Sigma Alpha Omega

American Christian collegiate sorority

Sigma Alpha Omega (ΣΑΩ) is an American non denominational Christian sorority for women, founded at North Carolina State University on January 5, 1998. However, they can trace their roots back to the once co educational Chi Alpha Omega fraternity founded at East Carolina University in 1987. The sorority was formed after a vote of active members at the NCSU chapter in 1998 and focuses on setting good moral examples for their peers and their community.

Sigma Alpha Omega was formed as a sister sorority to Chi Alpha Omega, a Christian Fraternity. Founded in 1987 at East Carolina University, Chi Alpha Omega later established a little sister program to include their sisters in Christ. Soon after, the fraternity changed fully to co ed. In January 1998, the active brothers (both males and females) of the Beta chapter of Chi Alpha Omega at North Carolina State University voted to form Sigma Alpha Omega. Both groups are committed to living according to the ideals of Christ, uplifting each other through fellowship and service, and bringing the love of Christ to North Carolina State University. The founding sisters of Sigma Alpha Omega were Michelle Bull, Kathryn Meyer, Kimberly Rogers, and Josie Watson. As the sorority grew, sisters of the Alpha chapter worked for three years to prepare documents to support a National Board of Trustees. In the spring of 2004, active and alumnae members of the Alpha chapter met and established a national board. The first National Board of Trustees consisted of alumnae members from the Alpha chapter. Sigma Alpha Omega Christian Sorority, Inc was officially recognized as a national non profit organization in North Carolina in June 2004. It was granted tax exempt status by the IRS in 2014. The sorority's national headquarters is in Germantown, Tennessee. The official shield and crest was designed by SAO's Alpha chapter alumna and former Trustee, Natasha Smith. It incorporates the Armor of God, the official colors, motto, founding year, and mascots. Its mascot is the dove and its flower is the lily. Luke 1:46 47

On June 2, 2007, at the annual National Convention, the current sisters of Sigma Alpha Omega recognized a need to have a unified philanthropic focus among all chapters to have a greater impact. The sisters voted to adopt ovarian cancer awareness as their national philanthropy after learning of the need for awareness about this type of cancer. The individual chapters of Sigma Alpha Omega focus on awareness and education about ovarian cancer through physical and financial support. In 2013 Sisters by Grace, Sigma Alpha Omega's affiliated non profit organization was founded to support sisters of Sigma Alpha Omega by providing funds and opportunities for sister development in academics, leadership, spiritual growth, and mission work. All of these activities aim to build not only sisters' relationship with each other, their families, and friends but most importantly, their relationship with Christ.

