National History
The founding of Theta Phi Alpha is a story of a group of young friends, much like the members of today, that were faced with a myriad of challenges and issues on their campus. By joining together, they provided support and friendship to one another to meet the challenges that they faced and to create an organization that would enable future generations to share that sisterhood. We recognize the contributions of the sisters who have gone before us and acknowledge that, without them, our experience today would be very different.
Theta Phi Alpha was founded on August 30, 1912 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor by a group of Catholic women struggling to form an organization. At the time, other Greek sororities on campus were not very welcoming to Catholic women and our 10 Founders, under the direction of Bishop Edward D. Kelley, worked tirelessly to create a place for themselves and other Catholic women to go to for friendship and a place like home. Since then, Theta Phi Alpha has opened its doors to all faiths, and around the country promotes leadership, scholarship, service, and sisterhood.
Theta Phi Alpha was founded on August 30, 1912 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor by a group of Catholic women struggling to form an organization. At the time, other Greek sororities on campus were not very welcoming to Catholic women and our 10 Founders, under the direction of Bishop Edward D. Kelley, worked tirelessly to create a place for themselves and other Catholic women to go to for friendship and a place like home. Since then, Theta Phi Alpha has opened its doors to all faiths, and around the country promotes leadership, scholarship, service, and sisterhood.
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Founding Sisters
Dorothy Caughey Phalan
Katrina Caughey Ward
Mildred Connely
Selma Gilday
Otilia Leuchtweis O'Hara
Amelia McSweeney
Camilla Ryan Sutherland
Helen Ryan Quinlan
May C. Ryan
Eva Stroh Bauer Everson