# Delta Omega

Delta Omega (ΔΩ) is the honorary society for studies in public health, founded at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

## History

Delta Omega was founded in 1924 by two graduate students at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. The founders were Edgar Erskine Hume and Claude W. Mitchell. Hume was a member of the Army Medical Corps from 1916 to 1951, and had already served overseas fighting typhus epidemics in Siberia, Russia, and in Naples, Italy. Mitchell was an assistant surgeon in the United States Public Health Service for approximately a decade. Later, he went into private medical practice with a fifty-year career in Silver Spring, Maryland.
The ideal for Delta Omega came while sharing the daily commute between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Both men sought to elevate the relatively young profession of public health to a level similar to other professions, and as such, that it should have a fraternity of its own. Hume was the first to insist that the fraternity be honorary in nature, and while Mitchell had originally suggested a social basis he soon agreed with his friend that the groups should be formed as an honor society. They consulted with members of other fraternities, and health experts of other fields. A group of seventeen students, one faculty member and one alumnus were chosen to become the charter members of the Johns Hopkins chapter. This group immediately formed committees to work out the constitution and symbolism. A constitution was ratified on May 14, 1924.
Expansion began within the first year. Upon return from the summer recess, Hume reported success around the East Coast, while Richard Bolt, a charter member, worked to organize groups in the West. By the October 15, 1924 meeting, chapters were approved at Harvard University (Beta chapter) and MIT (Gamma chapter). Soon, these would be followed by the University of Michigan (Delta chapter) and Yale University (Epsilon chapter). Expansion and growth continued quickly in spite of some growing pains due to the fast pace. The first California chapter, at the University of California (Zeta chapter) effectively spanned the nation by March 1926.
Delta Omega's activities were severely constrained during World War II, and were fully suspended between 1942 and 1944 because of wartime priorities. However, additional pressure came from organizational disagreements. At the time, Delta Omega offered membership only after completion of a year of residency. This effectively resulted in control of the society becoming vested in faculty membership. A Johns Hopkins University, the activities of the fraternity were in some cases duplicative to those offered by the school itself. A debate ensued concerning the fact that some members, soon upon election, would resign from the practice of public health on an official level to go into private practice. Founder Mitchell, who had led Alpha chapter, resigned from his leadership position when he left for private practice. The result of this debate, explained further in the Fraternity's History, was to suspend operations at Alpha chapter, which would not resume at the school until 1978. The other chapters sputtered along. In 1948 a revitalization was sparked, but it took time, and some chapters did not re-emerge. The lecture series was expanded in the 1960s and 1970s. But it appears that it took the revitalization of Alpha chapter in 1978 to spark a new round of expansion that continues to the present day.
Currently, there are over 110 chapters with over 20,000 members throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, Beirut, and Taiwan. The society's mission is to promote excellence in contributing to the field of public health and advancing the health of people in every aspect, both in the United States and internationally.

## Membership

Membership in Delta Omega reflects the dedication of an individual to quality in the field of public health and to protection and advancement of the health of all people. Election to the society is based on outstanding performance, including scholarship in students, teaching and research in faculty members, and community service in alumni. Election to membership in Delta Omega is intended, not only to recognize merit, but also, to encourage further excellence in, and devotion to, public health work.
Each chapter must be associated with a Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)- accredited school and is limited to inducting no more than 20% of the graduating student body, and 10% of undergraduates. GPA requirements are up to each chapter; historically, each inductee has been the top 25% of their class for academic performance. Public health faculty and alumni may also be inducted, but no more than 3% of faculty may be inducted from one program.

