Alpha Sigma Tau sorority founded at Ypsilanti, Michigan

Background. The sorority originated at Michigan State Normal College, which in 1899 became the first normal school in the nation to offer a four-year curriculum. The institution traces to the Michigan State Normal School, founded by the Michigan Legislature in 1849, influenced by similar academies in Europe, with its campus in Ypsilanti.

Founding Context. On November 4, 1899, eight women founded the first chapter. The sorority was initially established as an educational sorority. At the time, three other sororities existed at Michigan State Normal College: Pi Kappa Sigma, Sigma Nu Phi, and Zeta Phi. Sigma Nu Phi, a local sorority, had been founded on Eastern's campus on September 30, 1897.

Institutional Setting. The founding took place at Michigan State Normal College, which had recently transitioned to a four-year curriculum. The college was located in Ypsilanti, a city on the Huron River. The institution's history as a normal school, founded in 1849, provided the academic environment for the sorority's establishment.