Core Values
Friendship
There are many different reasons to join a sorority, but at the top of the list is likely sisterhood. Our sisterhood cultivates friendship, creating a network of sisters who guide us and strengthen our lives. Our sisters’ commitment to one another is enriched through shared values and everlasting devotion. Our rituals connect our hearts and minds, forming strong friendships that last beyond college.
Encouragement
Everyone experiences tough times, but your sisters will always be understanding and supportive. Our members inspire each other to try harder and do better in all that they do. Our sisters provide constant support to one another through both the challenges and victories. We are forever linked through our sisterhood, a shared bond that inspires and encourages each of us to continually reach our goals.
Scholarship
Our sisterhood was founded for women in a rigorous academic program - engineering - making academic excellence and professional success in an already formidable and male-dominated field even harder. Our sisterhood focuses on providing assistance and encouragement to all sisters as they accomplish their academic and career goals. The aid from sisters with similar majors and classes is priceless.
National Beginnings
Phi Sigma Rho was founded in 1984 at Purdue University, by Rashmi Khanna and Abby McDonald. As engineers, Rashmi and Abby found it difficult to juggle their academic programs with the traditional sorority rush process. Instead of giving up on rush, they came up with their own sorority: Phi Sigma Rho, the first social sorority for women in engineering. Gathering ten charter members, they installed the first chapter of Phi Sigma Rho on September 24, 1984.
Today, Phi Sigma Rho has expanded to 45 chapters and 1 colony, and has grown to include women in biology, chemistry, engineering, and physics!
Chapter Beginnings
Colony Induction, Spring 2016
As retold by our founder, Jenna Ott:
“Back in October, 2015, Maddy (another alpha alumnae) and I were sitting in the physics lecture hall. Her boyfriend sent her a picture of a funny t-shirt on campus that said ‘Parabolas aren't the only curves in engineering’ and below the slogan, we saw the Greek Letters: Phi Sigma Rho. Of course, we were tickled by this t-shirt, and also curious about the organization behind such a fantastic slogan. I decided to look into Phi Sigma Rho, and I was shocked that we did not have a chapter at UCSB. I started looking into how to form a chapter at UCSB, and started sending out some emails. Eventually, I had a list of women who were interested in Phi Rho (this would eventually become the Alpha Class). I started hosting informational meetings in my living room at the San Rafael tower, where we would all cram onto the couch and look at documents and requirements on my tiny laptop screen. (Eventually we started projecting my laptop onto our TV--that was a game changer!) We began to have more recruitment events and started to complete the colony and chapter requirements. During this time, we went from acquaintances to friends, and then friends to sisters. Together, we spent our first chapter retreat writing our bylaws, we planned our first recruitment, and eventually, we recruited beta class. Becoming a chapter was a surreal moment, but possibly the most difficult part was when our first members graduated (myself included). Leaving behind Phi Rho and watching it grow without us is (and will always be) one of our greatest achievements; but I never want us to forget that we started in a San Rafael living room.”