Cornell University has a culturally diverse student population of which 19% is Asian. Unfortunately, that percentage is not reflected in the Greek life at Cornell; in fact, less than 1% of the Greek population is Asian. The reason, perhaps, maybe that no sorority or fraternity has ever specifically met the needs or concerns of the collegiate Asian community.
Finally, in the Spring of 1997, three women set out to establish the first Asian and Asian-American interest sorority at Cornell. Kelly Eng, Natalie Elizabeth Louie and Lucie Eun Mee Shin were some of the first women who realized that their concerns were not being met at the already existing sororities. However, their desire to still participate in the Greek system led them to alpha Kappa Delta Phi, a national Asian and Asian-American interest sorority.
As founders of the Charter class, they acquired the necessary information and documents to start a chapter at Cornell. Then, they began to recruit the other sisters of the Charter class who shared the same goals and visions for the first Asian-American interest sorority
In the Spring of 1997, the other women of the Charter class now included: Janet Cheng, Quan Diep, Hellin Jang, Helen Jen, Nancy Kim, Michelle Li, Patti Li, Rosalyn Nguyen, Christine Tao and Angela Yu. Together, as sisters of the Charter class at Cornell University, they vowed to give 100% dedication to promote sisterhood, leadership, support, love and friendship through the establishment of alpha Kappa Delta Phi Sorority.