It started as a dorm room discussion of college friendships between two sisters and grew into an international sisterhood of thousands of friends on and off the college campus.  It grew into Alpha Gamma Delta.  The two sisters, Marguerite and Estelle Shepard, talked of the needs for a new women's fraternity on the Syracuse University campus, a subject that had first been broached by Dr. Wellesley P. Coddington.  Dr. Coddington, one of the first five faculty members of Syracuse University, was a professor of Greek, Latin and German.  He was also a loyal member of Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Nu Theta and Eclectic Fraternities.

Dr. Coddington had seen the enrollment of Syracuse University double in the years from 1900 to 1904, with the only addition to the fraternity system being a chapter of Delta Gamma in 1901.  He saw that, because of this incongruent growth, many women were being denied the opportunity for membership in a fraternal organization.  Having come to share his conviction, Marguerite and Estelle started to make a few inconspicuous contacts.  Whispered conferences were held and mysterious messages were passed to a chosen few in the early days of May 1904.  By May 17, the core group had grown to a total of seven.  Six of those enthusiastic young women, Marguerite, Estelle, Georgia Dickover, Jennie Titus, Grace Mosher and Ethel Brown, met that night to arrange an initial working structure.  Temporary officers were elected and committees were formed to write a Constitution and contact a jeweler about creating a badge.  Jennie Titus was appointed to consult Dr. Coddington about a Greek letter name.

The seventh of the group, Edith MacConnell, was unable to attend these first meetings beause she was in the hospital recuperating from a serious accident.  She kept up-to-date on the developments through frequent visits from her future Fraternity sisters.

In the last two weeks of May, Mary Snider, Georgia Otis, Emily Butterfield and Flora Knight joined the core group, giving Alpha Gamma Delta its eleven Founders.

Alpha Gamma Delta was officially founded Monday, May 30, 1904 in Dr. Coddington's home.  The Constitution and bylaws were read and approved; the Badges were first worn; the official colors were chosen.  Officer elections were held with Jennie Titus elected to serve as the first President.

The first recruitment was held in September of 1904 in Winchell and Princess Halls, the two dormitories for women at Syracuse.  An attic room occupying the third floor of a large house was Alpha Gam's home for the first year.  The room was stark but functional for chapter meetings and initiations.  It was in this room on October 21, 1904 that the invitation to become a chapter of an older fraternity was refused and definite plans were made for extension.  Unlike other groups that were founded as local groups or literary societies, Alpha Gamma Delta was founded to become a national women's fraternity.

In the five years that followed, eight chapters in Wisconsin, Connecticut, Minnesota, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Maryland and Washington, a remarkable record in those years of limited travel and relatively slow communication.  Alpha Gam became international in 1919 when Tau chapter was established at the University of Toronto.

Steady growth has marked the progress of Alpha Gamma Delta throughout the years, due in large measure to the goals set forth by our Founders and the strong foundation they laid for their new Fraternity.

Marguerite Shepard

Marguerite was our "first" Founder, since she was the first to pledge herself to forming the new Fraternity.  Marguerite was conservative, dedicated, conscientious and highly intelligent - our first Phi Beta Kappa.

Estelle Shepard Beswick

Estelle was the first Editor of the Alpha Gamma Delta Quarterly, as well as the first Extension Chairman.  Like her sister, she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.  She had much enthusiasm for every project she undertook and possessed a great sense of humor.

Jennie Titus Smith Morris

Jennie was the first president of Alpha Chapter and the first Grand President of the Fraternity.  She was the author of a considerable part of The Ritual and contributed to the organization of nine Alpha Gamma Delta Chapters.  Jennie wore the first Badge and treasured it always.  A woman of pioneering spirit, she had a warm personality and a helpful and sincere manner.

Georgia Dickover

A dedicated worker who gave of her time quietly and continuously, Georgia served as Editor of the Quarterly for two years and as Historian of the Fraternity for 18 years.  Her service in these offices culminated in the preparation of The History, published in 1931.  Together with Edith MacConnell Hickock and Jennie Titus Smith Morris, she compiled some of our Ritual.  Georgia was a wearer of the Circle of Epsilon Pi.

Ethel Brown Distin

Ethel was the second president of Alpha Chapter, 1905-1906.  She was instrumental in developing and installing Beta Chapter.  Among her greatest contributions to Alpha Gamma Delta were her loving interest, her close friendships, her loyalty and the manner in which she imparted those feelings to younger members.  She was a natural leader with a charming personality.

Edith MacConnell Hickok

Edith wrote several of the early Fraternity songs, including "Initiation Song" and "Autumn Tints."  She also worked with Georgia Cickover on the beginning of the Initiation ceremony.  Edith led an active life and had a deep interest in social work and religion.  She was the mother of the first Alpha Gamma Delta baby.

Flora Knight Mayer

Flora had great musical talent and was the chapter pianist in the early years.  She contributed her knowledge and love of music to the development of early Fraternity songs and the importance of music in The Ritual.  Flora was a pretty, shy, quiet, young woman and only her close friends were aware of her droll sense of humor.

Mary Louise Snider

Mary, a deeply compassionate woman, was Alpha Gamma Delta's first missionary, going out under the Board of the Methodist Churce to Concepcion College, Chile.  She served there for 13 years, part of which time she was principal of the college.  While there, she originated and helped to organize the first summer institute of Epworth Leagues ever held in South America.

Grace Mosher Harter

"Midge" was energetic and vivacious.  Throughout her college days her home in nearby Parish, New York, was the scene of many happy Alpha Gamma Delta weekend house parties.  She helped install Gamma Chapter.  Grace's daughter, Margaret Harter Sanders and granddaughter, Susan Dee Sanders, were initiated at the 1964 Convention.

Georgia Otis Chipman

Georgia was capable, attractive and witty.  Following her graduation from college, she taught in Catham Episcopal Institute in Virginia.  She was the first Business Manager of the Quarterly.

Emily Helen Butterfield

Brilliant and filled with vitality, Emily was Michigan's first woman architect.  She designed Alpha's chapter house and the buildings for the Alpha Gamma Delta Summer Camp in Jackson, Michigan.  Emily designed and wrote the symbolism for our Armorial Bearings.  She also designed Armorial Bearings for several other fraternities and was recognized as the foremost authority on fraternity heraldry.  The Purpose of Alpha Gamma Delta, with its illuminated border, is another of Emily's gifts to the Fraternity.  A wearer of the Circle of Epsilon Pi, Emily was the Editor of the Quarterly for seven years.  On October 25, 1990, she was posthumously inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame.