Sigma Psi Zeta () Sorority, Inc., also known as Sigmas or SYZ, is a progressive multicultural American sorority. It was founded on March 23, 1994, at the University at Albany and incorporated in New York on March 15, 1996. It is the third-largest Asian-interest sorority in the nation. It is a part of the National APIDA Panhellenic Association (NAPA).
History
Plans for the Sigma Psi Zeta sorority were formed in the fall semester of 1993 at SUNY Albany by a group of female undergraduates from different backgrounds. The sorority was formed in part to address the dual difficulties faced by Asian women. Its founding mothers were Gina Han, Sally Hsieh, Jean Kim, Jenny Kim, Sandra Lam, Winnie Liu, Yan-Chieh Liu, Michelle Macaraig, Sung-Yon Noh, and Loan Trang.
On March 23, 1994, the sorority was officially recognized by the university. Within a year, a second chapter was formed at SUNY University at Binghamton. The sorority was incorporated in New York on March 15, 1996.
Internally, the sorority uses the term "womxn" instead of "woman" or "women". Similarly, it uses "sxsters" or "syzters" in place of "sisters". Similar terminology has been adopted by other multicultural organizations.
Symbols
The sorority's colors are red and gold and its flower is a yellow rose with baby's breath. Its motto is "Lead from the front."
Membership
Sigma Psi Zeta has 35 active units (23 chapters and 12 charters) in the states/commonwealths of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin.
Chapters
thumb|Pi chapter of Sigma Psi Zeta at [[George Washington University]]
Following are the chapters of Sigma Psi Zeta. The sorority differentiates between three levels of organization at its campus units. Chapter status appears to be the ultimate goal. Newer or emerging groups are called charters. The third type is denoted as Interest Groups; an interest group must have permission to form from campus administration and must include at least ten members.
Active groups are listed here in bold, inactive groups are listed in italics.
{| class="wikitable sticky-header sortable"
!Chapter
!Charter date and range
!Institution
!Location
!Status
!
|-
|Alpha
|
|University at Albany, SUNY
|Albany, NY
|Active
|
|-
|Beta charter
| – xxxx ?, 20xx ?
|Binghamton University
|Binghamton, NY
|Active
|
|-
|Gamma
| – 20xx ?
|Saint John's University
|Jamaica, NY
|Inactive
|
|-
|Delta
|
|University at Buffalo
|Buffalo, NY
|Active
|
|-
|Epsilon
| – 20xx ?
|SUNY Oneonta
|Oneonta, NY
|Inactive
|
|-
|Zeta
| – 20xx ?
|Pace University
|New York, NY
|Inactive
|
|-
|Eta
|
|Stony Brook University
|Stony Brook, NY
|Active
|
|-
|Theta charter
| – 20xx ?; 202x ?
|University of Massachusetts Amhers
|Amherst, MA
|Active
|
|-
|Iota
|
|University of Rochester
|Rochester, NY
|Active
|
|-
|Kappa charter
| – 20xx ?; 20xx?
|Virginia Tech
|Blacksburg, VA
|Active
|
|-
|Lambda
|
|University of Virginia
|Charlottesville, VA
|Active
|
|-
|Mu
| – 201x ?
|SUNY Geneseo
|Geneseo, NY
|Inactive
|
|-
|Nu
|
|Drexel University
|Philadelphia, PA
|Active
|
|-
|Xi
|
|University of Nebraska–Lincoln
|Lincoln, NE
|Active
|
|-
|Omicron
| – 202x ?
|Stanford University
|Stanford, CA
|Inactive
|
|-
|Pi
|
|George Washington University
|Washington, D.C.
|Active
|
|-
|Rho
|
|University of Washington
|Seattle, WA
|Active
|
|-
|Tau
|
|University of Maryland, College Park
|College Park, MD
|Active
|
|-
|Upsilon
|
|University of Pennsylvania
|Philadelphia, PA
|Active
|
|-
|Phi
|
|University of Colorado Boulder
|Boulder, CO
|Active
|
|-
|Chi
| – 201x ?
|Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
|Shippensburg, PA
|Inactive
|
|-
|Alpha Alpha
| – 201x ?
|Yale University
|New Haven, CT
|Inactive
|
|-
|Alpha Beta
|
|Northwestern University
|Evanston, IL
|Active
|
|-
|Alpha Gamma charter
|
|Villanova University
|Villanova, PA
|Active
|
|-
|Alpha Delta
|
|Rutgers University
|New Brunswick, NJ
|Active
|
|-
|Alpha Epsilon
|
|University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
|Champaign, IL
|Active
|
|-
|Alpha Zeta charter
|
|Saint Joseph's University
|Philadelphia, PA
|Active
|
|-
|Alpha Eta
| – 20xx ?
|New York City
|New York City
|Inactive
|
|-
|Alpha Theta
|
|Wichita State University
|Wichita, KS
|Active
|
|-
|Alpha Iota
|
|University of California, Berkeley
|Berkeley, CA
|Active
|
|-
|Alpha Kappa
|
|University of Minnesota
|Minneapolis, MN
|Active
|
|-
|Alpha Lambda
|
|Rochester Institute of Technology
|Rochester, NY
|Active
|
|-
|Alpha Mu
|
|University of Kansas
|Lawrence, KS
|Active
|
|-
|Alpha Nu
|
|George Mason University
|Fairfax, VA
|Active
|
|-
|Alpha Xi charter
|
|Syracuse University
|Syracuse, NY
|Active
|
|-
|Alpha Omicron charter
|
|Indiana University Indianapolis
|Indianapolis, IN
|Active
|
|-
|Alpha Pi charter
|
|University of Wisconsin–Madison
|Madison, WI
|Active
|
|-
|Alpha Rho
|
|Stevens Institute of Technology
|Hoboken, NJ
|Active
|
|-
|Alpha Tau charter
|
|New York University
|New York City, NY
|Active
|
|-
| Alpha Upsilon
|
|Northeastern University
|Boston, MA
|Active
|
|-
|Alpha Phi charter
|
|Western Michigan University
|Kalamazoo, MI
|Active
|
|-
|Alpha Chi charter
|
|Washington State University
|Pullman, WA
|Active
|
|-
|Alpha Psi charter
|
|Temple University
|Philadelphia, PA
|Active
|
|}
Notes
See also
- List of social fraternities and sororities
- List of Asian American fraternities and sororities
- Cultural interest fraternities and sororities