In the fall of 1902, six of the newly admitted female students decided to organize themselves in a sorority. Miami University had already been the founding site for three fraternities: Beta Theta Pi (1839), Phi Delta Theta (1848), and Sigma Chi (1855) so, the idea for the new sorority was readily accepted.
Unfamiliar with the planning and organization needed to form a Greek-letter organization, the six women had no hesitancy about going to Dr. Benton with the matter. A member of Phi Delta Theta himself, Dr. Benton proved an invaluable source of guidance. Thus, under the date of October 24, 1902, the Department of State of Ohio issued formal articles of incorporation to Delta Zeta Sorority. The Articles of Incorporation established the location of the Sorority at Oxford University and stated it's founding members as Alfa Loyd, Mary Collins, Anna Keen, Julia Bishop, Mabelle Minton, and Anne Simmons. Because of the help and guildance of Dr. Benton, he is and will be the only man to ever wear the precious badge of the Delta Zeta Sorority.
Delta Zeta Sorority has approximately 167 collegiate chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States and Canada, making DZ one of the largest national sororities. You can contact the Delta Zeta Headquarters at their homepage www.deltazeta.org or my mail at 202 East Church Street, Oxford, Ohio 45056.