Founding Date

Dec 4th, 1959

In 1858, women at the Santa Clara Female Institute established Epsilon Lambda Sigma, the first literary society west of the Mississippi River. The original purpose of the organization was for the women to “combine intellectual effort with social enjoyment.” In 1884, the society adopted the colors pink, blue, and faun, and four years later established their badge as the letter ‘E’ set with pearls. In May of 1959, members of Epsilon Lambda Sigma requested permission of the University of the Pacific to petition Delta Gamma for a charter. With their blessing, thirty women of Epsilon Lambda Sigma signed the May 26, 1959 petition to grant their sorority a Delta Gamma charter. In September of 1959, Council voted to approve the petition, and on December 4, the Delta Epsilon chapter of Delta Gamma was chartered at the University of the Pacific. That evening, 60 collegians and 105 alumnae were initiated into Delta Gamma. The following day, Delta Epsilon was installed with the 65 members of Epsilon Lambda Sigma. In attendance were collegians of the Gamma Eta-San Jose State and Gamma-UC Berkeley chapters, as well as national officers and Delta Gamma alumnae from across the state. The newly initiated Delta Gamma women were considered the “cream of the crop”, establishing the Delta Epsilon chapter as a chapter worthy of the “top place on campus”. Since then, Delta Epsilon women have been leaders on campus, both academically and in their extra curriculars. In their first few decades, they regularly recruited the largest new member classes featuring the best women of campus. In the fall of 1982, Delta Epsilon held its first Anchor Splash®. In the spring of 1925, the society made secret plans to build a house for the members of Epsilon Lambda Sigma. Work began on July 1, and by September 4 of 1925, the first members were able to sleep in the house. In 1959, an addition was added to the house, expanding the capacity to accommodate 54 women.