HISTORY
The Delta Zeta sorority was originally founded in 1902 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. This was the same year that women were given status to enroll as full-time students at Miami University. Six women attending the university decided they wanted to start a sorority on the male-dominated campus. The women went to the university president, Dr. Guy Benton, for help with forming their sorority. The founders of Delta Zeta faced harassment from the men on campus for wanting to form a sorority. The founding members of Delta Zeta sorority were Alfa Lloyd Hayes, Mary Jane Collins, Anna Louise Keen, Julia Lawrence Bishop, Mabelle May Minton and Anne Dial Simmons.
The purpose of the sorority is to strengthen bonds of friendship among members, stimulate the pursuit of knowledge, promote the moral and social culture of members and develop guidance and unity.
PHILANTHROPY
Delta Zeta has had deep ties with organizations that work with the hearing or speech impaired. Currently the philanthropies of Delta Zeta are The Painted Turtle and The Starkey Hearing Foundation.
MOTTO
Let the Flame Endure Forever!
TRADITIONS
Delta Zeta colors are rose and green
Delta Zeta jewel is the diamond
Delta Zeta symbol is the Roman lamp
Delta Zeta flower pink killarney rose
The Delta Zeta mascot is the turtle
FUN FACTS
Dr. Guy Benton served as the Grand Patron of the sorority
There are 158 Delta Zeta chapters throughout the United States and Canada
More than 220,000 members have been initiated
The sorority joined the National Panhellenic Conference in 1910
The sorority was founded October 24, which was also founder Alfa Lloyd’s birthdayjoy behar
CELEBRITY ALUMNAE
Joy Behar (Co-host of The View)
Florence Henderson (Actor)
Mercedes Bates (1st female corporate officer of General Mills)
Marcia Wallace (Actress)
Kay Yow (NC State women’s basketball coach)
Common Misspellings
DZ, DZs, Delta Zetas, Delta Zeda, Delta Zada