Delta Zeta is Celebrating Women’s History Month

March kicks off Women’s History Month, and this year’s national theme is “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” Throughout Delta Zeta’s history, we have had many members who lived this through their actions on behalf of the sorority. One facet that plays a large role in Delta Zeta’s story is our history of mergers with other national sororities. Accepting and including four different membership organizations has brought us many ways to continue celebrating women’s achievements.

At the 1966 National Convention,  Irene C. Boughton and Grace Mason Lundy were the first named to the Order of the Laurel. A cherished tradition from Theta Upsilon, which merged with Delta Zeta in 1962, the Order of the Laurel honors members for sorority service of unusual merit and covering a period of many years.

According to the Delta Zeta Constitution, Article XX, National Awards, Section 3, The Order of the Laurel was established to honor those members for sorority service of exceptional merit covering a period of many years. This award shall be given by the National Council only in special circumstances. The names of the recipients of the Order of the Laurel shall appear immediately beneath the names of the Founders in The LAMP of Delta Zeta and all official publications.

There have only been five women named to The Order of the Laurel. They are Irene C. Bughton, Iota-Iowa, Grace Mason Lundy, Epsilon-Indiana, Elizabeth Coulter Stephenson, Alpha-Miami (OH), Myrtle Graeter Hinkly, Delta-DePauw (IN) and Norma Minch Andrisek, Gamma Alpha-Baldwin Wallace (OH). This month, we will share more about these women from our Delta Zeta past and focus on those currently working in “exceptional merit” impacting their communities.