Local History

On April 4, 1984, in an on-campus apartment, Carmeline Rodriguez and Laura Stricker began to think about starting a new sorority at their school, Chapman College. It seemed like fate when they spoke with Carol Blanchard, an alumna of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority, about her special memories of Gamma Phi. The ideals of this sorority seemed so similar to those visualized by Carmelina and Laura. 

Now with a name and ever increasing possibilities, Laura and Carmelina began contracting other women on the Chapman campus who they hoped would share their vision of founding the Gamma Phi local sorority.  Elizabeth Brown, Katrina McLean, Kathleen Skaff, Julie Dietrick, and Denise More all joined Laura and Carmelina as founding members of this local sorority and the sparks of sisterhood began to grow. On October 4, 1985 Gamma Phi Beta local sorority was officially recognized as a Greek organization on the campus of Chapman College.  In 1988, after three years of growing strength and sisterhood, the officers of Chapman’s local Gamma Phi Beta sorority began contracting the International office of Gamma Phi Beta with the hope of being granted a national charter.  After many months of correspondence, Gamma Phi Beta finally sent their director of Extension, Karen Kline, out to see the local Gamma hi’s in Nov ember of 1988.  On February 1 1989 Gamma Phi Beta was invited to become a colony of the International Gamma Phi Beta Sorority.  After a semester of training and guidance from numerous International Gamma Phi Beta officers, the Epsilon Nu Chapter of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority was installed at Chapman University on April 29, 1989 with 30 founding sisters. 

In the late 1800s, the few women that were admitted to colleges and universities in the United States were admitted reluctantly and negatively, facing harsh opposition from their conservative friends, family and faculty. The few "appropriate" and "genteel" careers open to women included dressmaking, teaching music and china painting, and instructing elementary classes - all with low pay. It took a truly ambitious woman to succeed.

Helen M. Dodge, Frances E. Haven, E. Adeline Curtis and Mary A. Bingham were courageous women that could see beyond the limits of their time. They recognized the opportunity a women's society presented, and aimed to establish one that would promote literary culture and social improvement among its members. 

On November 11, 1874 , the four founders met in Dr. J. J. Brown's study for the first official meeting of Gamma Phi Beta. As The University Herald, Syracuse University's newspaper, reported the following spring, "A new ladies' society made its appearance at the close of last term, and is to be known as Gamma Phi Beta . . . The ladies have started on the right principle, are select in the choice of members, and we see no reason why a prosperous future is not in store for Gamma Phi Beta."

Gamma Phi Beta became the first women's fraternity to be called a sorority. Gamma Phi Beta now has an international membership of over 130,000 members, with 117 collegiate chapters and over 200 alumnae groups worldwide.