Delta Delta Delta

Tri Delta's official badge is the Stars and Crescent, consisting of three golden stars and a crown set with pearls, within a gold crescent of three hundred degrees bearing three deltas in black enamel. An initiate receives a badge with her initials, the Greek letters of her chapter, and her chapter Initiation number engraved on the back. The badge belongs to the sorority and is "lent" to each member during her lifetime or as long as she remains a member, with the expectation that the badge will be returned upon the member's death or resignation.

Prior to initiation, new members wear a new member pin, which is a green and silver enamel badge described as an "inverted Delta surrounded by three Deltas." A new member may also display a trident, which symbolizes the first degree of initiation and is returned prior to initiation into the Stars and Crescent degree. A gold trident may be worn as a badge guard.

Tri Delta also has various circle pins to celebrate years since the member's initiation. Introduced in 2004, the Silver Circle Pin may be worn by members who have reached the 25-year anniversary of their initiation. It features the anniversary number engraved on the stars and crescent design. The Golden Circle Pin was originally created by Sarah Ida Shaw for the Circle Degree of Initiation, but its current usage to celebrate 50 years since initiation dates to 1962. This pin consists of three deltas made of gold inside a golden circle, surrounded by six spherical triangles in blue. The Diamond Circle Pin honors members who have served for 75 years with the fraternity. While the design is alike to the Golden Circle Pin, this token features a diamond in the center. This pin was introduced in the year 1996 and the first pin was awarded to Mary K. Wise of Butler University.

Many chapters observe "Sleighbell Day" on the first Tuesday of December, following the tradition of Sleighbell Luncheon, first held in the 1940s by 13 Southern California chapters to benefit a doctor researching blood diseases at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. In the early 1970s, a national survey established that Tri Delta chapters were interested in children, hospitals, and cancer. At the 1974 Tri Delta Convention, the three were combined to support children's cancer charities as the designated philanthropy.

In 1999, Tri Delta partnered with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. St. Jude (through the fundraising branch, the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities) assists Tri Delta chapters in planning philanthropy events that benefit the children and subsidize research costs at St. Jude. Many chapters coordinate fundraising activities such as pancake breakfasts, called Delta House of Pancakes or DHOP, and football tailgates on their campuses each year. Since 1999, Tri Delta has raised more than $30 million for St. Jude.[4] In 2002, Tri Deltas committed to raising $1 million to build a Teen Room at the St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, fulfilling the commitment in 2005. In July 2006, Tri Delta committed to raise $10 million in 10 years to build a new patient treatment floor focusing on brain tumor research at St. Jude, instead raising $10.4 million in 4 years. In 2010, a new philanthropic goal was announced to raise $15 million in 5 years.[5] On February 1, 2014, it was announced that Tri Delta surpassed the $15 million goal in just 3.5 years.[6] On July 4, 2014, Tri Delta announced a new philanthropic goal to raise $60 million over 10 years, the largest single commitment by a partner of St. Jude in the history of the hospital. Only three-and-a-half years into the 10 year commitment to raise $60 million, Tri Delta hit the halfway point and announced $30 million raised for St. Jude in January 2018. Their pledge funded the Tri Delta Place, St. Jude's only on-campus housing facility. It includes 64 hotel-style rooms and 36 suites.[7] Tri Delta was also named the St. Jude partner of the year for 2014, making Tri Delta the first non-corporation to receive this honor. As of February 2018, Tri Delta has reached the halfway point of this commitment. Since 1999, Tri Delta members have raised more than $70 million to St. Jude. Tri delta continues every year to increase their philanthropy goals for St. Jude.[4]

In addition to the national partnership, Tri Delta continues to raise money for local Children's Cancer Charities, including two Canadian Hospitals, the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada,[8] the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa, Canada, and local children's cancer charities in various states.[9]

Every year, chapters host a variety of events to raise money for these causes. This includes sporting events such as Greeks at Bat (an inter-fraternity baseball tournament) and Tri Delta Triple Play (kickball tournament), pancake breakfasts commonly named "Delta House of Pancakes," "Delta Diner," or "TriHOP", and spaghetti dinners. Every Tri Delta member also participates in "Sincerely Yours", an international writing campaign to raise money for St Jude. Other St. Jude specific philanthropic endeavors includes a Gold Level National Team participation in the St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer.[10]

The Trident is Tri Delta's official publication, published continuously since 1891. The publication includes news about collegiate and alumni members, chapter events, topics in women's health, editorials, and upcoming events.

