| Alpha Pi Omega | |
|---|---|
| ΑΠΩ | |
 | |
| Founded | September 1, 1994; 29 years ago (1994-09-01) University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill |
| Type | Social |
| Affiliation | Independent |
| Status | Active |
| Emphasis | Native American |
| Scope | National |
| Motto | My Sister As Myself |
| Colors | Fire red, New Grass green and Maize yellow |
| Flower | Dogwood |
| Tree | Cedar |
| Jewel | Amethyst |
| Mascot | Queen Bee |
| Chapters | 10 (active collegiate), 10 (graduate) |
| Colonies | 6 (collegiate), 1 (graduate) |
| Headquarters | 1441 E. 104th Street Kansas City, Missouri 64131 United States |
| Website | Official website |
Alpha Pi Omega Sorority, Inc. (ΑΠΩ) is the oldest historically Indigenous national sorority in the United States.[1][2] It is the largest Indigenous Greek letter organization,[3] with 24 chartered chapters across nine states and the District of Columbia.[4]
Alpha Pi Omega Sorority was founded on Sept. 1, 1994, at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill by four Native women.[1][5] 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).[3][5] Before forming the group, they sought and received the approval of elder women from the various tribes of North Carolina.[5]
The sorority's founding principles are traditionalism, spirituality, education, and contemporary issues.[1] Its first pledge class was called the Fifteen Warrior Women.[5] The sorority was incorporated with the State of North Carolina in 1995 and expanded to additional campuses.[6]
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.
The sorority's colors are fire red, new grass green, and maize yellow.[6] Its mascot is the Queen Bee, while its jewel is the amethyst.[6] Its tree is the cedar and its flower is the dogwood.[6] The Alpha Pi Omega motto is "My Sister As Myself".[7]
Alpha Pi Omega preserves Native American traditions by celebrating and practicing cultural and spiritual heritage, such as hosting stickball games.[6][8] At the same time, it supports a network for college students and professionals in modern society.[5] The sorority's annual national convention is called the Grand Gathering.[9]
Its permanent national philanthropy is the National Indian Education Association, as of 2010.[6][7] Individual chapters also participate in local fundraising events such as Walk a Mile in Her Shoes or Remember the 10 Run.[9][8] 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.[10][8]
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.[6] 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 are chartered at the sorority's annual Grand Gathering.[10]
APO starts potential chapters or colonies as expansion chapters or honey pots.[10] After a year, the expansion chapter becomes a provisional chapter.[10] Following is a list of Alpha Pi Omega collegiate chapters.[11][12] Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are shown in italic.
Graduate chapters are for women who have received their undergraduate degrees.[7] The sorority calls its colonies expansion chapters. Following is a list of graduate chapters.[11] Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are shown in italic.
| Name | Chartered/Ranged | Location | Status | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha Pi | September 1, 1994 | The Triangle, North Carolina | Active | |
| Beta Pi | November 27, 1996 | Robeson County, North Carolina | Active | |
| Gamma Pi | May 29, 2004 | Columbus County, North Carolina | Active | |
| Delta Pi | May 28, 2005 | Payne County, Oklahoma | Active | |
| Epsilon Pi | July 13, 2013 | Bernalillo County, New Mexico | Active | [5] |
| Zeta Pi | July 13, 2013 | Washington, D.C. | Active | [5] |
| Eta Pi | July 12, 2014 – 20xx ? | Pima County, Arizona | Inactive | |
| Theta Pi | July 11, 2015 | Oklahoma County, Oklahoma | Active | |
| Iota Pi | July 14, 2018 | Cherokee County, Oklahoma | Active | |
| Kappa Pi | July 10, 2021 | Rocky Mount, North Carolina | Active | |
| Lambda Pi | July 15, 2023 | Twin Cities (Minneapolis–Saint Paul) | Active | |
| Dane County, Wisconsin | Colony |
|
| |
|---|---|
Academic fraternities originating from North America | |
| General |
|
| History |
|
| Historically African-American |
|
| Historically Asian/Pacific Islander-American |
|
| Christian fraternities and sororities |
|
| Historically Jewish |
|
| Multicultural |
|
| Historically Scout-affiliated |
|
| LGBTQ |
|
| Native American |
|
| Latino and Puerto Rican |
|
| Major specific |
|
| Social sororities |
|
| Social fraternities |
|
| See also |
|
