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Omega Delta
American optometry fraternity From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Omega Delta (ΩΔ) is an American professional fraternity for students of optometry. It was established in 1917 at the Northern Illinois College of Optometry and expanded to include thirteen chapters.
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History
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Omega Delta was formed locally on May 21, 1917 by students C. I. Josephson Jr. and L. Gessett at the Northern Illinois College of Optometry.[1] It was originally a male-only professional optometry fraternity created to support scholarship, develop high professional and ethical standards, and create a fraternal relationship amongst its members.[2]
Omega Delta Fraternity of Optometrists was incorporated in the state of Illinois.[2] It expanded to be a national organization with the addition of the chapters at Needles Institute of Optometry and Los Angeles College of Optometry in 1919.[1] It was governed by a grand chapter, with five officers who are elected at national conventions or special conclaves, including grand president and grand secretary/treasurer.[2][3] In 1929, it held its fifth annual grand chapter meeting during the American Optometric Association's convention.[4] At the time it had seven chapters.[4]
In 1930, the fraternity started publishing its annual magazine Omega Delta News.[2] Its activities included sponsoring educational lectures and hosting a variety of social events.[5][6] For decades, the Iota chapter at the Southern College of Optometry sponsored an annual dance, Year and a Day, that honored the college's graduating seniors and commemorated the return of its students from World War II.[7] Chapters also tutor and host mock proficiencies, helping to prepare members for professional exams.[8][9]
By 1963, Omega Delta had chartered thirteen chapters and had initiated 3,975 members at optometry schools across the United States.[2] In the 1970s, its publications include the Omega Delta Directory and the quarterly Omega Delta Newsletter.[3] The fraternity is now coeducational. As of 2024, two chapters remain active.[8][10][9] Its last known national headquarters was based at the Gamma chapter in Fullerton, California.[3]
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Symbols
Omega Delta's key is a monogram of the Greek letters ΩΔ, with the Δ on the bottom.[2] The fraternity's badge is square, with concave sides and the Greek letters ΩΔ in gold over black enamel.[2] Its pledge pin is an equilateral triangle that is half purple and half gold.[2]
The fraternity's colors are royal purple and old gold.[2] Its flower is the white carnation.[2]
Chapters
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In the following chapter list, active chapters are indicated in bold and inactive chapters and institutions are in italics.[2][1][11] The University of Arizona has the Omega Delta Pre-Optometry Club; although its connection to the professional fraternity is unknown.[12]
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References
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