### Honorary members

In addition to the regularly elected members, chapters and the national executive board invite persons possessing exceptional qualifications, who have attained meritorious national or international distinction in the field to become honorary members of the society. These members include:
| Name | Meritorious Service |
| Peter Buxtun | Researcher, exposed Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment |
| Mona Hanna-Attisha | Researcher, exposed Flint water crisis |
| Herbert Hoover | Former U.S. President |
| John Edward Porter | Former U.S. Congressman |
| Dr. Jonas Salk | Inventor of the Polio vaccine |
| David Satcher | Former U.S. Surgeon General |
| Shannon Watts | Gun Safety Activist |
| Gretchen Whitmer | Governor of Michigan |

## Activities

The National Office of Delta Omega conducts yearly activities in addition to the individual chapters. Most importantly an annual business meeting is held each year in conjunction with the meeting of the American Public Health Association (APHA). During the meeting the Delta Omega National Council, consisting of representatives from the chapters, meet to discuss initiatives and activities on a national and chapter level.
In addition to the annual business meeting, Delta Omega hosts a national student poster competition, honoring exceptional student research, and a national curriculum award, to honor innovative public health curricula. Each year the selected poster presenters are given the opportunity to present their award-winning research at the APHA annual meeting. The curriculum award winners present their work at the APHA annual meeting as well as in front of the Delta Omega National Council. Chapters also conduct a variety of activities throughout the year on their campus and in their communities including; scholarship competitions, research awards, socials, lectures, community service projects and many others.

## Publications

Delta Omega values the advancement of public health education, practice and research and has therefore taken on an initiative to preserve Public Health Classics. For the past decade, the society has sought to preserve and promote public health history by identifying and reprinting classic works in public health. Classics may be books, scientific journal articles, technical reports, legislation or other written publications or multi-media productions. The classics are selected for their historical value and significant contribution to the profession and science of public health. These documents are usually out of print or not widely available in libraries. Delta Omega places the classics on its Web site to make them freely available to all members.

