To the world, I promise temperance and insight and courage.
Current Executive Board members and their office duties.
To crusade for justice, to seek the truth, and defend it always;
To those who my life may touch in slight measure, may I give graciously of what is mine.
To those closer ones, a love that is ever steadfast;
To my friends, understanding and appreciation;
To my mind, growth;
To myself, faith,
That I may walk truly in the light of the flame.
-Dorothy M. Williams
So goes the Delta Zeta creed, words that are held close
to the hearts of all Delta Zeta's throughout the years.
Delta Zeta is a national sorority that was founded in
1902 at Oxford University. The University of Iowa chapter
was founded in 1913 as the Iota (9th) chapter in the U.S.
The Iota chapter is proud to be one of the 5 remaining single
letter chapters left. We have been at the University of Iowa
for more than 85 years, and are looking forward to celebrating
our 100 year anniversary at Iowa.
We are currently located on South Dodge in Iowa City, in a house
built in the early 1940's. We have kept our house in it's
original form, with 16 bedrooms holding up to 36 people.
The DZ house at the U. of Iowa currently offers the following amenities:
- laundry facilities (washers and dryers)
- vending machines
- TV's/VCR's/stereos
- study areas, including a study room complete with computers and printers
- open kitchen (you can snack at 3:00 in the morning if you wish)
- baby grand piano
- plenty of free, off-street parking
- single, double, or triple person bedrooms
- an off campus location (it's about 5 minutes to walk to campus, yet still far enough away that it's quiet)
- the house was recently remodeled on all 3 floors
A few facts about Delta Zeta nationally:
-We are one of the largest sororities, having more than 170,000 members
-There are almost 300 chapters around the world
-Our badge is the Roman Lamp
-Our colors are Old Rose and Vieux Green
-Our flower is the kilarney rose
-Our jewel is the diamond
-The turtle is our mascot
-Delta Zeta is also the only true Sorority in the world. All other "sororities" are actually womens' fraternities. We are the one, the only, Delta Zeta Sorority!
-We have our own magazine, The LAMP, that is sent out
to thousands of alumni and current members throughout the world.
We are proud to display our Delta Zeta crest. At the Iota chapter,
we have one of the 3 remaining original crests hanging
in our formal living room. (Ohio State, the Theta Chapter has one; if anyone else knows who has the other, we'd love to know!) This crest was given to our
chapter in 1913 when we came to the University of Iowa.
Many may ask, why join a sorority? More imporantly,
why join Delta Zeta? What will Delta Zeta do for me?
Those of us currently in the house asked ourselves these
same questions. We all wondered what we were going to get
out of the Delta Zeta experience. There are four parts of
Delta Zeta which we consider to be the most important aspects
of not only the college experience, but life in general:
1) Friendship
We in Delta Zeta have found life long friends in our
sorority. Of course we have our bad times, but in all
of us we have found a friend and a sister. College is
one of the hardest times in a woman's life, and we are
able to provide the confidence, support, and encouragement
to our sisters that all college students need to get
through these years. Friendship makes doing everything
a little bit more fun, and enriches the days that we spend
away at school.
2) Scholarship
Although we are technically considered to be a "social
sorority," Delta Zeta strives for high academic standards.
Not only do we take on the Delta Zeta challenge of getting
good grades, we are helped by our sisters when we need it.
Sorority members are always some of the best students on
campus, and Delta Zeta makes sure that the same is true
at the University of Iowa.
3) Growth
Delta Zeta helps you to grow as an individual. Although
we all share the same letters, we are all our own person.
The Iota chapter wants individuals, not just women who
only want to be followers. Through participation in
sorority activities, you will grow in strength of character
and ability. Through the Iota chapter, living with
and for a group will be a major contribution to your
growth and learning. We encourage all of our members
to assume positions of leadership and responsibility, not only
within our house, but also in their other activities.
4) Service
Service to others is an important part of being a Delta
Zeta. ALthough we are always here to help each other, we are
also here for those outside of the chapter. We have
many different philanthropies, many of which are listed
on the Gallaudet/philanthropy link to this web page.
Our national philanthropy, Gallaudet University, is the only college
in the world devoted wholly to the needs, instruction, and
training of young people who are deaf. For over 50 years,
Delta Zeta had helped this institution through monetary donations
and charity work.
You may be asking, with all these things going on with your house, do you guys even have lives outside of Delta Zeta? The answer to that is, yes. If we didn't, we would drive each other crazy! About 90% of our members have jobs, many of whom work for the university. Others have found jobs off campus. Even though our sisters are in the house, our best friends may live elsewhere. We do not exclude ourselves from other, "non DZ," women. Although we do hang out with each other a lot, we all have lives outside of the house.
Still not sure about Delta Zeta? Why don't you ask some of our former members:
Courtney Cox,
Neve Campbell,
Andi McDowell,
Sharon Stone,
Florence Henderson,
Joan Crawford,
Betty White,
Deidre Hall,
Anne Rice,
Betty Crocker,
Joy Behar,
Jean Harper Haley,
Marsha Wallace,
Nanette Fabray,
Kay Yow,
Barbara Dooley
If you have any question or comments about this page, the Iota chapter, Delta Zeta, or the University of Iowa in general, please feel free to email me, Emily Baum, at the address at the bottom of this page.
This page was last updated on 10/02/00.
ALL IOTA ALUMNI PLEASE VISIT OUR ALUMNI SITE AT:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IowaDZAlumni/
Our national philanthropy: Gallaudet University along with local philanthropies
The Social Side of Iota
Iota Awards and Achievements
The official University of Iowa website
Other positions held by Iotas
Pictures: Football and Tailgating
Pictures: Girls Night Out
Pictures: Sisterhood Events
Pictures: Homecoming and Greek Week
Pictures: Girls will be Girls!
This is a listing of EVERY chapter of Delta Zeta ever founded!!
The Iota Alumni website