At the time of Northwestern’s Delta Delta Delta sorority chapter founding in 1895, women in the United States didn’t yet have the right to vote.
Women’s suffrage has now existed in the U.S for more than a century. So has NU’s chapter of the sorority, known as Tri Delta.
Current and alumni sisters gathered at the Tri Delta house midday Saturday to celebrate the chapter’s 130th birthday.
Attendees mingled while enjoying refreshments, including a charcuterie spread covering the living room table. Afterward, they bundled up in sweaters to hear speeches on the sorority quad lawn.
Former Upsilon Chapter House Corporation President Betty Olivera (Weinberg ’77) has remained involved in Tri Delta volunteer and promotion efforts since joining the sorority in the fall of her freshman year.
She spoke about traditions from the era she jokingly called “the dark ages,” such as signing up for landline phone duty and announcing engagements by blowing out candles.
Tri Delta national executive board director Stacey Cox and national executive board vice chair Sue Gorman said in a joint speech that although the world has changed since the chapter’s beginnings, the need for community among women remains.
“Having women friendships remains important in this world,” Cox said. “What was important in 1895 is still important today.”
Cox and Gorman spoke about Tri Delta’s long standing philanthropy with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through initiatives such as its “5K in a day” fundraiser.
The two speakers also commended Tri Delta’s resurgence after the COVID-19 pandemic. After the pandemic, membership dwindled to 12 members. Following recruitment efforts, most of which occurred through word-of-mouth, the house will reach full capacity again next year.
Medill freshman April Arabian, who joined Tri Delta earlier this year and became its director of lifetime membership shortly after, said she began planning the event just one month ago.
Even as a frequent party planner, she said she still didn’t know how the event would turn out 15 minutes before it began. But she said her nervousness gave way to excitement and eventually pride.
“This wasn’t somebody else’s wedding. This wasn’t somebody else’s event,” Arabian said. “This was my event for my sorority, for a chapter that I am a part of, and that’s different. It hit a little closer to home.”
Arabian said knowing Tri Delta’s national representatives would attend the event placed additional pressure on her as the event planner. However, Cox and Gorman said they noticed her efforts.
“What I saw in here were people who were genuine inside, kind, concerned for each other, supportive, all the things that you don’t see on the outside but are the real qualities of a Tri Delta woman,” Gorman said.
Although attendees spent most of their time conversing and reminiscing, they could also view photographs, letters and other archived materials dating back to the 1890s that decorated the walls.
While looking through these records, Arabian said she and other sisters learned membership dues in the 1900s cost three cents. Today’s dues cost $440 per quarter.
“We were like, ‘Gosh, the world has changed so much,’” Arabian said. “And it’s like, Tri Delta is still here, even though everything around us has changed.”
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