Our Symphony
These things do we earnestly desire:
A clear
vision of life, that with gracious and
kindly hearts we
may share both joy
and sorrow and bring into living reality the sisterhood
of women.
An
appreciation of real merit and worth,
steadfastness of soul, that without bitterness
or defeat we may encounter misfourtune and
with humility meet success.
These
things, O Lord, help us to instill with-
in our
hearts, that we may grow in courage,
graciousness, and peace.
Our Symbols:
The Coat
of Arms
The Coat of Arms of Alpha Xi Delta consists of a shield supported by two
griffins. In the golden band across the center of the shield is the Quill.
Three conventional roses are at the top of the shield, and a broken sword is in
the lower portion of the shield. Above the shield on the knight's helmet is a
twist of ribbon in alternating blue and gold, and a blossomed rose.
OurColors
The colors of Alpha Xi Delta are double blue (light
and dark) and gold.
Our flower
The
Fraternity flower is the pink rose, as chosen by our Founders to complement the
white rose of Sigma Nu, our brother fraternity.
The Quill
The Quill, which is worn by
initiated members of Alpha Xi Delta, represents our open motto "The Pen is
Mightier Than the Sword." The symbolism of the Quill, our official badge,
is entrusted only to initiated members of Alpha Xi Delta. There are some rules
to be followed in wearing the Quill. It is worn on the left side of the breast,
in line with the heart. To locate the exact location, place your right thumb at
the base of your throat, spread each finger approximately one inch apart and
place your pin at the tip of your ring finger. The Quill is worn with the tip
slightly lower than the rest of the badge.
Our Founders
Cora Bollinger Block, Alice Bartlett Bruner, Almira Lowry Cheney, Frances Elizabeth Cheney, Bertha Cook Evans, Eliza Drake Curtis Everton, Julia Maude Foster, Lucy W. Gilmer, Harriet Luella McCollum, Lewie Strong Taylor
"Alpha Xi Delta was founded in 1893 by ten young women at Lombard College, Galesburg, Illinois, who shared a vision and a dream of a national organization dedicated to the personal growth of women.
One of the oldest women's fraternities, Alpha Xi Delta is proud of its rich history. As one of the ten founding fraternities of the National Panhellenic Conference, it was Alpha Xi Delta's first NPC Chairman who wrote the Panhellenic Creed, which is still recited on college campuses today.
Since that time more than a 100 years ago, the spirit of Alpha Xi Delta has enriched the lives of thousands of women throughout the world with its emphasis on lifelong learning and lasting friendship. Now a national fraternity with more than 120,000 initiated members, Alpha Xi Delta has grown into a progressive and forward-thinking organization with college chapters and alumnae associations throughout the United States.
The ideals envisioned by our Founders are timeless and have remained constant throughout the years, inspiring pride in each member to pursue individual excellence.
Our Founders left us a great legacy--they taught us the value of education because it would free us to achieve our goals and give us the power to be whatever we choose to be. They taught us to support one another through shared experiences and understanding. They taught us to serve others--to reach out to those less fortunate to make their lives better.
It is these ideals of personal development, scholarship, friendship, and civic responsibility that we embrace and bring to every Alpha Xi Delta member."