University of Washington

Washington Alpha

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Our Roots

A local group of women, Kappa Tau Tau, was formed in 1900 and officially became the Washington Alpha Chapter in 1907 after installation by past Grand Secretary Elda Smith, Illinois Epsilon. Both installation and the Initiation Ceremony took place at the home of Maryland Alpha Roberta Frye (Wyatt), Delta Province President. A celebratory banquet was hosted at the Butler Hotel in Seattle.

Supporting Sisters’ Dreams

Chapter-specific scholarship funds support collegiate chapter members as they pursue their academic dreams and professional goals. By giving to a scholarship fund, donors can directly impact their own chapter sisters and open doors that might not have been possible otherwise.

Notable Chapter Alumnae

Professional headshot of Louise Bryson wearing a pink shirt with a black and white scarf in front of a grey background

Louise Henry Bryson

Co-founder and Chair, Getty Conservation Council

Professional headshot of Louise Bryson wearing a pink shirt with a black and white scarf in front of a grey background

Louise Henry Bryson

Co-founder and Chair, Getty Conservation Council

Louise is co-founder and chair of the Getty Conservation Council and serves as trustee emerita of Pomona College. With more than 35 years of experience in private and public media, she began her career as a documentary filmmaker and later took on management roles, including president of distribution for Lifetime Entertainment Services and general manager of Lifetime Movie Network. She is a founder of the Southern California Public Radio, now known as LAist, and has served on the national PBS Board.

Louise was initiated in 1963.

Historical black and white headshot of Imogen Cunningham wearing a black shirt and glasses in front of a black backgrounf

Imogen Cunningham

Photographer

Historical black and white headshot of Imogen Cunningham wearing a black shirt and glasses in front of a black backgrounf

Imogen Cunningham

Photographer

Imogen Cunningham was an American photographer whose career helped shape modern photography. She studied chemistry at the University of Washington before working with renowned photographer Edward S. Curtis and later studying photographic chemistry in Dresden, Germany in 1909—an opportunity which was made possible by a Pi Beta Phi Graduate Fellowship. Imogen became known for her botanical studies, portraits, nudes and industrial landscapes, and was a founding member of the influential Group f/64.

Throughout her career, she photographed artists, dancers, writers and cultural figures for publications such as “Vanity Fair.” Widely recognized as one of the most important photographers of the 20th century, Imogen received numerous honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, an honorary doctorate from the California College of Arts and Crafts and election as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Imogen was initiated in 1907.

Chapter Awards

2001

Historian's Vase

2001

Nita Hill Stark Award

2001

Vera Moss Bowl

2019

Spirit Award

2019

Excellence in Alumnae Advisory Committee Service