Sigma Kappa History

The Beginning of the Mystic Bond

Colby College in Waterville, Maine was the first college in New England to admit women on an equal basis with males. The first woman was admitted in 1871, and for two years Mary Caffrey Low was the only female student at Colby College. In 1873, four more young women from Maine were admitted. Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, Ida Fuller, Frances Mann and Louise Helen Coburn immediately became friends with Low and they found themselves together frequently. During the school year of 1873-74, the five young women decided to form a literary and social society. They were told by the college administration that they needed to present a constitution and bylaws with a petition requesting permission to form Sigma Kappa Sorority. They began work during that year with an eager glow of enthusiasm. In the beginning, their purpose was that the sorority should become what it is now, a national organization of college women. On November 9, 1874, the five young women received a letter from the faculty approving their petition. Thus, this date has since been considered our Founder's Day.

In 1904, Delta chapter was installed at Boston University. Elydia Foss of Alpha chapter had transferred to Boston and met a group of women who refused to join any of the other groups on campus. When asked if Sigma Kappa was a national organization, Elydia replied, "No, but it is founded on a national basis." Elydia then took the necessary steps to make Sigma Kappa a national sorority and it was incorporated in the state of Maine on April 19, 1904. Their new status as a national sorority made Sigma Kappa eligible to join what was then called the Interfraternity Conference, now known as the National Panhellenic Conference. Additionally, Sigma Kappa was the first Greek organization to refer to itself as a sorority. Before that, all other Greek letter societies were called fraternities.

To learn more about our heritage, symbols, and traditions, visit the National Sigma Kappa website.