Sigma Delta

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title: "Sigma Delta" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["dartmouth-college-fraternities-and-sororities", "sigma-kappa", "student-organizations-established-in-1988", "local-fraternities-and-sororities", "fraternities-and-sororities-in-the-united-states", "1988-establishments-in-vermont"] description: "Social sorority at Dartmouth College, US" topic_path: "society/education" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigma_Delta" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Social sorority at Dartmouth College, US ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox fraternity"]

Field	Value
name	Sigma Delta
letters	ΣΔ
crest	Sigma_Delta_logo.png
image_size	180px
founded
birthplace	Dartmouth College
affiliation	Independent
former_affiliation	Sigma Kappa (1977-1988)
status	Active
type	Social sorority
scope	Local
motto
pillars	Strength, Friendship, and Acceptance of Difference
colors
symbol	Snake
flag
chapters	1
lifetime	174
nickname
address	10 West Wheelock Street
city	Hanover
state	New Hampshire
ZIP code	03755
country	United States
::

| name = Sigma Delta | letters = ΣΔ | coat of arms = | crest = Sigma_Delta_logo.png | image_size = 180px | alt = | founded = | birthplace = Dartmouth College | affiliation = Independent | affiliation2 = | former_affiliation = Sigma Kappa (1977-1988) | status = Active | type = Social sorority | scope = Local | motto = | pillars = Strength, Friendship, and Acceptance of Difference | colors = | symbol = Snake | flag = | tree = | mascot = | publication = | philanthropy = | chapters = 1 | members = | lifetime = 174 | nickname = | address = 10 West Wheelock Street | city = Hanover | state = New Hampshire | ZIP code = 03755 | country = United States Sigma Delta (ΣΔ) is a local collegiate sorority at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire in the United States. It was established in 1988 when it withdrew from the North American social sorority Sigma Kappa.

History

Sigma Delta was founded in May 1977 at Dartmouth College as the Zeta Lambda chapter of Sigma Kappa national sorority. It was the first sorority to be founded on Dartmouth's campus. Women were not permitted to enroll at Dartmouth until 1972; the sorority provided a place where the college's coed students could meet.

By the late 1980s, Dartmouth's student population had diversified and the Sigma Kappa chapter experienced an influx of minority women who wished to have not only a female space, but also a space that would embrace their personal identities as women regardless of age, class, religion, or ethnicity. In the fall of 1988, Dartmouth's Sigma Kappa chapter split from the national organization and became a local sorority. Its members made this decision to move away from "the patriarchal, puritanical and heteronormative conventions ingrained in sororities affiliated with national chapters". In addition, they felt that the national sorority's rituals were too heavily steeped in religion.

The sorority changed its name to Sigma Delta and was established as Dartmouth's first local sorority. It is not affiliated with the National Panhellenic Conference. As of 2025, Sigma Delta has initiated 174 members.

Symbols

The sorority's symbol is the snake. Its philosophy or pillars are strength, friendship, and acceptance of difference.[[File:Dartmouth College campus 2007-06-23 Sigma Delta 03.JPG|thumb|Sigma Delta house, 2007]]

Chapter house

The Sigma Delta chapter house is located at 10 Westlock Street in Hanover, New Hampshire. The house is owned by Dartmouth College.

Membership

Sigma Delta's membership is open to all students who identify as female, are gender nonconforming, and are nonbinary.

Notable alumni

• Connie Britton - actress
• Mindy Kaling - writer and actress

Controversies

In September 2010, Sigma Delta was charged with three counts of serving alcohol to minors during three incidents in the spring and fall of 2010.

In 2015, Dartmouth's sororities decided to ban alcohol. However, Sigma Delta was able to reject this decision because it is an independent sorority and not a part of the National Panhellenic Council.

References

References

1. (2024-08-30). "Sigma Delta {{!}} Greek Life and Societies".
2. "Sigma Delta".
3. Czachor, Emily Mae. (2015-02-02). "Dartmouth Sorority: It's OUR Party!".
4. "About Us".
5. Allen, Marco. (November 16, 2020). "Amid ambiguity, ISC, sororities examine rules for non-binary inclusivity".
6. Davis, Mark. (2010-10-02). "Town, Greek System, at Odds Again". Valley News.
7. (January 19, 2015). "Sorority Anti-Rape Idea: Drinking on Own Turf". The New York Times.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::