# Eta Gamma Delta

Eta Gamma Delta (ΗΓΔ) is a Puerto Rican sorority. It was established in 1928 at the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras. The sorority has expanded to include five collegiate chapters and eight alumnae chapters. It is a member of Concilio Interfraternitario de Puerto Rico.

## History

In March 1928 a group of young ladies enrolled in the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras founded Eta Gamma Delta Sorority. Its first president was Margarita Ortiz Toro. During the presidency of Beatriz del Toro in 1929, the sorority was recognized by university authorities. By 1932, an alumnus chapter called "Capitulo Pasivo" was organized in San Juan during the presidency of Conchita Santana Campos.
In 1940, on the (Colegio de Agricultura y Artes Mecanicas) now the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez Gilda Cernuda, Socorro Gaztambide, Aida Gauthier, Iris Ramírez, Catín Rllán, Doris Pérez, and others founded Delta Phi Omega sorority, it was the first sorority at the campus. On April 14, 1941, the then-president of the Alpha chapter of Eta Gamma Delta, Annie Bonar, invited this new group to join Eta Gamma Delta as its Beta chapter. After several meetings and visits by the Eta sisters, all the Delta Phi Omega sisters took the formal initiation and became part of the Eta Gamma Delta.
In 1943, the Alumni chapter at Mayagüez was established, calling itself the Zona Beta. Their first president was Virginia Ramírez. It was then that the need for a central governing body became apparent. In 1944, the first Directiva General or central office was established, with Eleonor Lawton as its first president.
In March 1946, the ladies of Delta Omega Mu, a local sorority met with Eta Gamma Delta member Sarah Torres Peralta. Their visit was to discuss with her the idea of Eta Gamma Delta establishing its Gamma chapter in the Interamerican University at San Germán where Delta Omega Mu was located. After several meetings and discussions, the ladies of Delta Omega Mu and others of the Beta chapter at Mayagüez who studied at the Interamerican became the Gamma chapter of Eta Gamma Delta. Their first chapter president was Rosarito Armstrong.
In 1949, the Delta chapter was founded by the Catholic University at Ponce. Its first chapter president was Rosarito Armstrong, the same sister who had been the first president of Gamma chapter. In 1955 an alumnus chapter - Zona - was founded at Ponce; its first president was Práxes Torres de García. In 1990 the Zeta chapter was established at the University of Sagrado Corazon. By February 1990 the Kappa Zona was established in Arecibo. In 1991 on an annual convention the Kappa chapter was re-instated. Most recently Zone Omega was established in 2007 in the state of Florida.

## Symbols

Eta Gamma Delta's motto is Semper Fidelis. Its nickname is la Eta. Its colors are purple and gold.

## Chapters
### Collegiate chapters

Undergraduate chapters are given a Greek-letter name, followed by the appellation, "Activo", noting they are chapters for active members. In the following list, active chapters are indicated in bold and inactive chapters are in italics.
| Chapter | Charter date and range | Institution | Location | Status |
| Alpha Activo | March 1928 | University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus | Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Beta Activo | 1941 | University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez | Mayagüez, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Gamma Activo | 1946 | Inter American University of Puerto Rico--San German | San Germán, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Delta Activo | 1949 | Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico | Ponce, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Zeta Activo | 1960 | Universidad del Sagrado Corazón | Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico | Inactive |
* ↑ Chapter formed from Delta Phi Omega (local), established in 1940.
* ↑ Chapter formed from Delta Omega Mu (local).

### Alumni chapters

Alumni chapters are given a Greek-letter name, with the appellation, "Zona". In the following list, active chapters are indicated in bold and inactive chapters are in italics.
| Chapter | Charter date and range | Location | Status |
| Zona Alpha | 1932 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Zona Beta | 1943 | Mayagüez, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Zona Delta | 1955 | Ponce, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Zona Gamma | | San Germán, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Zona Epsilon | | Yauco, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Zona Kappa | February 1990 | Arecibo, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Zona Tau | | Tampa, Florida | Active |
| Zona Omega | 2007 | Orlando, Florida | Active |
* ↑ This chapter was originally called Capitulo Pasivo.

## Notable members

* Carmen Ana Culpeper, Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of the Treasury
* Rosa Emilia Rodríguez, lawyer and federal prosecutor
* Margarita Fernández Zavala, House of Representatives of Puerto Rico