Founding Date

Feb 2nd, 1974

“Delta Phi… First Chapter in the Second Century” (ANCHORA, Summer 1974, p16-17) The University of California, Irvine was one of three new University of California campuses established in the 1960s under the California Master Plan for Higher Education with the San Diego and Santa Cruz campuses. During the 1950s, the University of California saw the need for the new campuses to handle both the large number of college-bound World War II veterans (largely due to the G. I. Bill) and the expected increase in enrollment from the post-war baby boom. One of the new campuses was to be in the Los Angeles area; the location selected was Irvine Ranch, an area of agricultural land bisecting Orange County from north to south. This site was chosen to accommodate the county's growing population, complement the growth of nearby UCLA and UC Riverside, and allow for the construction of a master planned community in the surrounding area. Unlike most other University of California campuses, UCI was not named for the city it was built in; at the time of the university's founding in 1965, the current city of Irvine (incorporated in 1971) did not exist. The name "Irvine" is a reference to James Irvine, a landowner who administered the 94,000-acre Irvine Ranch. In 1960, The Irvine Company sold 1,000 acres of the Irvine Ranch to the University of California for one dollar, since a company policy prohibited the donation of property to a public entity. The University purchased an additional 510 acres in 1964 for housing and commercial developments. During this time, the University also hired William Pereira and Associates as the Master Planner of the Irvine Ranch area. Pereira intended for the UC Irvine campus to complement the neighboring community, and the two grew in tandem. Soon after UC Irvine opened in 1965, the City of Irvine became incorporated and established in 1971 and 1975, respectively. On June 20, 1964, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson dedicated UC Irvine before a crowd of 15,000 people, and on October 4, 1965 the campus began operations with 1,589 students, 241 staff members, 119 faculty, and 43 teaching assistants. In the spring of 1973, sororities were invited to apply for charter. Delta Gamma, Pi Beta Phi, and Gamma Phi Beta were selected to enter campus. Under the direction of Eleanor Slaughter, Director of Expansion, and Kathryn Gary, Fraternity President, October recruitment took place. Twenty-seven women were pledged, following by eight additional women from open recruitment. The first pledge president, Nancy Dunavant, later became first chapter president. On October 15, 1973, a ribbon pledging ceremony took place by Gamma Chi- Cal State, Long Beach. Formal pledging took place October 21, 1973 by members of Alpha Sigma- UCLA. Installation celebrations took place the weekend of February 1-2, 1974. Gamma Chi hosted an evening of inspiration on February 1. Initiation was held the next day, Saturday, February 2, at Our Lady Queen of Angels in Corona del Mar. Bread dough anchors were used as centerpieces. Members of Alpha Sigma officiated the ceremony. Thirty-four charter members and three patronesses were initiated. Saturday evening, the installation banquet was held at the Saddleback Inn in Santa Ana. Eleanor Slaughter, the NPC Delegate, presented the charter, and Marcia Leonhardt, Province XVII Collegiate Chairman, presented each woman with their membership certificate. Chancellor Daniel Aldrich extended greetings to the chapter and guests from the university, and Katherine Gary, Delta Gamma Fraternity President, added the Fraternity’s greetings to our 123rd collegiate chapter. Delta Phi held its first Anchor Splash® on February 27, 1982 at UC Irvine. Tradition continued with a fashion show (started in 1975) following the anchor games to raise funds for Blind Children’s Center. In October 1991, ground breaking for the Delta Gamma house began. On September 1, 1993, the Delta Phi chapter of Delta Gamma opened its house doors.