Alpha Omicron Pi was founded January 2nd, 1897 at Barnard College of Columbia University in New York City.

Founders 
Stella George Stern Perry 
Elizabeth Heywood Wyman 
Jessie Wallace Hughan 
Helen St. Clair Mullan 


"We formed AOII to continue the friendships we made in college throughout our lifetimes." 
- Stella Perry 

Our National Founding
Who better to tell the story of our founding than one of our founding sisters herself. The following are excerpts from a letter by Stella written to the Ohio Valley Convention in 1939. 

"We were exceedingly frank and merry, very much alive to enjoy the golden years we were living, vitally interested in every phase of our college life, and in the life around us, mentally inquisitive and ardently, enthusiastically devoted to one another, to our chosen group of friends, and to the class of '98. 

Why...did we four choose...to make a new fraternity of our own - surely a...dangerous and difficult task? 

I will try to tell you. 

In those days many of the evils still sometimes complained of in fraternity life...were distinctly obvious in the already existing societies. I do not mean to imply for a moment that they were known to be in all of them, or even that we believed them to exist in all. But they certainly were pretty general. And how to be sure? 

We knew exactly what we wanted and the way to be sure of getting it was to make it, if we could. 

We wanted a society that should continue our companionship through life, and extend the like joys to others, usefully, unselfishly, and without pettiness. 

We wanted to be sure of a democratic fraternity, democratic in choosing members, democratic in internal government, so that all members to come must share our responsibility and feel bound to exercise for themselves the motives that impelled the founders. 

We especially wanted no snobbery, no ostentation, no extravagance, no silly "superiorities", no trivial limitations, nothing based only on "society" in the narrow sense, nothing good excluded on financial, religious, or other factitious grounds, one with it's members chosen for character. 

Above all, we wanted a high and active special purpose to justify existence, a simple devotion to some worthy end. Therefore, having decided to make that sort of fraternity if we could, we had also to decide, "What have we in our hearts to give that the world most lacks and most needs? And in what aspect of it is it most lacking and most needing?" 

One of the first decisions we made was to have one emblem only and that a direct reminder of our essential purpose. We felt that synthetic coats of arms, shields, sub-mottoes, and what not...were undignified in comparison with one austere, though rich, badge. And we felt that, by avoiding this foolish conformity we could from the start indicate our determined simplicity. We wanted a badge that told us why we wore it. 

Our first step in expansion, which made us "national" was the installation of the Pi Chapter in New Orleans. Pi chapter's ideals and reasons for the courageous course of joining a brand-new fraternity were the same as ours in founding it. Only three girls were pledged to begin the new chapter, of these, two were out of town during an epidemic, when the day of installation came only Katherine was initiated. 

Thus Alpha Omicron Pi started with four members and became national through the installation of one. We are told, we believe, and we have proved that in that which makes our bond is promise certain of success. Let us follow our ensign devotedly, utterly and bravely. For our purpose cannot fail." 

-Stella G.S. Perry

Symbols & Traditions

Alpha Omicron Pi
The object of this fraternity shall be to encourage a spirit of fraternity and love among its members; to stand at all times for character, dignity, scholarship, and college loyalty; to strive for and support the best interests of the colleges and universities in which chapters are installed; and in no way to disregard, injure, or sacrifice those interests for the sake of the prestige or advancement of the fraternity or any of it's chapters. 

Mission Statement
Alpha Omicron Pi is an international women's fraternity promoting friendship for a lifetime, inspiring academic excellence and lifelong learning, and developing leadership skills through service to the fraternity and community.

Membership
Alpha Omicron Pi has 178 chartered collegiate chapters and over 220 alumnae chapters located throughout the United States and Canada. AOII's membership exceeds 123,000 strong, successful and caring women.

Badge
Our badge consists of the letters "A", "O", and "Pi" superimposed on one another. At the apex of the A is the ruby, our jewel. Members are able to choose from many styles of badges to express her individuality.

New Member Pin
The New Member pin is a gold sheaf of wheat with AOII in relief across the binding. This symbolizes individuals united under one common bond of sisterhood in Alpha Omicron Pi.


Flower
Our flower is the Jacqueminot Rose. The AOII founders choose this particular breed as it's stems grew no thorns and the deep red color was consistent with the colors of the fraternity.

Color
The color of AOII is Cardinal Red, the color of the ruby and the Jacqueminot rose.

Jewel
Our Jewel is the Ruby. It is placed in the apex of the "A" on all member badges. 

Crest
AOII is the only women's fraternity that does not use a crest. Our founders felt that the beauty and simplicity of our badge possessed enough significance to stand alone. Crests are medieval, and we are founded on Greek ideals, therefore they thought a crest would be inappropriate. Where other groups might use a crest, we display the rose.

"One motto, one badge, one bond, and singleness of heart."

Mascot
Our mascot is the Panda bear - it's the only animal that has no natural enemies.


Magazine
Our award-winning member magazine is "To Dragma", which means the sheaf. It is produced on a quarterly basis all initiated and alumnae members have a lifetime subscription.

Headquarters
Alpha Omicron Pi International Headquarters is located in Brentwood, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville. A professional staff, under the guidance of the Executive Board, serves collegians and Alumnae in areas of Chapter operations, volunteer training, and membership. For more details, check out the AOII Headquarters Website.