(OPA, O-Phi-A, or ΩΦΑ) is an
American national
Service Sorority . It was founded in
1967 at
Bowling Green State University in
Bowling Green, Ohio . OPA currently has seventeen active chapters in the
United States .
The purpose of Omega Phi Alpha reads as follows:
The purpose and goals of this sorority shall be to assemble its members in the fellowship of Omega Phi Alpha, to develop friendship, leadership and cooperation by promoting service to the university community, to the community-at-large, to the members of the sorority, and to the nations of the world.
In
1953 , the Zeta Kappa chapter of
Alpha Phi Omega , a national service fraternity, expressed interest in forming a group much like theirs to help them in their service endeavors. Brothers of Zeta Kappa formed interest groups for a new organization, and many of the attendees at these interest groups were female. The need for a women's service sorority then became evident.
The two groups were to be alike in objectives -- friendship, leadership, and service. A similar name -- Omega Phi Alpha -- was chosen for the new organization.
Two more Omega Phi Alpha groups were formed at
Eastern Michigan University and the
University Of Bridgeport in
1958 and
1962 , respectively. All three groups had the intention of becoming a national sorority together; however, it would be five more years before national status was reached.
In
1966 , plans for a national convention, at which the three chapters could meet, were made. In the summer of 1967, the three groups met in Bowling Green for the first time and laid the foundations for what is currently Omega Phi Alpha. The Bowling Green group was given the title of Alpha Chapter,
University Of Bridgeport became the Beta Chapter, and Eastern Michigan was named the Gamma Chapter.
Alpha, Beta, and Gamma chapters continued for several years as a national sorority until women at
Texas A&M University formed the Delta chapter in
1971 . Currently, there are seventeen chapters of Omega Phi Alpha.
Omega Phi Alpha has a diverse, flexible service program which allows each member to contribute to the world around her. Many chapters have ongoing projects that they have worked with for years.
1. : The permanent project is
Mental Health .
Mental Health service projects are defined as any project that improves the well being of others, and these projects are typically hands on projects such as playing with kids in an afterschool program, playing
Bingo at a
Nursing Home , or serving food at a
Soup Kitchen .
2. : Each year at Omega Phi Alpha National Convention, the National President of Omega Phi Alpha presents the cause she feels is worthy of being the focus of OPA service nationwide. For the 2005-2006 school year, the President's Project is
Education . Past projects include the
Girl Scouts Of The USA ,
Literacy , and internal organization keypoints.
3. : Volunteering to help at a school event, holding stress relief classes, random acts of kindness
4. : Local park clean ups, food banks, tutoring at a local school, Humane Society volunteering
5. : Alumnae, internal strengthening
6. :
UNICEF , AIDS Awareness, diabetes awareness (American Diabetes Association), breast cancer awareness (Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, among others)
Through these six areas of service, active and alumnae chapters plan a variety of service projects year each to carry out and make a difference.
- Alpha - Bowling Green State University , Bowling Green, OH
- Gamma - Eastern Michigan University , Ypsilanti, MI
- Delta - Texas A&M University , College Station, TX
- Epsilon - Tennessee Technological University , Cookeville, TN
- Mu - Middle Tennessee State University , Murfreesboro, TN
- Nu - Georgia Institute Of Technology , Atlanta, GA {Link without Title}
- Omicron - Auburn University , Auburn, AL
- Rho - Western Kentucky University , Bowling Green, KY
- Sigma - University Of Tennessee , Chattanooga, TN
- Tau - University Of Texas , Austin, TX
- Upsilon - University Of Louisiana , Lafayette, LA
- Phi - Arizona State University , Tempe, AZ
- Chi - University Of South Carolina , Columbia, SC
- Psi - Texas A&M University , Corpus Christi, TX {Link without Title}
- Alpha Alpha - Northern Arizona University , Flagstaff, AZ
- Alpha Beta - University Of Mississippi , Oxford, MS
- Alpha Gamma - Oklahoma State University , Stillwater, OK
- Alpha Delta - Georgia Southern University , Statesboro, GA
- Beta - University Of Bridgeport , Bridgeport, CT
- Zeta - Wayland Baptist College , Plainview, TX
- Eta - Amarillo College , Amarillo, TX
- Theta - West Virginia Institute Of Technology , Montgomery, WV
- Iota - Western Michigan University , Kalamazoo, MI
- Kappa - Capital University , Columbus, OH
- Lambda University Of Connecticut , Storrs, CT
- Xi - University Of North Alabama , Florence, AL
- Pi - Teikyo Post University , Waterbury, CT
- Omega - Rutgers University , New Brunswick, NJ
- Omega Beta - Michigan Alumnae Association
- Omega Gamma - Greater Atlanta Alumnae Association
- Omega Delta - Greater Nashville Area Alumnae Chapter
- Omega Zeta - Austin Area Alumnae Chapter (inactive)
- Omega Eta - Knoxville Alumnae chapter (inactive)
