The first one of these was established at Wesleyan College, Georgia, in 1851. Today, then can be found on virtually every college campus. What are they?

In 1851, at a time when higher education was still a male-dominated world, a group of female students at Wesleyan College in Georgia formed the Adelphean Society. This organization, the first secret society for college women, was created to provide the same kind of academic support, friendship, and camaraderie that male students found in their fraternities. This pioneering group would later adopt a Greek-letter name and is known today as the Alpha Delta Pi sorority, marking the beginning of the national sorority system.

Interestingly, the word "sorority" wasn't used at first; early groups were often called "women's fraternities." The term we use today, derived from the Latin word *soror* for "sister," was first adopted by the organization Gamma Phi Beta in 1874 to better reflect their unique bond of sisterhood. From these origins as literary societies, these organizations have evolved into a cornerstone of campus life, focusing on philanthropy, leadership, and networking, with chapters found at universities all over the world.