Founding Date

Oct 20th, 1984

Loyola University New Orleans is a private, co-educational, Jesuit university located in New Orleans, Louisiana. Originally established as Loyola College in 1904, the institution was chartered as a university in 1912. It bears the name of the Jesuit founder, Saint Ignatius of Loyola. Loyola is one of 28 member institutions that make up the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The local sorority Phi Phi Phi was founded on November 22, 1957. In August of 1983, with the encouragement of the Loyola University administration, Phi Phi Phi sent word to all Greek groups (through National Panhellenic Conference) that they were interested in national affiliation. Tri-Phi excelled in many areas, particularly student government and academics – averaging a 2.9 GPA, well above the all-women's average. After NPC announced Tri-Phi’s interest in becoming a national sorority, Delta Gamma Province Collegiate Chairman Charlene Segrest Glenn, Gamma Mu-Florida State, visited Loyola University. She spoke with members of Tri-Phi and in response, Delta Gamma sent background information to Carol Bangs, the Tri-Phi contact. Carol presented the Delta Gamma expansion materials to the group and they immediately decided to petition Delta Gamma. A formal presentation was made by Delta Gamma representatives to the members of Tri- Phi on January 21, 1984. A telephone call on February 4, 1984 relayed the good news that a Delta Gamma area vote approved the new colony. Pledging was held on Saturday, February 18 at the campus chapel. At the first pledge meeting, the advisers presented each new pledge with a long-stemmed cream rose tied with bronze, pink, and blue ribbons. Epsilon Phi chapter of Delta Gamma was installed on October 20, 1984, at Loyola University. Chapter members from Gamma Zeta-Louisiana State installed the chapter and 56 collegians and 6 alumnae were initiated into membership of Delta Gamma Fraternity. A breakfast was held before the Initiation, and then a reception followed in the home of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Keyworth, parents of Patricia Neal Keyworth, Gamma Xi-Texas Tech. The same day, an Installation Banquet was held at the Stephen & Martin Restaurant, on historic St. Charles Avenue, at 12:30 p.m. Maureen Sweeney Syring, Nu-Idaho, Vice-President: Membership, was the Toastmistress and presented the charter to chapter president, Pat Eimers. Installation chairman Alma Peters Dunlap, Gamma Zeta-Louisiana State, and her committee provided a beautiful celebration weekend. It was a special coincidence that Phi was the Greek letter available in the Epsilon sequence of new chapters of Delta Gamma when Phi Phi Phi colonized. In the last half of the 1980s, the big Epsilon Phi hangouts were the Rendon Inn, Cooter Brown’s and Fat Harry’s. Because most of the women lived in the same dorm, the dorm was always a great meeting spot. They also enjoyed hanging out on the steps, or couches in the Danna Center Student Center. Popular social functions included: Pledge/ Member Party, Spring Formal, Semi-formal, mixers with Loyola and Tulane fraternities, Crush Party, Boxer Rebellion, St. Patrick’s Day Party and Anchor Splash®. In 1991, the chapter received the highest scholastic GPA. Anchor Splash returned in 1992 and was received with a lot of support from everyone on campus.