Chapter History

"There are some memories in life that can never be duplicated, never be replicated and you always carry them with you wherever you go – that is what Xi Delta Gamma will always be. Going national with Alpha Xi Delta was not the end of Xi Delta Gamma – it was the ultimate achievement of what Xi Delta Gamma stood for, and always will."
Sharon J. Schroeder, Theta Upsilon Founder

Founded in 1989 by eight women, Xi Delta Gamma (ΞΔΓ) was the sole local sorority among four national sororities at Youngstown State University. The Greek organization consisted of merely ten members, eight of which were considered the founders of the sorority. By 1990, Xi Delta Gamma had doubled its membership size.

Xi Delta Gamma was created for many reasons, one of them being the need to expand the Greek system at YSU. Other reasons included the want to create an organization that promised individuality and cohesiveness among its members, as well as to provide a warm and friendly atmosphere that would not seem foreboding to prospective new members of the group.

The name Xi Delta Gamma was chosen quite deliberately. As the founders searched for the perfect union of Greek letters, they focused on the letters that would give their organization a special meaning. XI (Ξ) in Greek means sisterhood, virtue, and diligence. DELTA (Δ) in Greek means devotion, while GAMMA (Γ) means love. All three Greek symbols are eternal, they have no beginning or end. The Xi Delta Gamma founders chose these letters because they signified the idea that the bond between the sisters of the sorority would last forever.

The colors of Xi Delta Gamma were navy, gold, and white. Navy signified the unknown challenges that the sisters had yet to face. Gold signified the organizations strive for excellence. White signified the purity of the bond that held the sisters together as one unit.

The gemstone of Xi Delta Gamma was the sapphire. The sapphire was a symbol of the strength and determination of the sorority to succeed in every aspect. The organization’s flower was the yellow rose. The yellow rose was a reminder of the eternal friendships made within the bonds of sisterhood. The mascot of Xi Delta Gamma was the white bear. As the bear was a symbol of the sorority’s strength and resourcefulness.

The sorority’s local philanthropy in 1989 was the Blind Society, but by 1990 the sisters consistently volunteered their services at the Ronald McDonald House. The sisters provided a significant amount of relief for the Ronald McDonald House employees by making house renovations, baking cookies, and participating in the House’s activities for children. The Great American Smokeout (1991) and the Mahoning County Unit of the American Cancer Society (1992) also became philanthropic services in which the sisters of Xi Delta Gamma honored.

As the local organization evolved, Xi Delta Gamma became one of the leading Greek-letter fraternities in the YSU community. In 1995, Xi Delta Gamma began to look beyond the Youngstown State campus and searched for a national fraternity to affiliate with and to expand upon the Xi Delta Gamma ideals.

On April 13, 1996, Xi Delta Gamma became the Theta Upsilon Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta. With the National Council of Alpha Xi Delta in attendance, a reception in honor of the chapter was held at the Holiday Inn Metroplex in Liberty, Ohio. Thirty-three women were initiated including five alumnae initiates. Within its 16th year, the Theta Upsilon Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta has a history filled with excellence and dedication to thrive in YSU's Greek community.