Founding Date

May 20th, 1990

As early as 1953, interest in expanding to University of California, Riverside was raised. The Dean of Women was setting up rules for sororities that year and alumna Mary Naeckel Woodford, Alpha Pi-Arizona brought this news to Council. Secretary and Expansion Chairman Irene Forman, Alpha Kappa-Washburn wrote the Provost of the university telling of our interest. Correspondence continued between Gordon Watkins, Provost, and Delta Gamma but it appears the planning for national sororities on campus was still being discussed. Finally, in 1987 Executive Offices received a letter from Assistant Vice Chancellor/Student Services, Vincent Del Pizzo requesting information about Delta Gamma. The decision had not yet been made to invite sororities to campus, but should the university make that decision, they wanted information from the organizations. On March 9, 1988 Delta Gamma provided a presentation to UC-Riverside but Pi Beta Phi was selected to colonize on campus the following spring. In February 1989 Delta Gamma was once more invited to make an expansion presentation and finally were selected The Zeta Lambda chapter colonized on campus January 17-20, 1990. The colonization process saw collegians from the Alpha Sigma-UCLA and Alpha Nu-USC chapters help with recruiting the first member class. One-hundred and seventy-six women were interviewed and a colony of 77 women was pledged. The pledge ceremony and reception were held in the Large Commons conference Room on January 20. This outstanding pledge class with an average GPA of 3.3 consisted of student leaders, three legacies (including 1989 Rose Award recipient, Bonnie Rusell’s granddaughter), the campus mascot (the Bear) and resident advisers. The Zeta Lambda chapter was officially installed on May 20, 1990 at 11:30AM in the American Legion Hall in Fairmont Park with the initiation of 72 women. Bonnie Mylne was initiated as a patroness. An Installation luncheon followed at the Victoria Club. The president of the Riverside Hope alumnae group Fran Bilderback, Alpha Pi-Arizona presented the chapter with the president’s badge. A beautiful punch bowl and ladle were a gift from the group. Jan Smith announced Province 17 West’s gift of ritual equipment. Fraternity President Maureen Syring, Nu-Idaho, VP: Finance Marilyn Fordham, Nu-Idaho, and VP: Collegians Karel Lambell, Delta Alpha-New Mexico attended the Installation. They were assisted by Carole Weninger, Eta-Akron, CAC; Anne (Gojdics) Signore, Epsilon-Ohio State, Coordinator of Expansion; Barbara King Heublein, Gamma-UC Berkeley, PAC XVII West; and Jan Smith, PCC XVII West. At Fraternity Convention in 1992-Palm Desert, Zeta Lambda was invited to perform the Initiation ceremony. This turned out to be a very memorable occasion as they performed it beautifully just 3 hours after the 7.4 earthquake and minutes after a 6.5 quake.