History

The founding Alpha Chapter of Alpha Delta Chi began at the University of California at Los Angeles in 1925. The vision of the original founders was to create a place where Christian women could participate in Greek life without compromising their beliefs and build strong friendships. Most of all, they wanted to create a place which would mirror Christ's love to their community.

Their names were:

  1. Ruth Umsted Ohly

  2. Evelyn Kepple Kay

  3. Marion Wright Madden

  4. Willard Crowder Clawson

  5. Theta Slingerland Dean

  6. Alice Slingerland McEachern

  7. Amy Culp

  8. Dora Marie Showalter-Goertz

  9. Dorothea Harvey Schultz

  10. Alma Becker

Alpha Delta Chi was originally named Arete which, in Greek, means virtue. The purpose was to provide fellowship for Christian collegiate women, to strengthen the spiritual lives of members, and to be a testimony for Christ on each campus.

In 1929, Karin Anderson Dyer and Edith Bishop McAulay, two members of the Alpha Chapter of Arete, were attending the University of California, Berkeley as graduate students. The two saw a need for the sorority and with the help of the Alpha Chapter , they organized the Beta Chapter on February 4, 1929.

The first annual convention of Alpha Delta Chi was held in Berkeley, California, on April 6th - 7th, 1939. At this meeting the National Association of Arete and the National Executive and Advisory Board were formed.

In 1943 at the June National Convention the original name of the National Fraternity, Arete, was changed to Alpha Delta Chi.

In 1946, under the leadership of National President Celestia Major Jasaitis, Alpha Delta Chi became incorporated under the laws of the State of California.

Since that time Alpha Delta Chi has founded over twenty Chapters in nine different states across the nation and call thousands of women our Sisters in Christ.