HISTORY

Iota is a chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta in California State University, Los Angeles. This chapter was originally established in 1960 and revitalized in the Spring of 1997. The objective of this society is to promote sociology, and encourage and support its members to participate professional meetings such as American Sociological Association and Pacific Sociological Association while in school. Membership in Alpha Kappa Delta is exclusive by grade point average.

Alpha Kappa Delta is an international sociological honors society formed by the sociology department chairman of the University of Southern California, Dr. Emory S. Bogardus on November 21, 1920. The first group was composed of fourteen students and faculty. The objective of the group was to establish a network for interchanging ideas concerning sociological projects. University of Wisconsin modeled this mode of networking first, then it was followed by Northwestern University and the University of Kansas.

The name Alpha Kappa Delta represents the first letters of the Greek words: anthropon (mankind); katamanthanein (to investigate thoroughly or to conduct research); and diakonesein (for the purpose of service). Alpha Kappa Delta, therefore, translates to mean social research for the purpose of service. During the seven decades of its history, over 47,000 scholars have been initiated into the society. There are presently 357 chapters in 48 states, the District of Columbia, the Philippines, and Taiwan.

Source: Handbook of the United Chapters of Alpha Kappa Delta, 1989-1990.

 Last Update: May 6, 2011
Maintained by Gretchen Peterson, Ph.D. 

California State University, Los Angeles