Delta Sigma Theta (ΔΣΘ) is a non-profit Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women who perform public service and place emphasis on the African American community. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913 by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University. These students wanted to use their collective strength to promote academic excellence and to provide assistance to persons in need. The first public act performed by the Delta Founders involved their participation in the Women's Suffrage March in Washington D.C., March 1913. Delta Sigma Theta was incorporated in 1930. Today, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is the largest African-American Greek-lettered sorority in the world. Membership in Delta Sigma Theta is open to any woman who meets the membership requirements, regardless of race, nationality, or religion. Women may join through undergraduate chapters at a college or university, or after acquiring a college degree through an alumnae chapter.

The Grand Chapter has a membership of more than 300,000 predominantly African-American, college-educated women, and educated Caucasian, Asian, Native American,Hispanic, and African women. The sorority currently has 950-plus alumnae and collegiate chapters located in the United States, England, Japan, Germany, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Korea, US Virgin Islands; Haiti and Jamaica.

Delta Sigma Theta has provided assistance to address the challenges faced by people in the United States and internationally as well. Over the years, the sorority has established programs to provide and improve education, health care, and international development, and strengthen the African-American family. Delta Sigma Theta provides public service initiatives through the Five-Point Program Thrust.

Five-Point Thrust

Delta Sigma Theta uses the Five-Point Thrust as an organizing structure as it creates programs to benefit the African-American community. The Five-Point Programmatic Thrust, which was established in 1955, includes:

1. Economic Development;
2. Educational Development;
3. International Awareness and Involvement;
4. Physical and Mental Health; and
5. Political Awareness and Involvement.

Each program's development and implementation operates cooperatively, coordinated by committees, the national executive board, and national headquarters staff. Leaders belonging to the Program Planning and Development Committee, Social Action Commission, Commission on Arts and Letters, Information and Communications Committee, Membership Services Committee and Regional Officers also participate in developing programming to meet the Five-Point Thrust.

Contact

To contact Delta Sigma Theta, Pi Psi Chapter at UC Santa Cruz, email dstpipsi@gmail.com.