Alpha Lambda Delta

Alpha Lambda Delta, founded at the University of Illinois in 1924, was the national scholastic honor society for freshmen women with a 3.5 grade point average. In 1976 its membership was expanded to include men.

In the spring of 1924 the University of Illinois Dean of Women, Maria Leonard, and the Assistant Dean of Women, Gladys Pennington, founded the national chapter of Alpha Lambda Delta (ALD). Adele H. Stamp, Dean of Women at the University of Maryland, established the Freshmen Women's Honor Society, later known as the University of Maryland Chapter of ALD, in 1932. In 1960, the University of Maryland Chapter became known as the Adele H. Stamp Chapter, in honor of the chapter founder at the time of her retirement as Dean of Women. Besides founding the ALD University of Maryland Chapter, Stamp served as the national treasurer of ALD for fifteen years. ALD encouraged freshmen women to achieve high academic standards and promoted "intellectual living." In the fall of 1975, ALD opened initiation to freshmen men and began serving as an honor society for all freshman students.

Several prominent University of Maryland women have served as advisors to ALD including Adele H. Stamp, Dr. Virginia Beauchamp, Dr. Helen E. Clarke, and Dr. Katherine Pedro Beardsley. Notable on and off-campus individuals have also attended ALD initiations as guest speakers and have been made honorary members of ALD. Dr. Glenda Earwood-Smith, the Executive Director of National Alpha Lambda Delta, and University of Maryland President C. D. Mote, Jr., attended a 1997-1998 ALD Order of the Torch ceremony.

Initiates to ALD are required to meet high academic standards in order to attain membership. A student can be admitted during the first or second semester of his or her freshman year and must have a minimum G.P.A. of 3.5 with no incompletes or failures. Initiation ceremonies are usually held both in the fall and in the spring. ALD members spend much time and effort preparing for the initiation ceremonies, which usually include live music, prominent guest speakers, and various campus locations.

The Adele H. Stamp Chapter of Alpha Lambda Delta is involved in many and varied activities. ALD has a history of community service and campus leadership, and the organization's activities center around these traditions. In the past, ALD held fundraisers for charity and members acted as hostesses at various University of Maryland functions. More recently, ALD has participated in community service projects such as feeding the homeless, visiting the elderly, helping children with special needs, and cleaning up the environment. ALD members have also attended regional and national leadership conferences and workshops. In addition, ALD has promoted academic achievement to non-members through a long tradition of tutoring services and the "Been Caught Studying" program.

Alpha Lambda Delta continues to be active at the University of Maryland as part of the Primannum Honor Society. The Primannum Honor Society unites the two national honor societies of Alpha Lambda Delta and Phi Eta Sigma.