Alpha Lambda Delta records

Alpha Lambda Delta was a national honors society founded at the University of Illinois in 1923. Initially, it was open only to high-achieving women since its brother organization, Phi Eta Sigma, accepted only male participants. Both organizations became co-educational in the mid-1970s. The Augustana chapter, first called the Freshman Women's Honor Group and later nicknamed "Toppers," was formed in 1940. According to its constitution, the group tried to "promote intelligent living and a higher standard of learning and to encourage superior scholastic attainment among the freshman women." In the 1977-1978 academic year, the Toppers merged with Akros, the Augustana chapter of the men's honor society, to form Aristeia. The Alpha Lambda Delta records, 1941-1977, contains meeting minutes, membership lists, initiation materials, financial records, and photocopies of newspaper articles featuring "Toppers" initiates.