Alpha Omicron Pi was founded on January 2, 1897 at Barnard College of Columbia University. Jessie Wallace Hughan, Helen St. Clair Mullan, Stella George Stern Perry and Elizabeth Heywood Wyman created Alpha Omicron Pi to encourage a spirit of fraternity and love among its members; to stand at all times for character, dignity, scholarship, and college loyalty; to strive for and support the best interests of the colleges and universities in which chapters are installed; and in no way to disregard, injure, or sacrifice those interests for the sake of the prestige or advancement of the fraternity or any of its chapters.
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History
Flower:
Our flower is the Jacqueminot Rose. With it's deep red color, it is the symbol of the central and essential value of the Fraternity. Our founders felt that rather than a crest, the beauty and simplicity of a rose signified the values of our fraternity. These values are based on greek ideals rather than medieval.
Badge:
The letters A, O, and II are superimposed. The badge is always worn over the heart and only by initiated members of Alpha Omicron Pi.
Jewel:
Our jewel is the ruby which is a symbol of friendship, love, and royalty.
Color:
Alpha Omicron Pi has only one color, cardinal. It is the color of the Fraternity flower, the ruby and the ribbon sometimes worn under the badge to welcome a new collegiate chapter
Animal:
While not an official symbol, the Fraternity and our chapters consider the Panda to be its mascot.
"What we want is high minded, like minded, loyal hearted girls who will work together happily and hard according to their talents for worthy achievements in and for their college. We want girls who will not only take a lot of fun and happiness out of college but also put some useful service into it, who will have enough grace to be popular, enough generosity to enjoy life with others and the esteem of others, but enough character to do all this without making the slightest concession of principal or conduct."
- Stella George Stern Perry, AOII Founder