pi_Omega_sorority_crest.png

| image_size = 180px

| alt = An informal crest for {{lang|grc|ΑΠΩ}}, as used on their website.

| founded = {{start date and age|1994|09|01}}

| birthplace = University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

| affiliation = Independent

| emphasis = Native American

| status = Active

| type = Social fraternity

| scope = National

| colors = {{color box|#C91D32}} Fire red, {{color box|#50B136}} New Grass green and {{color box|#FBEC5D}} Maize yellow

| jewel = Amethyst

| tree = Cedar

| flower = Dogwood

| mascot = Queen Bee

| motto = My Sister As Myself

| chapters = 10 (active collegiate), 10 (graduate)

| colonies = 6 (collegiate), 1 (graduate)

| address = 1441 E. 104th Street

| city = Kansas City

| state = Missouri

| ZIP code = 64131

| country = United States

| homepage = {{url|http://www.alphapiomega.org}}

}}

Alpha Pi Omega Sorority, Inc. ({{lang|grc|ΑΠΩ}}) is the oldest historically Indigenous national sorority in the United States.{{Cite web |last=Belec |first=Hannah Moulton |date=October 24, 2019 |title=Alpha Pi Omega, the first sorority for native women |url=https://studentlife.asu.edu/content/alpha-pi-omega-first-sorority-native-women |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=Arizona State University Student Life}}{{Cite web |date=2020-07-03 |title=Encore: Alpha Pi Omega — The First Sorority For Native American Women |url=https://www.wgbh.org/news/national-news/2020/07/03/encore-alpha-pi-omega-the-first-sorority-for-native-american-women |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=WGBH News |language=en}} It is the largest Indigenous Greek letter organization,{{Cite web |title=Xi Chapter of Alpha Pi Omega Sorority, Incorporated |url=https://wsu.presence.io/organization/xi-chapter-of-alpha-pi-omega-sorority-incorporated |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=Coug Presence Pullman {{!}} Washington State University - Pullman |language=en}} with 24 chartered chapters across nine states and the District of Columbia.{{Cite web |title=Alpha Pi Omega Sorority |url=https://www.alphapiomega.org/#:~:text=Alpha%20Pi%20Omega%20Sorority%20Inc,nationwide%20and%2024%20chartered%20chapters. |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=www.alphapiomega.org}}

History

Alpha Pi Omega Sorority was founded on Sept. 1, 1994, at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill by four Native women.{{Cite news |last=Landry |first=Alysa |date=September 13, 2018 |title=Native Sorority Empowers Women and Promotes Culture |url=https://indiancountrytoday.com/archive/native-sorority-empowers-women-and-promotes-culture |access-date=2023-01-02 |newspaper=Ict News |language=en}} The founders, now known to as the Four Winds, are Shannon Brayboy (Lumbee), Jamie Goins (Lumbee), Amy Locklear (Lumbee and Coharie), and Christie Strickland (Lumbee). Before forming the group, they sought and received the approval of elder women from the various tribes of North Carolina.

The sorority's founding principles are traditionalism, spirituality, education, and contemporary issues. Its first pledge class was called the Fifteen Warrior Women. The sorority was incorporated with the State of North Carolina in 1995 and expanded to additional campuses.{{Cite web |date=2013-06-06 |title=Alpha Pi Omega Sorority, Inc. |url=https://studentlife.oregonstate.edu/chapter-profile/alpha-pi-omega-sorority-inc |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=Office of the Dean of Students, Oregon State University |language=en}}

With more than 130 tribes represented by its members, the sorority has more than 900 sisters nationwide. Nationally, the sorority is governed by a thirteen-member board known as the Grand Keepers of the Circle. Grand Keepers are elected to two-year terms and meet bi-monthly.

Symbols

The sorority's colors are fire red, new grass green, and maize yellow. Its mascot is the Queen Bee, while its jewel is the amethyst. Its tree is the cedar and its flower is the dogwood. The Alpha Pi Omega motto is "My Sister As Myself".{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://www.alphapiomega.org/About.html#History |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=Alpha Pi Omega}}

Activities

Alpha Pi Omega preserves Native American traditions by celebrating and practicing cultural and spiritual heritage, such as hosting stickball games.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=July 20, 2017 |title=OSU Native American sorority nabs national honors |url=https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/osu-native-american-sorority-nabs-national-honors/article_ee114742-6cf8-11e7-a8a9-2340f16a4661.html |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=Stillwater News Press |language=en}} At the same time, it supports a network for college students and professionals in modern society. The sorority's annual national convention is called the Grand Gathering.

