About Uswho we are

Our Purpose

Our Purpose Statement reflects why Sigma Kappa exists, and what we strive to achieve. Our values of personal growth, service, friendship and loyalty , determine how we show up wholeheartly: for ourselves, for each other, and for what comes next.

Sigma Kappa fosters lifelong connection in sisterhood while being true to our founding as an intellectual and social women’s sorority. Through mutual support and respect, we inspire all members to lead a life of purpose.

Sorority Strategic Plan

Sigma Kappa Sorority is pleased to present its 2024-2026 Strategic Plan, focused on embracing belonging as an organizational identity, deepening the Sigma Kappa member experience, and advancing operational solutions. Our Strategic Plan is a commitment to the importance and vitality of the sorority experience, now and forever. 

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Our Values

Our values are personal growth, friendship, service and loyalty; bound by a promise.

Personal Growth

We embrace opportunities to grow, committing to lives guided by authenticity, integrity, and lifelong learning.

Service

With open hearts, we give our time, talents, and care to strengthen our communities.

Friendship

We celebrate, care for, and respect one another, cultivating bonds that last a lifetime.

Loyalty

As lifelong members, we choose to strengthen our commitment to ourselves and others.

Our History

In 1872 Mary Caffrey Low was admitted as the first female student to Colby College in Waterville, Maine. In 1873, she would be joined by Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, Ida Fuller, Frances Mann, and Louise Helen Coburn. Together they would form a small but determined community.

In 1874, these five women came together with a shared vision of friendship, learning, and support. After presenting their petition, constitution, and bylaws, they received faculty approval on November 9, now celebrated as Founders’ Day, to establish the Alpha Chapter of Sigma Kappa.

Originally chapter membership was limited to 25 members, so the Beta and Gamma chapters were also established on Colby’s campus. In 1983, they voted to fill the Alpha chapter and move away from intramural expansion. By 1904, their vision of growth extended beyond Colby with the founding of Delta Chapter at Boston University, marking Sigma Kappa’s transition into a national sisterhood and allowed us to join what is now known as the National Panhellenic Conference.

What began as a bold step by five women became a lasting legacy, rooted in connection, growth, and the enduring strength of sisterhood.

Visit our Digital Museum

Photo of the five founders of Sigma Kappa

Our Milestones

1874

November 9: Founding of Sigma Kappa. Now celebrated as Founders’ Day.

1875

First initiation ceremony
Death of Elizabeth Gorham Hoag

1889

First scholarships awarded

1890

Beta Chapter established at Colby

1891

Lavender and maroon named official colors

1892

Violet chosen as official flower
Gamma Chapter established

1893

Decision to expand beyond Colby

1894

Triangle pin adopted

1896

Odes of 1896 published

1904

First chapter beyond Colby (Delta)
Incorporated in Maine

1905

Joined National Panhellenic Conference

1907

The Sigma Kappa Triangle magazine established

1911

Coat-of-arms adopted

1915

Pearl adopted as jewel
Official banner adopted

1918

Maine Seacoast Mission adopted as philanthropy

1920

New member pin adopted; songbook published

1924

History published
First national headquarters established

1926

Death of Mary Low Carver

1927

Name trademarked and copyrighted

1930

New songbook published; HQ moved to Kansas

1933

Death of Ida Fuller Pierce

1935

Death of Frances Mann Hall

1936

HQ moved to Indianapolis
Brave Maroon published

1937

First traveling secretary appointed

1941

Fourth songbook published

1949

Death of Louise Helen Coburn

1950

Updated history published

1954

Gerontology adopted as philanthropy

1956

Permanent headquarters purchased

1959

Merger with Pi Kappa Sigma

1962

Sigma Kappa Foundation established

1970

Directory published

1974

Centennial celebration

1978

Order of the Triangle ceremony accepted

1982

Graduate consultants added

1984

Alzheimer’s focus added
Dove adopted as symbol

1985

First Sigma Kappa in space

1987

AWARE guidelines published

1988

Significant Sigma Kappas published
Heart adopted as symbol

1989

Foundation becomes separate legal entity

1990

New HQ building purchased

1992

Inherit the Earth added to philanthropy

1993

National Housing Corporation established

1996

First NPC graphic identity campaign

1997

Promise for New Members published

1998

Website launched

1999

125th Anniversary celebrated

2000

Vendor licensing program launched

2001

Virtual Violet launched

2003

Paperless plan introduced

2004

25-year pin adopted

2005

Website redesigned

2008

Ultra Violet Campaign launched

2009

Visual identity updated

2010

Leadership roles modernized

2012

Regional Leadership Conferences launched

2014

$1M Alzheimer’s pledge
HQ relocated to Carmel, IN

2015

SKILLab and volunteer training launched

2016

Foundation campaign launched

2017

Strategic plan + Day of Service launched

2018

Book Club launched
Mental health partnership
Inclusive membership policy

2019

Ritual Inclusivity Task Force + Give Day launched

2020

COVID-19 shifts operations virtual; DEI committee created

2022

Governance restructure + digital museum launched

2024

150 Years of Sisterhood campaign launched

Jewelry

Sigma Kappa pins and badges are meaningful symbols of your membership, connecting our sisterhood across generations. Each one carries a story and a sense of belonging.

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Symbols & Insignia

Our symbols and insignia are deeply meaningful to our members. Their full significance is revealed only through our ceremony of Initiation. The symbols remind us of our promise to uphold the Sorority’s high standards and of our connection to other Sigma Kappas across all generations.

Colors

Lavender and maroon were adopted as Sigma Kappa’s official colors in June 1891.

Coat of Arms

Adopted in 1911, our coat of arms reflects the symbols of our Sorority. The dove, violet, Greek letters and colors are represented proudly.

Flower

The violet was adopted as our official flower in June 1892. Wild purple violets grew along the banks of the Messalonskee River where our founders sat and dreamed of Sigma Kappa. At our 83rd national convention in 2008 we clarified that the official flower was the wild purple violet.

Symbols

Our official symbols are the dove and heart. In 1984 the dove was accepted as an official symbol of Sigma Kappa. The heart was adopted in 1988 based on its close connection to our open motto; One Heart, One Way.

Sigma Kappa's motto:

One Heart, One Way

Our Digital Museum

Sigma Kappa has over 150 years of history. Throughout the years, we have collected a wealth of historical materials, including personal letters from our Founders’, member photos, vintage jewelry and more. To protect our history and make it accessible to all our members, we’ve partnered with HistoryIT to curate a fully digital museum.

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Historical Photo from the Digital Museum

NPC

As the premier advocacy and support organization for the sorority experience, the National Panhellenic Conference gives Sigma Kappa a strong voice within the fraternal community. Through this connection, our members gain access to a broader network of sorority women, along with valuable resources like The Sorority Life for potential members, parents, and alumnae. NPC member groups share a set of Unanimous Agreements that outline principles and standards of conduct. Each sorority upholds these commitments, ensuring that Panhellenic life reflects integrity, respect, and the highest ideals of sisterhood during their collegiate years and beyond.

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