Sigma Alpha Omega has 34 active chapters across twelve states. Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are indicated in italic. ChapterChartered/Range UniversityLocation StatusReference AlphaJanuary 5, 1998 North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, North Carolina Active BetaFall 1999 Appalachian State UniversityBoone, North Carolina Active GammaSpring 2001–c. 2016 Elon UniversityElon, North Carolina Inactive Delta2002–20xx ? Millikin UniversityDecatur, Illinois Inactive Epsilon200x ?–20xx ?, 2017–202x ? University of MissouriColumbia, Missouri Inactive Zeta colony200x ?–20xx ? University of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, California Inactive Eta2003–201x ? Shaw UniversityRaleigh, North Carolina Inactive ThetaFall 2003 Georgia College and State UniversityMilledgeville, Georgia Active IotaSpring 2004 East Carolina UniversityGreenville, North Carolina Active Kappa colony2004–20xx ? Bethel UniversityArden Hills, Minnesota Inactive Lambda2004–20xx ? California State University, ChicoChico, California Inactive MuFall 2004 University of GeorgiaAthens, Georgia Active NuSpring 2005 Western Carolina UniversityCullowhee, North Carolina Active Xi2005–201x ? Illinois Wesleyan UniversityBloomington, Illinois Inactive OmicronApril 20, 2005 University of North Carolina, WilmingtonWilmington, North Carolina Active PiMarch 2006 University of West GeorgiaCarrollton, Georgia Inactive RhoSpring 2006–c. 2016 Valdosta State UniversityValdosta, Georgia Inactive Sigma20xx ?–20xx ? Alma CollegeAlma, Michigan Inactive Tau20xx ?–20xx ? Atlanta Christian College (now Point University)East Point, Georgia Inactive Upsilon20xx ?–20xx ?, January 14, 2017 University of North Carolina, CharlotteCharlotte, North Carolina Active Phi colony20xx ?–20xx ? Georgia Southwestern State UniversityAmericus, Georgia Inactive ChiFall 2007 University of South CarolinaColumbia, South Carolina Active PsiSpring 2008–c. 2018 University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, New Mexico Inactive Omega200x ?–Fall 2016 Cameron UniversityLawton, Oklahoma Inactive Alpha AlphaMay 8, 2009 James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, Virginia Inactive Alpha BetaApril 30, 2010 University of North Carolina, GreensboroGreensboro, North Carolina Inactive Alpha Gamma2010–20xx ? Armstrong State University (now Georgia Southern University–Armstrong Campus)Savannah, Georgia Inactive Alpha DeltaFall 2010 Christopher Newport UniversityNewport News, Virginia Active Alpha EpsilonSpring 2012 University of WisconsinMadison, Wisconsin Inactive Alpha ZetaFall 2012 University of Virginia's College at WiseWise, Virginia Active Alpha Eta201x ?–20xx ? Palm Beach Atlantic UniversityWest Palm Beach, Florida Inactive Alpha ThetaApril 27, 2013–Spring 2020 University of VirginiaCharlottesville, Virginia Inactive Alpha Iota2013–20xx ? University of DelawareNewark, Delaware Inactive Alpha Kappa2013–202x ? Georgia State UniversityAtlanta, Georgia Inactive Alpha LambdaNovember 1, 2013 Radford UniversityRadford, Virginia Active Alpha Mu2013–20xx ? Virginia TechBlacksburg, Virginia Inactive Alpha Nu2013–20xx ? Lindsey Wilson CollegeColumbia, Kentucky Inactive Alpha XiNovember 15, 2013 Campbell UniversityBuie's Creek, North Carolina Active Alpha OmicronFall 2013 Clemson UniversityClemson, South Carolina Active Alpha PiJanuary 3, 2014–202x ? Towson UniversityTowson, Maryland Inactive Alpha RhoJanuary 10, 2014 University of South Florida Sarasota ManateeSarasota, Florida Inactive Alpha SigmaMarch 1, 2014 Kennesaw State UniversityKennesaw, Georgia Inactive Alpha Tau2014–20xx ? State University of New York–AlbanyAlbany, New York Inactive Alpha Upsilon2014–c. 2020 Lee UniversityCleveland, Tennessee Inactive Alpha Phi2014–2016 Emory UniversityAtlanta, Georgia Inactive Alpha ChiJanuary 9, 2015 University of MichiganAnn Arbor, Michigan Inactive Alpha PsiFebruary 6, 2015 Longwood UniversityFarmville, Virginia Inactive Alpha OmegaDecember 12, 2015 Michigan State UniversityEast Lansing, Michigan Inactive Beta AlphaApril 30, 2016 Roanoke CollegeSalem, Virginia Inactive Beta BetaMay 14, 2016 Mars Hill UniversityMars Hill, North Carolina Inactive Beta Gamma201x ?–20xx ? Mid Atlantic Christian UniversityElizabeth City, North Carolina Inactive Beta DeltaJanuary 27, 2017 Jacksonville State UniversityJacksonville, Alabama Active Beta EpsilonFebruary 10, 2017 Emmanuel CollegeFranklin Springs, Georgia Inactive Beta ZetaAugust 25, 2017 Vanguard UniversityCosta Mesa, California Active Beta EtaMay 12, 2018West Chester, PAWest Chester, Pennsylvania ActiveBeta ThetaFebruary 16, 2019University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaActiveBeta IotaNovember 22, 2019Eastern University, PASt. David's, PennsylvaniaActiveBeta LambdaMarch 7, 2020Texas A&M UniversityTexarkana, TexasInactiveBeta MuSeptember 8, 2020University of Texas, AustinAustin, TexasActiveBeta NuJanuary 7, 2022University of North GeorgiaDahlonega, GeorgiaActive

The sorority has a National Alumnae Association with regional committees. Previously Sigma Alpha Omega had four recognized alumnae groups at various points: the Midwest Alumnae Association, the Southeast Alumnae Association, the North Carolina Alumnae Association, and the Georgia Alumnae Association.