Pi Beta Phi, #NotableSororityWomen, #WHM2025

Pi Beta Phi was founded on April 28, 1867, at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois, by 12 young women. Ten of them gathered in the southwest bedroom on the second floor of a home owned by “Major” Jacob Holt. The two who could not make the gathering agreed to abide by whatever the others decided to do. Their intention from the beginning was to create a fraternity for women based upon the men’s fraternity model.

Below are links to posts about previous #WHM profiles. I invite you to learn more about these interesting women.

Charlotte Herman Kerr, M.D., was an initiate of the University of Illinois chapter.

Charlotte Herman Kerr, M.D., Pi Beta Phi, #NotableSororityWomen, #WHM2024

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Virginia Hunt, Ph.D., was an initiate of the University of Iowa chapter.

Virginia Hunt, Ph.D., Pi Beta Phi, #NotableSororityWomen, #WHM2023

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Carole Ashkinaze was an initiate of the St. Lawrence University chapter.

Carole Ashkinaze, Pi Beta Phi, #NotableSororityWomen, #WHM2022

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Madge Oberholtzer was an initiate of the Butler College (now University).

Madge Oberholtzer, Pi Beta Phi, #NotableSororityWomen

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Leona Baumgartner, Ph.D., M.D., was an initiate of the University of Kansas chapter.

Leona Baumgartner, Ph.D., M.D., Pi Beta Phi, #NotableSororityWoman, #WHM2021

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Anna Kelton Wiley was an initiate of the George Washington University chapter.

Anna Kelton Wiley, Pi Beta Phi, #NotableSororityWomen, #WHM2020

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Mimi Baird is an alumna initiate of the University of Vermont chapter.

Mimi Baird, Pi Beta Phi, #NotableSororityWomen, #WHM2019

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Flora Richardson Colman was a founder of the University of Kansas chapter.

Flora Richardson Colman, Pi Beta Phi, #WHM2018, #notablesororitywomen

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Lucinda Smith Buchan was an initiate of the University of Kansas chapter.

Lucinda Smith Buchan on Pi Beta Phi’s Giving Day

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Barbara Pierce Bush was an alumna initiate of the Texas A&M University chapter.

Barbara Pierce Bush, Literacy Advocate and Pi Beta Phi

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Janice Martin Benario was an initiate of the Goucher College chapter.

Janice Martin Benario, WAVE Code Breaker and Pi Beta Phi

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Margaret Truman Daniel and Jane Tunstall Lingo were initiates of the George Washington University chapter.

Margaret Truman Daniel and Jane Tunstall Lingo, Pi Beta Phi Sisters