Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated was founded on January 13, 1913, by 22 collegiate women at Howard University to promote academic excellence and provide assistance to those in need. The Founders of Delta Sigma Theta envisioned an organization committed to sisterhood, scholarship, service, and addressing the social issues of the time. Since its founding, Delta Sigma Theta has become one of the preeminent service-based sororities, with more than 300,000 initiated members and over 1,000 chartered chapters worldwide. This includes 1,000 collegiate and alumnae chapters located in the United States, Canada,   England, Japan (Tokyo and Okinawa), Germany, the Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and the Republic of Korea.