Sigma Delta Tau () is an American

sorority In North America, fraternities and sororities ( and ) are social clubs at colleges and universities. They are sometimes collectively referred to as Greek life or Greek-letter organizations, as well as collegiate fraternities or collegiate sorori ...

and member of the National Panhellenic Conference. Sigma Delta Tau was founded on March 25, 1917 at

Cornell University Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...

by Jewish women. However, there is no religious requirement for membership to the sorority. Sigma Delta Tau has over 70,000 initiates from 105 chapters around the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. It is a member of the National Panhellenic Conference.

History

Sigma Delta Tau was founded on March 25, 1917 at

by seven Jewish women.Shepardson, Francis Wayland, ed.
Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 12th edition
'. Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press/George Banta Publishing Company, 1930. pp. 335. ''via'' Hathi Trust. Its founders were students Dora Bloom Turteltaub, Amy Apfel Tishman, Marian Gerber Greenberg, Grace Srenco Grossman, Inez Dane Ross, Regene Freund Cohane and Lenore Rubinow. The original name, Sigma Delta Phi, was changed after the women discovered a sorority with the same name already existed. The sorority was formed as a local organization, with no plans for expansion. However,a second chapter was formed at the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...

in 1920, followed by a chapter at

Ohio State University The Ohio State University (Ohio State or OSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. A member of the University System of Ohio, it was founded in 1870. It is one ...

in 1921. The main archive URL i
The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage
By 1930, Sigma Delta Tau had chartered ten chapters and had initiated 540 members. It also had established alumnae chapters in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Chicago, Illinois; Cincinnati, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio; New York City; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The sorority is governed by an executive council that is elected at a biennial convention. There is no religious requirement for membership to the sorority, and it prides itself on being inclusive of all, as well as being historically Jewish. Sigma Delta Tau has over 70,000 initiates from 105 chapters around the

. Its headquarters is in Carmel, Indiana.

Symbols

The colors of Sigma Delta Tau are cafe au lait and old blue. The sorority's symbol is the torch. Its flower is the golden tea rose. Its jewel is

lapis lazuli Lapis lazuli (; ), or lapis for short, is a deep-blue metamorphic rock used as a semi-precious stone that has been prized since antiquity for its intense color. Originating from the Persian word for the gem, ''lāžward'', lapis lazuli is ...

. The Sigma Delta Tau badge is a jeweled gold torch with Greek letters ΣΔΤ, with six pearls, and a diamond on the flame. The new member pin round with a background of blue enamel with a gold torch enameled in old blue. Its publication, ''The Torch'', was established in 1922.

Philanthropy

The current national philanthropies of Sigma Delta Tau are Prevent Child Abuse America, the Sigma Delta Tau Foundation, and

Jewish Women International Jewish Women International (JWI) is a Jewish-American social service organization founded in 1897 by American Jewish women associated with B'nai B'rith, an international Jewish social service organization. The organization's mission is described ...

. Prevent Child Abuse America was selected as Sigma Delta Tau's National Philanthropy in 1982. Each Sigma Delta Tau chapter conducts an annual service project, educational program or major fund raiser for the benefit of Prevent Child Abuse America. Since 1982, Sigma Delta Tau has donated more than $3 million to PCAA. The Sigma Delta Tau Foundation was chosen as an official philanthropic partner in 2017.

Chapters

Sigma Delta Tau currently has 64 active collegiate chapters across North America.

Governance

The national president of Sigma Delta Tau is voted on by the chapters and National Council Members every two years.

Notable members

* Lucia Aniello (''Gamma Tau'',

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

) – film director, writer, producer, and 4 time Emmy Award winner * Joyce Brothers (''Alpha chapter'',

) – psychologist, television and radio personality, writer * Arielle Charnas (''Omega chapter'',

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...

) – influencer and creative director of SomethingNavy * Meredith Deane (''Alpha Xi chapter'',

Boston University Boston University (BU) is a Private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. BU was founded in 1839 by a group of Boston Methodism, Methodists with its original campus in Newbury (town), Vermont, Newbur ...

; ''Mu chapter'',

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...

) – actress * Heather Dubrow (''Omega chapter'',

) – actress and cast member of '' The Real Housewives of Orange County'' *

Sherry Lansing Sherry Lansing (born Sherry Lee Duhl; July 31, 1944) is an American former film studio executive serving as chairwoman of Universal Music Group's board of directors since 2023. She previously served as chairwoman and CEO of Paramount Pictures, ...

(''Sigma chapter'',

Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...

) – actress, CEO of

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

, president of production at

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...

* Bari Lurie (''Alpha Tau chapter'',

George Washington University The George Washington University (GW or GWU) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally-chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Originally named Columbian College, it was chartered in 1821 by ...

) – non-profit executive * Christy Carlson Romano – (''Gamma Tau chapter'',

Barnard College Barnard College is a Private college, private Women's colleges in the United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college affiliated with Columbia University in New York City. It was founded in 1889 by a grou ...

) – Broadway and television actress *

Carol Saline Carol Saline is a journalist, broadcaster, author and public speaker. Career She has written eight books. They include ''Dr. Snow: How the FBI Nailed an Ivy League Coke King,'' ''Straight Talk: How to Get Closer to Others by Saying What You Rea ...

(''Omega chapter'',

) – journalist, broadcaster, and award-winning author * Flo Steinberg (''Psi chapter'',

University of Massachusetts Amherst The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst) is a public land-grant research university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Massachusetts system and was founded in 1863 as the ...

) – publisher * Allee Willis (''Alpha Nu chapter'',

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Uni ...

) –

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

-winning songwriter, art director * Remy Zaken (''Gamma Tau chapter'',

) – Broadway actress

References

{{Organized Jewish Life in the United States 1917 establishments in New York (state) Cornell University National Panhellenic Conference Student societies in the United States Student organizations established in 1917 Historically Jewish sororities in the United States Jewish organizations established in 1917 Women's organizations based in the United States Sororities