Lambda Kappa Sigma (ΛΚΣ or LKS) is an international pharmacy fraternity headquartered in Muskego, Wisconsin. Founded in 1913, it was created to promote the profession of pharmacy among women and advance women within the profession. LKS is the oldest and largest professional pharmacy fraternity for women in the world. Lambda Kappa Sigma has initiated more than 30,000 members and has 44 chartered chapters. LKS also has 36 chartered alumni groups internationally.
Lambda Kappa Sigma is dedicated to developing the intellectual, leadership, and professional skills of its members. LKS promotes professional growth and its educational programs enhance professional development in the field of pharmacy, with an emphasis placed on women's health issues. Continuing education credits are also available. LKS also has an Educational Grant Program.
On October 14, 1913, Ethel J. Heath and eight other female students at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy organized Lambda Kappa Society, a social club. Charter members were Ethel J. Heath, Annabel Carter Jones, Mary Connolly Livingston, Emma MacDonnell Cronin, Willette McKeever Cheever, Mary Durgin Loveland, Alice G. Coleman, Margaret M. Curran, and Rosemond A. Guinn.
In 1915 the organization ceased being a luncheon club and was opened to all members of the college. Sigma was added to the name, and the official badge, motto, flower, and colors were selected. In 1919 the official coat-of-arms, designed by Cora E. Craven, was adopted.
The first national convention was held in Boston, Massachusetts in 1926. The Tau Chapter founded at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania March 18, 1932. An official prayer was presented by the Eta Chapter and Delta Chapter presented a song to be used as the official sorority song. Both the prayer and the song were adopted for national use in 1950.
The Silver Anniversary Convention was held in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1938. At that convention the delegates voted to join the Professional Panhellenic Association, becoming the first pharmaceutical sorority in the PPA.
On April 28, 1956 ΛΚΣ became international with the addition of the Alpha Lambda chapter in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on the campus of the University of British Columbia.
The 1982 biennial convention was held at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with the Delta Collegiate (University of Pittsburgh), Tau Collegiate (Duquesne University), and Tau Alumni chapters as hosts.
The 1996 biennial convention was held in St. Louis, Missouri, with the Alpha Zeta Collegiate and Alumni chapters as hosts.
During the 1988 biennial convention, the members voted to delete all gender references from the fraternity's membership requirements. The fraternity was now open to both male and female members, following a twelve-year battle to legally remain a fraternity for women only.
Alpha - Massachusetts College of Pharmacy
Beta - Albany College of Pharmacy (inactive)
Gamma - University of Illinois College of Pharmacy (inactive)
Delta - University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy
Epsilon - University of Maryland School of Pharmacy
Zeta - University of California School of Pharmacy
Eta - Philadelphia College of Pharmacy (inactive)
Theta - Creighton University School of Pharmacy
Iota - University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy
Kappa - University of Kansas College of Pharmacy
Lambda - University of Southern California School of Pharmacy
Mu - Washington State University College of Pharmacy
Nu - Drake University College of Pharmacy
Xi - University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy
Omicron - Wayne State University College of Pharmacy
Pi - Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers University
Rho - Oregon State University College of Pharmacy
Sigma - Columbia University
Tau - Duquesne University School of Pharmacy
Upsilon - Idaho State University College of Pharmacy
Phi - Butler University College of Pharmacy
Chi - University of Washington School of Pharmacy
Psi - Detroit Institute of Technology
Omega - Medical University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy
Alpha Alpha - Temple University School of Pharmacy
Alpha Beta - University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy
Alpha Gamma - Samford University School of Pharmacy
Alpha Delta - University of Michigan College of Pharmacy
Alpha Epsilon - University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy
Alpha Zeta - St. Louis College of Pharmacy
Alpha Eta - Long Island University Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy
Alpha Theta - State University of New York at Buffalo School of Pharmacy
Alpha Iota - Ferris State University College of Pharmacy
Alpha Kappa - University of Georgia College of Pharmacy
Alpha Lambda - University of British Columbia Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Alpha Mu - University of Toledo College of Pharmacy
Alpha Nu - University of Kentucky, College of Pharmacy
Alpha Xi - University of the Pacific, School of Pharmacy
Alpha Omicron - West Virginia University School of Pharmacy
Alpha Pi - St. John’s University College of Pharmacy
Alpha Rho - Northeastern University College of Pharmacy
Alpha Sigma - Texas Southern University School of Pharmacy
Alpha Tau - University of Toronto Faculty of Pharmacy
Alpha Phi - Wilkes University School of Pharmacy
Alpha Chi - Northeast Ohio Medical University College of Pharmacy
Alpha Psi - University of New England, College of Pharmacy
Alpha Omega - Sullivan University College of Pharmacy
Alpha Alumni - Boston, Massachusetts
Beta Alumni - Albany, New York
Gamma Alumni - Chicago, Illinois
Delta Alumni - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Epsilon Alumni - Baltimore, Maryland
Zeta Alumni - San Francisco, California
Eta Alumni - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Lambda Alumni - Los Angeles, California
Nu Alumni - Des Moines, Iowa
Xi Alumni - Kingston, Rhode Island
Omicron Alumni - Detroit, Michigan
Pi Alumni - New Brunswick, New Jersey
Rho Alumni - Portland, Oregon
Sigma Alumni - New York, New York
Tau Alumni - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Phi Alumni - Indianapolis, Indiana
Chi Alumni - Seattle, Washington
Omega Alumni - Charleston, South Carolina
Alpha Alpha Alumni - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Alpha Beta Alumni - New Haven, Connecticut
Alpha Gamma Alumni - Birmingham, Alabama
Alpha Zeta Alumni - St. Louis, Missouri
Alpha Eta Alumni - Brooklyn, New York
Alpha Theta Alumni - Buffalo, New York
Alpha Iota Alumni - Big Rapids, Michigan
Alpha Kappa Alumni - Athens, Georgia
Alpha Lambda Alumni - Vancouver, BC Canada
Alpha Nu Alumni - Lexington, Kentucky
Alpha Xi Alumni - Stockton, California
Alpha Omicron Alumni - Morgantown, West Virginia
Alpha Pi Alumni - Jamaica, New York
Alpha Sigma Alumni - Houston, Texas
Alpha Tau Alumni - Toronto, ON Canada
Alpha Upsilon Alumni - Nishi-Ku, Kobe, Japan
Phoenix Metro Alumni - Phoenix, Arizona
Washington Metro Alumni - Washington, D.C.
Blue and Gold Triangle - Official publication of fraternity (established 1926)
Alumni News - Informational alumni-only mailing
LinKS - Official publication of student chapters and advisors
