Alpha Chi Omega

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.

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Inspired, our Founders formed the 10th 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."



Gamma Chapter was founded on November 14, 1890 as the third chapter of Alpha Chi Omega nationwide. Our house was built in 1927 as part of the first Northwestern women’s quadrangle. We have enjoyed over 125 years of sisterhood, scholarship, and service on the Northwestern campus!