Its permanent national philanthropy is the National Indian Education Association, as of 2010. Individual chapters also participate in local fundraising events such as Walk a Mile in Her Shoes or Remember the 10 Run.{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=Tesina |date=September 19, 2011 |title=Native American sorority named chapter of the year |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/education/native-american-sorority-named-chapter-of-the-year/article_a872e4d6-4b36-51cd-b657-74d9afffa0cd.html |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=Cherokee Phoenix |language=en}} The Washington State University chapter held sexual assault awareness classes and LGBTQ+ ally training, while the Oregon State University chapter held a fundraiser for the Humane Society.{{Cite web |last=Negron |first=Loren |date=July 23, 2020 |title=WSU Greek chapter chartered by first Native American sorority in country |url=https://dailyevergreen.com/83404/news/wsu-greek-chapter-chartered-by-first-native-american-sorority-in-country/ |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=The Daily Evergreen}}

Membership

Interested women may join at the undergraduate or post-undergraduate level. Collegiate women must have completed at least one full-time academic term, have a 2.8 GPA or higher, and have no previous affiliation with any social sorority. Women interested in joining a professional chapter must have completed a bachelor's degree or higher and have no previous affiliation with any social sorority.

Chapters

Chapters are chartered at the sorority's annual Grand Gathering.

= Undergraduate chapters =

APO starts potential chapters or colonies as expansion chapters or honey pots. After a year, the expansion chapter becomes a provisional chapter. Following is a list of Alpha Pi Omega collegiate chapters.{{Cite web |title=Our Chapters |url=https://www.alphapiomega.org/Chapters.html |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=Alpha Pi Omega Sorority}}Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (December 29, 2022) [https://uofi.app.box.com/v/womens-pdf-folder/file/459803154069 Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities]. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed January 2, 2023. Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are shown in italic.

class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"

!Chapter

!Charter date

!Institution

!Location

!Status

!Reference

Alpha

|{{dts|1994|9|1}}

|University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

|Chapel Hill, North Carolina

|Active

Beta

|{{dts|1997|11|27}}

|University of North Carolina at Pembroke

|Pembroke, North Carolina

|Active

Gamma

|{{dts|2004|5|29}}

|Oklahoma State University–Stillwater

|Stillwater, Oklahoma

|Active

|{{Efn|Founded as an expansion chapter in November 2002.}}

Delta

|{{dts|2005|5|28}}

|University of New Mexico

|Albuquerque, New Mexico

|Inactive

Epsilon

|{{dts|2006|5|27}}

|Dartmouth College

|Hanover, New Hampshire

|Inactive

Zeta

|{{dts|2006|5|27}}

|University of Arizona

|Tucson, Arizona

|Active

Eta

|{{dts|2007|6|2}}

|North Carolina State University

|Raleigh, North Carolina

|Active

Theta

|{{dts|2007|6|2}}

|Northeastern State University

|Tahlequah, Oklahoma

|Active

Iota

|{{dts|2008|6|8}}

|Arizona State University

|Temple, Oklahoma

|Active

|{{Efn|Started as a provisional chapter in May 2007.}}

Kappa

|{{dts|2013|7|14}}

|Oregon State University

|Corvallis, Oregon

|Inactive

Lambda

|{{dts|2014|7|12}}

|University of Wisconsin–Madison

|Madison, Wisconsin

|Active

|{{dts|2016|7|9}} – 201x ?

|Haskell Indian Nations University

|Lawrence, Kansas

|Inactive

|{{Cite web |last=Girard |first=Scott |date=May 31, 2010 |title=Native sisterhood: Students building Haskell's first sorority |url=https://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/may/31/native-sisterhood-students-building-haskells-first/ |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=Lawrence Journal-World |language=en-US}}{{Efn|Started as an expansion chapter in April 2010.}}

|{{dts|2020|7|11}}

|Duke University

|Durham, North Carolina

|Active

|{{dts|2020|7|11}}

|Washington State University

|Pullman, Washington

|Active

|{{Efn|Established as a provisional chapter March 30, 2018.}}

|University of Northern Colorado

|Greeley, Colorado

|Colony

|Boston Citywide (Harvard University, Northeastern University, Wellesley College)

|Boston, Massachusetts

|Colony

|Western Carolina University

|Cullowhee, North Carolina

|Colony

|University of Kansas

|Lawrence, Kansas

|Colony

|University of North Dakota

|Grand Forks, North Dakota

|Colony

|University of North Carolina at Greensboro

|Greensboro, North Carolina

|Colony

= Graduate chapters =

Graduate chapters are for women who have received their undergraduate degrees. The sorority calls its colonies expansion chapters. Following is a list of graduate chapters. Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are shown in italic.

class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"

!Name

!Charter date

!Location

!Status

!Reference

Alpha Pi

|{{dts|1994|9|1}}

|The Triangle, North Carolina

|Active

Beta Pi

|{{dts|1996|11|27}}