Alpha Chi Omega :: Epsilon Kappa Chapter

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SEPTEMBER 13th-16th

Formal Recruitment

OCTOBER 17th-19th

40th Anniversary Celebration Weekend. This year we are celebrating Epsilon Kappa’s past, present and future during the 40th Anniversary Celebration Weekend!

Click here for more information.

History of Epsilon Kappa chapter at Cal State Fullerton

In 1957, California State University, Fullerton, then California State College, had only one sorority on campus, which also happened to be the first sorority in Orange county. This sorority was Zeta Phi Lambda, founded in May 1961.

On December 7, 1968 Zeta Phi Lambda became the national sorority, Alpha Chi Omega. This brand new chapter was the Epsilon Kappa chapter, and consisted of twenty-one collegians and four alumnae. These twenty-five women were initiated on December 6, 7, and 8, becoming true active members of Alpha Chi Omega.

During this time other local sororities began to develop on the Cal State Fullerton campus. While the other five sororities were being established, Epsilon Kappa was working hard and receiving numerous honors. Epsilon Kappa received the national Rush Award for the first time in 1976, one of the highest awards possible. They also received the National Council Trophy in 1977 and 1985.

Epsilon Kappa continues to achieve high honors nationally and locally at Cal State Fullerton. Currently our chapter is giving back to the community by joining the fight against domestic violence through exciting fundraisers and spreading awareness.

History of Alpha Chi Omega

It all started with seven young women studying music at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana: Anna Allen, Olive Burnett, Bertha Deniston, Amy DuBois, Nellie Gamble, Bessie Grooms and Estelle Leonard.

They developed a bond and wished to establish a social sorority. Once they received approval from the dean of students the women gave thought to their choice of badge, motto, and color for their sorority. They decided their motto would be “together let us seek the heights” and their colors would be scarlet red and olive green, chosen due to the color of the leaves during the fall.

The seven founders chose "Alpha," the first letter of the Greek alphabet, because they were forming the first fraternity in the school of music. They thought they might also be founding the last such fraternity, "Omega", the last letter of the Greek alphabet seemed appropriate. "Kai," meaning "and," was added to form the beginning and the end. "Kai" was soon changed to "Chi," a letter of the Greek alphabet. The red carnation was chosen as the sorority’s flower because its petals were scarlet red and its leaves olive green.

Because of the founders’ musical interests, the lyre became the emblem for their badge. The dreams and goals of these seven founders were soon to be shared by others, and new members were taken into the sisterhood. Women whose ideals matched their own wanted to be apart of their bond of love. Today their badge is shared by more than 135,000 women.

Alpha Chi Omegas live and work together to govern themselves and their chapter so that women can gain only the best from their sorority experience. Those women were inspired to carry out a dream in 1885, and have now inspired others to share their story with the world.