Active members of each Tri Delta chapter may join a committee or be slated into an office in order to serve the organization and develop leadership skills. During the slating process, members adhere to the mantra "The Office Selects the Officer,” and undergo the process of determining the officer that is best suited for each office based on her skills and previous experience.

Each collegiate chapter president oversees chapter business, including membership in every team and committee. Each subsequent office is organized into one of the following teams, each headed by a Vice-President: Administration, Chapter Development, Finance, Public Relations, and Membership. Further committees, assistants, and chair-positions are tailored to each chapter's specific needs.

Since 1910, Tri Delta has utilized a consultant program, in which recently graduated alumna members are trained and employed by the executive office to visit chapters to provide resources and advice on their chapter business. Chapter Development Consultants provide constructive feedback in order to align the chapter with standards determined by the executive office. Consultants have gone by many names over the years, including field secretaries and field consultants. In 2015, the name was changed to Chapter Development Consultants.

After graduation, alumnae may continue to support Tri Delta and stay active within the Greek community via means such as joining an alumna chapter, attending and hosting philanthropy events, donating to the Tri Delta Foundation's scholarships, contributing to The Trident, writing reference letters for potential new members, and volunteering. Alumnae who wish to stay connected to or make a more direct contribution to a specific collegiate chapter may join its alumna advisory team. Members volunteering on an international level include members of the National Housing Corporation,[11] who manage fraternity properties, and members of the Foundation.[12]

Beauty pageant contestants

• Donna Axum (Delta Iota) – Miss America 1964[13]
• Candace Michelle Brown (Phi Theta) – Miss Alabama USA 1992, first runner-up at Miss USA
• Brittany Brannon (Gamma Rho) – Miss Arizona USA 2011, top 15 at Miss USA[13]
• Leanza Cornett (Beta Gamma) – Miss America 1993 and television host[13]
• Darynne Dahlem (Delta Iota) – Miss Arkansas 2019[13]
• Bethany Gerber (Theta Gamma) – Miss Kansas USA 2010[14]
• Julie Hayek (Theta Pi) – Miss California USA 1983, Miss USA 1983
• Lynn Herring (Delta Omega) – Miss Virginia 1977[15]
• Nicole Jordan (Delta Mu) – Miss Tennessee 2010
• Crystal Lee (Omega) – Miss California 2013, first runner-up to Miss America 2014
• Lexie Madden (Theta Eta) – Miss Wyoming 2012, 3rd runner-up to Miss America 2013
• Carly Mathis (Alpha Rho) – Miss Georgia 2013, top 10 at Miss America
• Rebecca Podio (Theta Eta) – Miss Wyoming 2013
• Jaclyn Raulerson (Beta Lambda) – Miss Florida USA 2010
• Elizabeth Safrit (Alpha Lambda) – Miss United States 2014, second runner-up at Miss World
• Jaclyn Stapp (Alpha Delta) – Miss New York USA 2004 and Mrs. Florida America 2008
• Ashley Thompson - University of Oklahoma (Theta Gamma) - Miss Oklahoma - 2018
• Shawn Weatherly (Beta Theta) – Miss Universe 1980, actress[13]
• Tyler Willis (Phi Eta) – Miss Texas USA 2005, top 15 at Miss USA 2005[13]
• Melissa Witek (Alpha Psi) – Miss Florida USA 2005, 4th runner-up at Miss USA 2005[16]

Business and education

• Madeleine Wing Adler (Upsilon)- Former and first female president of West Chester University of Pennsylvania[17]
• Sara Blakely (Alpha Eta) – Founder of Spanx and Celebrity Judge[13]
• Betsy Boze (Theta Kappa) – President of The College of The Bahamas[18][19]
• Maureen Kempston Darkes (Canada Alpha) – Order of Canada recipient

