Prytanean Alumnae, Inc.

Welcome to Prytanean Alumnae!

What is Prytanean?

The Prytanean Honor Society is the first collegiate women’s Honor Society in the United States, established by three undergraduate women in 1901, just 33 years after the founding of the University of California and almost 20 years before women had the right to vote. All Prytaneans pledge “Faith, service and loyalty to the University of California,” and have demonstrated outstanding scholarship and dedication to community service.

The early Prytaneans actively addressed unmet needs of the young University. They established the first university infirmary, and continued advocating and supporting the institution as it evolved into Cowell Hospital, and now the Tang Center. Other Prytanean efforts led to the establishment of the Women’s Physical Education Department, and a women’s dormitory, Ritter Hall, to address the challenges that women students faced when seeking housing at U.C. Berkeley.

Our Alumnae group, Prytanean Alumnae, Inc., was incorporated in 1945, and is a chartered chapter of the California Alumni Association as well as a nonprofit 501(c)(3). Our members are the U.C. Berkeley Prytanean Honor Society graduates as well as Honorary Prytaneans – women who have demonstrated service to U.C. Berkeley and have been invited to become a Prytanean.

Today, donations and the commitment of over 2,500 Prytanean Alumnae members have enabled us to support an increasing number of projects and awards for the University, its students and its faculty. A few of our projects and awards include:

• The $35,000 Faculty Award is granted annually to an untenured female faculty member to support her work
• Annual awards to Prytanean Society members for outstanding academic achievement and service to the University
• Four Leadership Awards, given in the name of Mary Wiley Stecker and Prytaneans
• The Rowena Hamilton Award honoring a female student-athlete
• Monetary awards to campus projects
• Our own Oral History Project which chronicles the history of our members from our early years

Prytanean Alumnae is an all volunteer organization. If you’re interested in volunteering with us, please let us know! Our Board of Directors meetings are conducted online, and most of our work can be accomplished remotely.

Reach us at:
Prytanean Alumnae, Inc.
P.O. Box 5075
Berkeley, CA 94705

CalPrytanean@gmail.com

Renew your Prytanean Alumnae membership​!

Click here to download a printable form.

Dues:

• General Membership: $35
• Recent Grad, 2014-2024: $20

Renew your membership via check, through Prytanean Alumnae, Inc. directly (tax ID# 94-1514147).
Checks payable to Prytanean Alumnae, Inc., and mailed to:

You may also donate to Prytanean Alumnae through the U.C. Berkeley Foundation (tax ID# 94-6090626).
Note that Prytanean Alumnae Membership dues may not be paid via the U.C. Berkeley Foundation.

Please be sure to indicate one of these funds:

•  Prytanean Faculty Enrichment Program (for Faculty Award)
•  Prytanean Fund (for Honor Society programs)
•  Rowena Hamilton Memorial Scholarship (for athletic scholarship for female student-athletes)
• Mary Wiley Stecker and Prytanean Awards (for women in the College of Letters and Science, Engineering, Math and Science, or Architecture and Technology).