| Alpha Pi Omega | |
| Letters: | Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΑΠΩ |
| Crest: | File:Alpha_Pi_Omega_sorority_crest.png |
| Alt: | An informal crest for Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΑΠΩ, as used on their website. |
| Birthplace: | University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill |
| Affiliation: | Independent |
| Emphasis: | Native American |
| Status: | Active |
| Type: | Social |
| Scope: | National |
| Colors: | Fire red, New Grass green and Maize yellow |
| Jewel: | Amethyst |
| Tree: | Cedar |
| Flower: | Dogwood |
| Mascot: | Queen Bee |
| Motto: | My Sister As Myself |
| Chapters: | 10 (active collegiate), 10 (graduate) |
| Colonies: | 6 (collegiate), 1 (graduate) |
| Address: | 1441 E. 104th Street |
| City: | Kansas City |
| State: | Missouri |
| Zip Code: | 64131 |
| Country: | United States |
Alpha Pi Omega Sorority, Inc. (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΑΠΩ) is the oldest historically Indigenous national sorority in the United States.[1] [2] It is the largest Indigenous Greek letter organization,[3] with 24 chartered chapters across nine states and the District of Columbia.[4]
Alpha Pi Omega Sorority was founded on Sept. 1, 1994, at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill by four Native women.[5] The founders, now known to as the Four Winds, are Shannon Brayboy (Lumbee), Jamie Goins (Lumbee), Amy Locklear (Lumbee and Coharie), and Christie Strickland (Lumbee). Before forming the group, they sought and received the approval of elder women from the various tribes of North Carolina.
The sorority's founding principles are traditionalism, spirituality, education, and contemporary issues. Its first pledge class was called the Fifteen Warrior Women. The sorority was incorporated with the State of North Carolina in 1995 and expanded to additional campuses.[6]
With more than 130 tribes represented by its members, the sorority has more than 900 sisters nationwide. Nationally, the sorority is governed by a thirteen-member board known as the Grand Keepers of the Circle. Grand Keepers are elected to two-year terms and meet bi-monthly.
The sorority's colors are fire red, new grass green, and maize yellow. Its mascot is the Queen Bee, while its jewel is the amethyst. Its tree is the cedar and its flower is the dogwood. The Alpha Pi Omega motto is "My Sister As Myself".[7]
Alpha Pi Omega preserves Native American traditions by celebrating and practicing cultural and spiritual heritage, such as hosting stickball games.[8] At the same time, it supports a network for college students and professionals in modern society. The sorority's annual national convention is called the Grand Gathering.
Its permanent national philanthropy is the National Indian Education Association, as of 2010. Individual chapters also participate in local fundraising events such as Walk a Mile in Her Shoes or Remember the 10 Run.[9] The Washington State University chapter held sexual assault awareness classes and LGBTQ+ ally training, while the Oregon State University chapter held a fundraiser for the Humane Society.[10]
Interested women may join at the undergraduate or post-undergraduate level. Collegiate women must have completed at least one full-time academic term, have a 2.8 GPA or higher, and have no previous affiliation with any social sorority. Women interested in joining a professional chapter must have completed a bachelor's degree or higher and have no previous affiliation with any social sorority.
Chapters are chartered at the sorority's annual Grand Gathering.
APO starts potential chapters or colonies as expansion chapters or honey pots. After a year, the expansion chapter becomes a provisional chapter. Following is a list of Alpha Pi Omega collegiate chapters.[11] [12] Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are shown in italic.
Graduate chapters are for women who have received their undergraduate degrees. The sorority calls its colonies expansion chapters. Following is a list of graduate chapters. Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are shown in italic.
| Name | Chartered/Ranged | Location | Status | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha Pi | Active | ||||
| Beta Pi | Robeson County, North Carolina | Active | |||
| Gamma Pi | Columbus County, North Carolina | Active | |||
| Delta Pi | Payne County, Oklahoma | Active | |||
| Epsilon Pi | Bernalillo County, New Mexico | Active | |||
| Zeta Pi | Washington, D.C. | Active | |||
| Eta Pi | – 20xx ? | Pima County, Arizona | Inactive | ||
| Theta Pi | Active | ||||
| Iota Pi | Cherokee County, Oklahoma | Active | |||
| Kappa Pi | Rocky Mount, North Carolina | Active | |||
| Lambda Pi | July 15, 2023 | Twin Cities (Minneapolis–Saint Paul) | Active | ||
| Dane County, Wisconsin | Colony |