The first membership badge of the Sorority was a shield, upon which the Greek letters Alpha Sigma Alpha were inscribed in gold on a black background. The top of the badge displayed a crown set with jewels. The Founders announced the Sorority’s first hymn, “Blest Be the Tie that Binds,” and first open motto, “To one another ever faithful.” The colors were crimson and silver, and the flower was the white carnation.

On Nov.15, 1902, the five Founders of the Sorority, all wearing Alpha Sigma Alpha’s first membership badge, announced to the campus that a new sorority had been organized.

On Feb. 13, 1903, Alpha Sigma Alpha was chartered in the Circuit Court of Prince Edward County, VA, by Juliette Jefferson Hundley (Gilliam)’s father Judge George Jefferson Hundley. The Sorority was chartered to legalize its existence and to begin the first of many steps toward expanding the sisterhood and making Alpha Sigma Alpha a national sorority.

The badge was changed from the shape of a shield to the design it holds today.

Gamma Chapter was installed at the College for Women, Columbia, SC, on May 9, 1904.

In 1905, four chapters were added to the roll of Alpha Sigma Alpha. In February, Delta Chapter was installed at Mary Baldwin Seminary, Staunton, VA; in March, Epsilon Chapter was installed at Fauquier Institute, Warrenton, VA; Zeta Chapter was installed at Fairmount Seminary, Washington, DC, on Oct. 27; and in December, Eta Chapter at Ward Seminary, Nashville, TN, on Dec. 15.

With six chapters on its roll, Alpha Sigma Alpha called its first national convention at the Hotel Richmond in Richmond, VA, on Thanksgiving weekend 1905. Highlights: “After the business meetings the young ladies attended the football game between Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Virginia Military Institute and later on they entertained the academy, after which Alpha Chapter gave a magnificent banquet to their visiting sisters and guests. The dining room was tastefully decorated in Alpha Sigma Alpha pennants, the table in American Beauty roses and white carnations. The souvenirs were Alpha Sigma Alpha stick pins made in fraternity colors.” – from local newspaper Topics of the first convention included the publication of a Sorority magazine and the election of the first national council. It was decided The Alpha Sigma Alpha Magazine would be published three times yearly.

The following women were elected as members of grand council: Edna Elcan Jones, A, grand president; Jeanne Pelham, Γ, grand vice president; Effie Mealy, B, grand secretary; Lucy Hannah Daniel, A, grand historian; and Anna Thraves, Γ, grand priestess.

“To those who have had a good fortune to see a Southern sunset from the western end of the Charleston Batter there is no need to bring again the picture. It cannot be forgotten or dimmed. Then just as we turned, the moon came up over the harbor water, harmonizing with the quietness which was in that part of the city.” – From the March issue of the Alpha Sigma Alpha Magazine, recounting the 1906 national convention in Charleston, SC.

Iota Chapter, Randolph-Macon Women’s College, Lynchburg, Virginia was installed in May.

The third national convention was held in Asheville, NC. Highlights: Sue Smythe Flinn, Γ, was the convention secretary. Grand Council was formed and composed of, Grand President Lina Wakefield Mattison, Γ, Grand Vice President Mary C. Ash, Γ, Grand Secretary and Treasurer Bessie Ferguson Cary, A.

The Sorority Handbook by Ida Shaw Martin featured Alpha Sigma Alpha for the first time. “A fourth society founded at the Virginia State Normal School [Longwood University, VA], Alpha Sigma Alpha, has recently placed chapters above the seminary rank, so it is doubtless only a question of time when all these essentially Southern orders will have chapter rolls that will compare favorably with those of the older sororities.”

The fourth convention was held in Natural Bridge, VA.