About Us
Phi Sigma Rho
Phi Sigma Rho was founded at Purdue University in 1984 by 2 women in engineering. Due to the demands of their rigorous academic programs, Abby McDonald and Rashmi Khana created the first social sorority for women in engineering and technology. Phi Sigma Rho currently has 44 collegiate chapters.
Our History
The Alpha Chapter of Phi Sigma Rho was established at Purdue University by Abby McDonald and Rashmi Khanna in 1984. Due to the demands of their rigorous academic programs, Abby and Rashmi were unable to participate in traditional sorority recruitment. Thus, they sought out to create the first social sorority for women in engineering and technology that would be flexible enough to accommodate for their busy schedules. Since its inception, Phi Sigma Rho has grown in membership with 46 active chapters.
The UC Berkeley chapter otherwise known as the Alpha Theta Chapter was founded in 2015 by Annie Cheng, Rachel Zhang, and Anusha Jain. Our chapter continues to strengthen Science Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) through sisterhood and service to our Cal community.
Our Values
Phi Sigma Rho was founded upon three values that we hold true to our sorority: friendship, scholarship, and encouragement.
Our sisterhood cultivates friendship, creating a network of sisters who mentor us and enrich our lives through their unique backgrounds and experiences. Our rituals help us connect with our rich alumni network and other sisters across the various chapters and strengthen our sisterhood even beyond college. To help our sisters succeed in historically male-dominated fields, Phi Rho focuses on providing professional development, assistance, and encouragement to help them achieve their academic and career goals. Our sisters inspire each other in all aspects of life and provide constant support and encouragement to get each other through both their challenges and victories. All in all, we are driven by our commitment to promote shared experiences, academic achievement, and service above self.
