Real. Strong. Women.

A Letter From Our President

Hello and welcome to Alpha Chi Omega, Theta Psi Chapter, at Columbia University! My name is Amalia Blood, and I’m a junior at Barnard College. Originally from Cleveland, I’ve been lucky enough to find my home away from home at Alpha Chi. Nationally established in 1885 and at Columbia in 1989, sisters of Alpha Chi Omega are grounded and connected by our shared values of exemplary character, leadership ability, academic interest, personal development, and financial responsibility. I’m honored to lead and serve over one hundred Real, Strong Women as Chapter President this year.

Members of Alpha Chi Omega find community, empowerment and lifelong relationships in our chapter during their undergraduate years and beyond. Our motto, “Together let us seek the heights,” reminds us to challenge ourselves as individuals and as a community – the members of Theta Psi are the most encouraging and supportive group of women I know. Our chapter is defined and infinitely strengthened by our diversity as individuals. As each sister brings her experiences and interests to our chapter, we learn from each other and grow in our bonds. Members of our chapter are exceptional students, talented athletes and artists, and dedicated members of dozens of campus organizations. (Go take a look at the “Leadership” page of our website!) Sisters of Alpha Chi Omega can be found everywhere on Columbia and Barnard’s campuses – I can’t recall a day that I didn’t sit with an Alpha Chi in class, have a quick chat while passing each other on campus, or study together in our Brownstone!

Sisters of Alpha Chi Omega are not only accomplished students and members of our campus community, but are dedicated philanthropists who advocate for what we believe is right. Theta Psi is committed to standing with the fight for racial justice and equality and combating the ways in which Greek life is historically and inherently marginalizing. As a community of women, our philanthropic efforts towards Domestic Violence Awareness and Support are especially meaningful, as we advocate for action against an issue that disproportionately affects women.

Becoming an Alpha Chi is the best decision I have made in college. As a freshman missing my large family, Alpha Chi provided a family that embodied the one I was missing – a determined, uplifting, passionate group of Real, Strong Women who focus on creating a community of intelligent inquiry that raises the bar again and again for not only the women of Alpha Chi but also for surrounding communities. The sisterhood of Theta Psi has taught me that even the sky isn’t our limit - there is nothing we can’t do if we’re willing to learn hard and work harder. Our chapter has given me over one hundred sisters to lean on, learn from, and lead; I could not be more grateful for who I am today because of Alpha Chi Omega and the women who define it.

To my sisters, thank you for fostering the empowering and engaging community that is Alpha Chi. To my reader, I encourage you to look through our website and see our bonds for yourself. Joining this chapter makes you more than just a sister – it makes you a Real, Strong Woman – and you, too, can find your home here.

Amalia Blood, Chapter President

For more information about Greek Life in general at Columbia University, click here.

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Goals

Our national mission statement lists three key benefits we receive at Alpha Chi. On top of a sisterhood, we aim to develop our friendship, leadership and service.

Friendship

Nationally, there are over 200,000 Alpha Chis. That’s a strong network of sisters and friends to rely on. At Columbia, we kinder the friendship that forms between the 150 or so of us, into ones that will last across the world and for a lifetime.

Our sisterhood’s strength lies in the bonds that we develop at sisterhood events and forums, creating a unique community both through our interests and our differences.

Leadership

Some notable Alpha Chis include Alyson Hannigan from HIMYM and Condoleezza Rice, the former Secretary of State. On campus, we have club executive board members, sports team captains, and non-profit founders. We support and encourage the women in our chapter to take hold of the leadership roles they deserve.

Being in Alpha Chi is not just philanthropy, sisterhood, and social events. It’s lifelong learning. We host workshops to educate our sisters about cultural diversity, healthy relationships, mental well-being, in addition to others.

Service

Passion for our philanthropy is integral to being an Alpha Chi. Our work towards Domestic Violence Awareness and Support include partnerships with local NYC charities such as the Joyful Heart Foundation and Womankind. We consistently raise the most philanthropy dollars on campus, a feat that relies in our commitment to our philanthropic endeavors.

“We are women... Strong in the courage of our convictions, the confidence in our actions and the purpose in our hearts. ”

AlPHA CHI OMEGA | DECLARATION OF SHARED COMMITMENT

History

Alpha Chi Omega was founded on October 15, 1885, at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. At a time when women were just beginning to occupy seats in college classrooms, seven female students were encouraged by Professor James Hamilton Howe, dean of DePauw’s School of Music, to form a women’s society within the school.

Inspired, our Founders formed the sixth women’s fraternity in the country—the first to be in a music school. Sure they would be the last, the founders chose Alpha and Omega—the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet—to form their name, with “Kai” (meaning “and”) in the middle, later changed to the Greek letter Chi.

Dedicated to advancing “the intellectual, social and moral culture” of its members, our founders’ vision has grown to include our women’s Fraternity, the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation and the National Housing Corporation. Together, they serve more than 200,000 members in more than 130 collegiate chapters and 200 alumnae chapters nationwide.