P.E.O. Sisterhood
Encyclopedia
The P.E.O. Sisterhood is an international women's organization of about 250,000 members with a primary focus on providing educational opportunities for female students worldwide. The Sisterhood is organized with chapters throughout the United States
and Canada
, headquartered in Des Moines
, Iowa
. Elizabeth E. Garrels is the president.
in Mount Pleasant
, Iowa
. It is the second sorority to be founded in the U.S. The founding members were Mary Allen [Stafford] (1848–1927), Ella Stewart (1848–94), Alice Bird [Babb] (1850–1926), Hattie Briggs [Bousquet] (1849–77), Franc Roads [Elliott] (1852–1924), Alice Virginia Coffin (1848–88), and Suela Pearson [Penfield] (1851–1920).
The first non-U.S. chapter was established in Vancouver, British Columbia
, Canada
in 1911.
The Sisterhood also established in the 1960s a number of retirement home
s for its members in various U.S. states, some of which still operate.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, headquartered in Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. Elizabeth E. Garrels is the president.
History
The Sisterhood was founded January 21, 1869, as a seven-member sorority at Iowa Wesleyan CollegeIowa Wesleyan College
Iowa Wesleyan College is a private four-year liberal arts college of the United Methodist Church located Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.Iowa Wesleyan is recognized as a pioneer in higher education in America. Founded in 1842, it ranks as the oldest coeducational college located west of the Mississippi River...
in Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant, Iowa
Mount Pleasant is a city in and the county seat of Henry County, Iowa, in the United States. The population was 8,668 in the 2010 census, a decline from 8,751 in the 2000 census. It was founded in 1835 by pioneer Presley Saunders.- History :...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. It is the second sorority to be founded in the U.S. The founding members were Mary Allen [Stafford] (1848–1927), Ella Stewart (1848–94), Alice Bird [Babb] (1850–1926), Hattie Briggs [Bousquet] (1849–77), Franc Roads [Elliott] (1852–1924), Alice Virginia Coffin (1848–88), and Suela Pearson [Penfield] (1851–1920).
The first non-U.S. chapter was established in Vancouver, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1911.
Main projects
- Cottey CollegeCottey CollegeCottey College, located in Nevada, Missouri is a private, two-year women's college that also offers select baccalaureate degree programs. It was founded by Virginia Alice Cottey Stockard in 1884, and is currently owned and supported by the P.E.O...
(est. 1884) is a women's collegeWomen's collegeWomen's colleges in higher education are undergraduate, bachelor's degree-granting institutions, often liberal arts colleges, whose student populations are composed exclusively or almost exclusively of women...
with a current capacity of 350 students in NevadaNevada, MissouriNevada is a city in Vernon County, Missouri, United States. The population was 8,327 at the 2011 census. It is the county seat of Vernon County. Nevada is the home of Cottey College, a junior college for women operated by the P.E.O. Sisterhood....
, MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
which offers two year associates degrees and selected four year baccalaureate degrees.
- The Educational Loan Fund (est. 1907) makes loanLoanA loan is a type of debt. Like all debt instruments, a loan entails the redistribution of financial assets over time, between the lender and the borrower....
s available to qualified AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and CanadianCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
women with financial need.
- The International Peace Scholarship Fund (est. 1949) provides scholarshipScholarshipA scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
s for international women to pursue graduate studyGraduate schoolA graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
in the U.S. and Canada.
- The Program for Continuing Education (est. 1973) provides need-based grantsGrant (money)Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
to women in the U.S. and Canada whose education has been interrupted and need to return to school to support themselves and/or their families through continuing educationContinuing educationContinuing education is an all-encompassing term within a broad spectrum of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United States and Canada...
programs.
- Scholar Awards (est. 1991) are merit-based awards to U.S. and Canadian women who are pursuing a doctoral degree, or pursuing post-graduate researchResearchResearch can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
at an accredited institution.
The Sisterhood also established in the 1960s a number of retirement home
Retirement home
A retirement home is a multi-residence housing facility intended for senior citizens. Typically each person or couple in the home has an apartment-style room or suite of rooms. Additional facilities are provided within the building, including facilities for meals, gathering, recreation, and some...
s for its members in various U.S. states, some of which still operate.
Name
The literal meaning of "P.E.O." in the organization's name has been, and may continue to be, an official secret.In 2008, the Sisterhood revised its website to indicate that "P.E.O." stands for "philanthropic educational organization". P.E.O. was originally formed as a college sorority, but moved off of college campuses early in its history. P.E.O. is not a secret society. It has some information shared only among its members, but its mission and its educational projects are very public. For information about these, view the P.E.O. website public section: www.peointernational.org.External links
- P.E.O. International
- P.E.O. Projects
- {http://www.cotteycollege.edu}