Greek Facts & Firsts

Sorority

First Secret Society for Women - 1851, Alpha Delta Pi Fraternity

First Sorority to be Called a Sorority - Gamma Phi Beta

First Sorority to Use Greek Letters - Kappa Alpha Theta (1870)

Only NPC in Hawaii - Alpha Gamma Delta

First to Adopt a Philanthropy - 1919, Alpha Gamma Delta

First Non-Caucasian Initiate - Alpha Gamma Delta (UBC, 1953)

Widest Span of Chapters - Alpha Gamma Delta Manoa HI to Halifax NS 5403 miles (8695 km)

First NPC Sorority in Canada - Kappa Alpha Theta (Toronto)

Oldest Sorority in Canada - Alpha Phi (Toronto)

Only Sorority to Have a Male Initiate - Delta Gamma (George Banta)

Oldest Founding Chapter Still In Existence - Kappa Alpha Theta

First Alumnae Initiate - Alpha Phi 1875

First to Publish a Book Length History - Delta Delta Delta

First Divine Nine Sorority - Alpha Kappa Alpha 1908

First to Publish a Magazine - Kappa Kappa Gamma (1882)

Most Initiates (NPC) - Chi Omega, 225,000+

Most Chapters (NPC) - Chi Omega, 176

Most Chapters (NPHC) - Delta Sigma Theta, 300+

Most Chapters in One State - Alpha Phi (22 in California)

Fraternity

Oldest Continuously Published Magazine - Beta Theta Pi (since 1872)

Most First Chapters On Each Campus - 13, Beta Theta Pi

Create Alumni Chapters - Beta Theta Pi 1867

Most Initiates - Sigma Alpha Epsilon (262,000+)

Most Chapters - Lambda Chi Alpha (364)

First Dry House - Delta Sigma Phi

Largest Fraternity Merger - Theta Kappa Nu with Lambda Chi Alpha, 1939

First Divine Nine Fraternity - Alpha Phi Alpha 1906

First to Publish A Magazine - Theta Delta Chi 1869

Longest Continuously Open Chapter - Theta Delta Chi's Kappa Charge (since 1856)

First Fraternity to Abolish Membership Restrictions Based on Religion, Ethnicity etc - Sigma Phi Epsilon

General

Largest Greek System (# of Students Participating) - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Most Chapters - Penn State