## Chapters

Delta Omega has chartered 122 chapters, most of which remain active. Active chapters are noted in bold, inactive chapters noted in italics.
| State or country | University | Chapter | Status | Installed Date and Range |
| Maryland | Johns Hopkins University | Alpha | Active | May 14, 1924–March 1942, re-established 1978 |
| Massachusetts | Harvard University | Beta | Inactive | October 15, 1924–1944, re-established 1948–1969 |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Gamma (original) | Inactive | October 15, 1924–1944 |
| Michigan | University of Michigan | Delta | Inactive | December 1924–1944, re-established 1948–1971 |
| Connecticut | Yale University | Epsilon | Inactive | December 1924–March 1944 |
| California | University of California, Berkeley | Zeta | Active | March 1926–1944, re-established 1948–1971, re-established 19xx |
| Louisiana | Tulane University | Eta | Active | 1950 |
| North Carolina | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Theta | Active | 1953 |
| California | University of California, Los Angeles | Iota | Active | 1953 |
| California | Loma Linda University | Kappa | Active | 1971 |
| South Carolina | University of South Carolina | Mu | Active | 1978 |
| Washington | University of Washington | Nu | Inactive | 1978 ? –20xx ? |
| Oklahoma | University of Oklahoma | Xi | Active | 1978 |
| Illinois | University Illinois | Lambda | Active | 1980 |
| Pennsylvania | University of Pittsburgh | Omicron | Active | 1982 |
| Minnesota | University of Minnesota | Pi | Active | 1985 |
| Massachusetts | University of Massachusetts Amherst | Rho | Active | 1985 |
| California | San Diego State University | Sigma | Active | 1985 |
| Florida | University of South Florida | Tau | Active | 1987 |
| Massachusetts | Boston University | Alpha Beta | Active | 1987 |
| Alabama | University of Alabama at Birmingham | Upsilon | Active | 1989 |
| Georgia | Emory University (Rollins) | Phi | Active | 1992 |
| Puerto Rico | University of Puerto Rico | Chi | Active ? | 1993 ? –20xx ? |
| Maryland | Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences | Psi | Active | 1996 |
| District of Columbia | George Washington University | Omega | Active | 1995 |
| Missouri | Saint Louis University | Alpha Delta | Active | 1998 |
| Ohio | Ohio State University | Alpha Epsilon | Active | 1999 |
| New York | University at Albany, SUNY | Alpha Gamma | Active | 1999 |
| Utah | University of Utah | Alpha Theta | Active | 2000 |
| New Jersey | Rutgers School of Public Health | Alpha Eta | Active | 2001 |
| Texas | University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston | Alpha Iota | Active | 2001 |
| Virginia | Eastern Virginia Medical School | Alpha Kappa | Active | 2001 |
| Georgia | Morehouse School of Medicine | Alpha Lambda | Active | 2001 |
| Florida | Florida A&M University | Alpha Mu | Active | 2001 |
| Illinois | Northern Illinois University | Alpha Zeta | Active | 2001 |
| Arizona | University of Arizona | Alpha Nu | Active | 2001 |
| Wisconsin | Medical College of Wisconsin | Alpha Omicron | Inactive | 2003–20xx |
| Iowa | University of Iowa | Alpha Phi | Active | 2003 |
| Tennessee | East Tennessee State University | Alpha Pi | Active | 2003 |
| Texas | University of North Texas Health Science Center | Alpha Sigma | Active | 2003 |
| Texas | Texas A&M School of Public Health | Alpha Tau | Active | 2003 |
| Colorado | Colorado School of Public Health | Alpha Upsilon | Active | 2003 |
| Massachusetts | Tufts University School of Medicine | Alpha Rho | Active | 2004 |
| Ohio | Consortium of Eastern Ohio Master of Public Health (CEOMPH) | Alpha Chi | Active | 2005 |
| Florida | Nova Southeastern University | Alpha Xi | Active | 2005 |
| Pennsylvania | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | Beta Alpha | Inactive | 2006–20xx |
| Florida | Florida International University | Alpha Omega | Active | 2006 |
| Louisiana | Louisiana State University | Alpha Psi | Active | 2006 |
| Arkansas | University of Arkansas | Beta Delta | Active | 2006 |
| Maryland | Morgan State University | Beta Epsilon | Active | 2006 |
| Indiana | Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis | Beta Zeta | Active | 2006 +/- ? |
| New York | SUNY Downstate College of Medicine | Beta Iota | Active | 2006 |
| Pennsylvania | West Chester University | Beta Xi | Active | 2006 |
| Kentucky | University of Kentucky | Beta Gamma | Active | 2006 |
| Illinois | Northwestern University | Beta Eta | Inactive | 2007–20xx |
| Georgia | Georgia Southern University | Beta Kappa | Inactive | 2007–20xx |
| Pennsylvania | Temple University | Beta Theta | Inactive | 2007–20xx |
| New York | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai | Beta Omicron | Active | 2008 |
| Kentucky | University of Louisville | Beta Pi | Active | 2008 |
| Connecticut | University of Connecticut Health Center | Beta Rho | Active | 2008 |
| California | University of Southern California | Beta Lambda | Active | 2009 |
| Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania | Beta Nu | Inactive | 2009 +/- ? |
| Florida | University of Miami | Beta Sigma | Active | 2009 |
| Tennessee | Meharry Medical College | Beta Psi | Inactive | 2010–20xx |
| Georgia | University of Georgia | Beta Chi | Active | 2010 |
| Pennsylvania | Drexel University | Beta Omega | Active | 2010 |
| North Carolina | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Beta Phi | Active | 2010 |
| Maryland | University of Maryland, College Park | Beta Tau | Active | 2010 |
| Florida | University of Florida | Beta Upsilon | Active | 2010 |
| Hawaii | University of Hawaiʻi | Gamma (second) | Active | 2010 +/- ? |
| Ohio | Wright State University | Gamma Alpha | Active | 2010 |
| Ohio | Northwest Ohio Consortium for Public Health (NOCPH) | Beta Mu | Active | 2011 |
| Beirut, Lebanon | American University of Beirut | Gamma Delta | Active | 2011 |
| New Mexico | University of New Mexico | Gamma Epsilon | Active | February 1, 2011 |
| New York | University at Buffalo, SUNY | Gamma Lambda | Active | February 1, 2011 |
| Maryland | University of Maryland School of Public Health | Gamma Zeta | Active | March 1, 2011 |
| Missouri | University of Missouri | Gamma Eta | Active | September 1, 2011 |
| Georgia | Georgia Southern University (Jiann-Ping Hsu) | Gamma Theta | Active | October 1, 2011 |
| Alaska | University of Alaska Anchorage | Gamma Iota | Active | 2012 |
| Grenada, Caribbean Islands | St. George's University School of Medicine | Gamma Kappa | Active | February 1, 2012 |
| West Virginia | West Virginia University | Gamma Mu | Active | 2012 +/- ? |
| Massachusetts | Northeastern University | Gamma Nu | Active | December 1, 2012 |
| Nebraska | University of Nebraska | Gamma Omicron | Active | 2013 |
| Virginia | University of Virginia | Gamma Pi | Active | 2013 |
| Wisconsin | University of Wisconsin–Madison | Gamma Xi | Active | 2013 |
| Ohio | University of Cincinnati | Gamma Rho | Active | April 1, 2013 |
| Missouri | Washington University in St. Louis | Gamma Sigma | Active | April 1, 2013 |
| Indiana | Indiana University | Gamma Beta | Active | 2014 |
| Virginia | George Mason University | Gamma Tau | Active | 2014 |
| Georgia | Georgia State University | Gamma Upsilon | Active | 2014 |
| California | Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science | Gamma Phi | Active | 2014 |
| Maine | University of New England (United States) | Gamma Chi | Active | 2014 |
| California | National University (California) | Gamma Psi | Active | 2014 +/- ? |
| New York | New York Medical College (Touro) | Delta Alpha | Active | 2015 |
| Illinois | Benedictine University | Gamma Omega | Active | 2015 |
| California | Claremont Graduate University | Delta Epsilon | Active | 2016 |
| Arizona (or Missouri?) | A.T. Still University | Delta Gamma | Active | 2016 |
| Nevada | University of Nevada, Las Vegas | Delta Theta | Active | 2016 |
| Georgia | Mercer University | Delta Zeta | Active | 2016 |
| Virginia | Virginia Commonwealth University | Delta Eta | Active | 2017 |
| New Hampshire | Dartmouth College | Delta Iota | Active | 2017 |
| New York | Hofstra University | Delta Kappa | Active | 2017 |
| Virginia | Virginia Tech | Delta Mu | Active | 2017 |
| Illinois | Loyola University Chicago | Delta Omicron | Active | 2017 |
| Texas | University of Texas Medical Branch | Delta Nu | Active | June 1, 2017 |
| Florida | University of North Florida | Delta Xi | Inactive | July 1, 2017–20xx |
| Nevada | University of Nevada, Reno | Delta Phi | Active | February 1, 2018 |
| New York | Columbia University (Mailman) | Delta Pi | Active | June 1, 2018 |
| North Carolina | East Carolina University | Delta Sigma | Active | September 1, 2018 |
| Pennsylvania | La Salle University | Delta Tau | Active | October 1, 2018 |
| New Jersey | William Paterson University | Delta Upsilon | Active | December 1, 2018 |
| New York | Stony Brook University | Delta Lambda | Active | 2019 |
| Taiwan, Republic of China | National Taiwan University | Delta Chi | Active | March 1, 2019 |
| New York | NYU | Delta Beta | Active | April 1, 2019 |
| Pennsylvania | Thomas Jefferson University | Delta Psi | Active | May 1, 2019 |
| California | UC, Irvine | Delta Rho | Active | September 1, 2019 |
| California | University of San Francisco | Epsilon Alpha | Active | October 1, 2019 |
| Montana | University of Montana | Epsilon Beta | Active | December 1, 2019 |
| New York | CUNY Graduate SPH | Epsilon Chi | Active | February 1, 2020 |
| Louisiana | Louisiana State University Shreveport | Epsilon Delta | Active | September 1, 2020 |
| Washington | Eastern Washington University | Epsilon Eta | Active | November 1, 2020 |
| Ohio | Kent State University | Epsilon Gamma | Active | November 1, 2020 |
| Rhode Island | Brown University | Epsilon Iota | Active | December 1, 2020 |
| Michigan | Wayne State University | Epsilon Kappa | Active | 2017 |