| Omega Phi Gamma | |
| Letters: | Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΩΦΓ |
| Crest: | Omega crest.png |
| Birthplace: | University of Texas at Austin |
| Affiliation: | Independent |
| Type: | Social |
| Status: | Active |
| Scope: | National |
| Emphasis: | Asian American |
| Motto: | "Bound by Honor, Rise Above All" |
| Colors: | Ash Grey, Black, and White |
| Symbol: | Dragon |
| Chapters: | 8 |
| Nickname: | Omegas and OPhiG |
| Address: | 2818 Rio Grande Street |
| City: | Austn |
| State: | Texas |
| Zip Code: | 78705-3608 |
| Country: | United States |
Omega Phi Gamma (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΩΦΓ, also known as Omegas or OPhiG) is an Asian-Interest collegiate fraternity in the United States. It was established at the University of Texas at Austin in 1995 and has expanded to include eight chapters in Texas and California.
Omega Phi Gamma was founded at the University of Texas at Austin in the fall of 1995. It originated with the big brother program of the sorority, Sigma Phi Omega.[1] [2] Its twenty founders were members of the Sigma Phi Omega big brother program and their close friends.[3] They envisioned was an organization that would "promote brotherhood, leadership and service within the Asian-American community".[4]
The founding fathers first meet on November 18, 1994. The founding fathers were:
On December 2, 1994, the founders officially introduced themselves to the University of Texas at Austin campus with a step show. In the spring of 1995, they visited already established Asian fraternities but were unimpressed with the quality of the fraternities.
On May 21, 1985, the founders voted unanimously to start a new fraternity.[5] They named it Omega Phi Gamma. The fraternity held its first rush in the fall of 1995. The chapter became a member of the Texas Asian Pan-Hellenic Council at the university.[6]
Later, one of the fraternity's early members proposed the establishment of a brother fraternity, now the South Asian interest fraternity Delta Epsilon Psi. Omega Pi Gamma, Sigma Phi Omega and Delta Epsilon Psi are called the Tri-family or Tri-fam.
The motto of Omega Phi Gamma is "Bound by Honor, Rise Above All".[7] Its symbol is the dragon. Its colors are ash grey, black, and white.[8] [9] Its nicknames are Omegas and OPhiG.
Each fall, the fraternity hosts the UNITY talent show, which showcases Asian American talent and features the Omegas step show.[10]
Omega Phi Gamma's annual philanthropic project is the Lance Armstrong Foundation, with members participating in the Austin LIVESTRONG Challenge.[11] In addition to this, Omega Phi Gamma members voleeteren including tutoring children at local schools,feeding the homeless at the University United Methodist Church, and repairing houses to be given to those less fortunate.
In 2015, fraternity's alumni fund an endowed scholarship at the University of Texas at Austin, the Omega Phi Gamma Endowed Scholarship. It is awarded to incoming freshmen who are pursuing degrees in business, engineering, geology, or natural sciences.
| Chapter | Chater date | Institution | Location | Status | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Founding chapter | 1995 | University of Texas at Austin | Austin, Texas | Active | ||
| Alpha | Baylor University | Waco, Texas | Active | |||
| Beta | 2004 | University of Houston | Houston, Texas | Active | ||
| Gamma | University of Texas at San Antonio | San Antonio, Texas | Active | |||
| Delta | 2014 | Texas A&M University | College Station, Texas | Active | [12] | |
| Epsilon | Dallas Citywide | Dallas, Texas | Active | |||
| Zeta | University of California, Irvine | Irvine, California | InActive | |||
| Eta | 2024 | Texas State University | San Marcos, Texas | Active | [13] |
In 2000, the founding chapter was placed on probation by the Universit of Texas for hazing.[14]