Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society
Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society
Delta Alpha Pi (DAPi) International Honor Society was founded in 2004 at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania and now features chapters on over 200 college campuses.
Membership in the DAPi Chapter at UD is open to undergraduate and graduate students with disabilities who are registered with the DSS office. Members display pride in their academic accomplishments as honor students who happen to have a disability. Delta Alpha Pi members strive to change the false and negative perception that students with disabilities cannot achieve academically. Through public recognition, leadership and visible participation in educational activities, DAPi Honor Society members counteract such negative perceptions.
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Becoming a member of DAPi is significant because it allows us, as disabled college students, to be recognized for and to take pride in our academic accomplishments. Through DAPi, I was introduced to a community of people who may not have the same disabilities or struggles but share a common understanding of what it means to navigate college as a disabled person and still achieve success.
~Kassy Donohoe, DAPi Member
DAPi made me feel accomplished and proud of getting recognition for my efforts while being a disabled student. Having [multiple disabilities] made college difficult and statistics were stacked against me for graduating, but I did it. Being not only a member but being in a leadership role in DAPI made me proud, [and] excited to help other students and advocate for other students with disabilities.
~Alex Crawley, DAPi Vice President 2025–2026
Eligibility Criteria
To initiate into Delta Alpha Pi International Honor Society, students must meet the following criteria.
All students must:
- Present with a documented disability and work with one of the faculty or staff members in the Office of Disability Services
- Demonstrate an interest in disability issues.
Undergraduate students must have:
- Completed a minimum of 24 credits
- Earned an overall Quality Point Average of 3.10 on a 4.00 scale.
Graduate students must have:
- Completed a minimum of 18 credits
- Earned an overall Quality Point Average of 3.30 on a 4.00 scale.
Students who are interested in joining DAPi and believe they may meet the criteria are encouraged to reach out to the DSS office at dssoffice@udel.edu.
All students who meet the approved criteria are invited to become members of this Honor Society without regard to gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, type of disability or sexual orientation.
Purpose of DAPi
Because of the negative stereotyping associated with disability, students have been reluctant to identify themselves publicly. Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society presents an opportunity to change that perception by recognizing students with disabilities for their academic accomplishments. In addition, this Honor Society facilitates development of skills in leadership, advocacy and education for participating students.
What Does DAPi Stand For?
DAPi is an acronym for the Greek letters Delta Alpha Pi, which signify:
Delta
D for Disability, but also the triangle, symbol of strength. Members of Delta Alpha Pi demonstrate strength as leaders on campus to help break down the barriers of negativism. Also, they serve as mentors and role models for other students with disabilities.
Alpha
A for Achievement. Alpha is the beginning and academic achievement must come first. But also for advocacy because students must advocate for themselves before they can advocate for others. Members of Delta Alpha Pi enhance advocacy skills for themselves and for the rights of all individuals with disabilities to be included fully in society.
Pi
P for Pride, pride in academic achievement and in other accomplishments, not just as students with disabilities but as members of the university community. Pi is a mathematical symbol that we all learned to use in elementary arithmetic classes. So Pi is an appropriate symbol for education. Members of Delta Alpha Pi participate in activities designed to educate the community and society regarding the need to apply the principles of universal design in learning.
How to Join
There is no application process for joining DAPi. DSS will confirm that you are registered with their office and that your GPA and earned credit hours meet the qualifications.
New members are initiated into DAPi each spring at an annual initiation ceremony. Qualified undergraduate students will be contacted by DSS at the start of the spring semester and invited to join and attend the initiation ceremony. All graduate students receive an email about DAPi at the start of the spring semester and are encouraged to reach out to DSS if they meet the criteria.
Contact DSS at dssoffice@udel.edu or 302-831-4643 for additional information.