Entertainment media

• Elizabeth Banks (Psi) – actress[20]
• Lee Phillip Bell (Upsilon) – talk show host[13]
• Shannon Beveridge (Theta Gamma) - YouTube personality/Actress/LGBT Advocate
• Jodi Benson (Delta Epsilon) – actress[13]
• Dixie Carter (Delta Sigma) – actress[13]
• Kellie Coffey (Theta Gamma) – musician[13]
• Mary Crosby (Theta Zeta) – actress, Dallas[13]
• Farrah Fawcett (Theta Zeta) – actress[13]
• Joanna Garcia (Alpha Eta) – actress[13]
• Cynthia Geary (Chi) – Emmy-nominated actress[13]
• Leeza Gibbons (Alpha Lambda) – actress, talk show host[13]
• Cathy Guisewite (Iota) – comic strip author[13]
• Lynn Herring (Delta Omega) – actress, General Hospital[21]
• Natalia Livingston (Alpha Omega) – actress, General Hospital
• Beth Ostrosky-Stern (Alpha Theta) – actress, model, wife of Howard Stern
• Amanda Schull (Delta Omicron) – actress, Center Stage, One Tree Hill
• Savitree Suttichanond (Beta Upsilon) – singer on TrueVisions's Academy Fantasia
• Molly Sims (Delta Gamma) – actress, model[13]
• Candace Whittemore Lovely (Eta) – painter[13]

News media

• Kiran Chetry (Alpha Pi) – CNN anchor[13]
• Katie Couric (Beta Sigma) – news anchor, CBS Evening News[13]
• Catherine Crier (Theta Zeta) – award-winning broadcast journalist, best-selling author, and former Texas State District Judge.[22]
• Hoda Kotb (Beta Nu) – news anchor[13]
• Vinita Nair (Upsilon) – news anchor[13]
• Deborah Norville (Alpha Rho) – news anchor[13]
• Kathy Orr (Omicron) – meteorologist[13]
• Janet Shamlian – NBC news correspondent[23]
• Sally Stapleton (Delta Xi) – award-winning journalist

Literature

• Joan Didion (Pi) – author[24]
• Doris Kearns Goodwin (Alpha Upsilon) – Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian[13]
• Jill Marie Landis (Phi Kappa) – author [13]
• Anne Rivers Siddons (Phi Theta) – author[13]

Politics and public service

• Kelley Ashby Paul (Delta Psi) – political figure, wife of Sen. Rand Paul[25]
• Pamela Bondi (University of Florida | Alpha Psi) - Attorney General, State of Florida (2011–present)
• Lisa Boscola (Gamma Beta) – Pennsylvania State Senate[13]
• Debra Bowen (Phi Gamma) – California Secretary of State
• Bobbe Bridge (Theta Alpha) – Former Associate Justice of the Washington Supreme Court[13]
• Kathy Castor (Alpha Omega) – Democratic Congresswoman for Florida's 11th congressional district[13]
• Nellie Connally (Theta Zeta) – Former First Lady of Texas[13]
• Elizabeth Dole (Alpha Omicron) – U.S. Senator from North Carolina, Former Secretary of Transportation[13]
• Caroline Fayard (Gamma Gamma) – Louisiana political figure
• Terry Gabreski (Delta Omega) – Vice Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base[13]
• Rita B. Garman (Delta Pi) – Justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois[13]
• Adele Khoury Graham (Alpha Psi) – Former First Lady of Florida (1978–1986)[13]
• Michelle Lujan-Grisham (Phi Delta) – Democratic Governor of New Mexico
• Dina Habib Powell - U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy][26]
• Helen Froelich Holt (Upsilon) – Former Secretary of State of West Virginia[13]

Sports

• Sophie Caldwell (Gamma Gamma) – Finished 6th in the 2014 Winter Olympics in the Olympic Women's Cross Country Freestyle Sprint. This is the best finish by any American woman in this event.[27]
• Meryl Davis (Iota) – 2014 Olympic Gold Medalist Ice Dancer[28]
• Muffy Davis (Omega) – Paralympic cyclist, sit-skier and mountain climber[29]
• Roberta Cullen (Iota) – Shot Put, 1954 Olympics [29]
• Annika Dries (Omega) – 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Water Polo[30]
• Abby Johnston (Alpha Omicron) – 2012 Olympic Silver Medalist Synchronized Diving[31]
• Mariya Koroleva (Omega) – 2012 USA Olympic Synchronized Swimming Duet Team[32]