Sigma men James Miller Leake, a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity, was the only man permitted to wear the badge of the sorority and is counted as a member of Tri Sigma due to his help with drafting the constitution and writing the initiation ritual. Though Leake is the only man counted as a member, other men are credited with assisting in the sorority's founding, including men from Kappa Sigma at Hampden Sydney College: H.W. Cole (who assisted with the constitution), Garret G. Gooch, Alex J. Boyer and Robert Miller. Marvin Smithey (a member of Kappa Alpha Order and brother of a Kappa Delta member in its Alpha chapter) offered legal services to secure the first charter. Modern day In 1951, Sigma Sigma Sigma became a full member of the National Panhellenic Conference and has so far chaired the NPC once, with Mary K. Barbee serving as Chairman from 1981–1983. The NPC rotates chairs every two years between its member organizations in the chronological order of each group's joining date. Each initiated member receives the latest edition of Tri Sigma's story,The Path from Farmville and "Over a Century of Sisterhood", which chronicles the beginnings of each collegiate chapter as well as the evolution of the national organization. Members also receive a lifetime subscription to their national magazine, The Triangle of Sigma Sigma Sigma, which is published three times a year. The sorority now counts more than 136,000 women as members. Sigma Sigma Sigma was the first NPC sorority to adopt a position statement for gender inclusivity, and also was the first NPC sorority to have a chapter in Alaska. Symbols The official colors are royal purple and pure white. The pearl was designated as the official jewel in 1909. The official flower is the purple violet, while the sailboat is the official symbol. The coat-of-arms came into use in 1902, designed by Harriet Henkins of the sorority's Alpha chapter. All the symbols on the shield may be used for jewelry, recognition pins, stationery, and formal clothing. From the upper left to lower right is the "bar" or "band" displaying three Greek sigmas (). Above the band in the right third are spreading wings joined by a centered circle, and above these is an equilateral triangle on which is engraved a single Sigma. Below the wings are clasped hands and in the lower left third is a flaming urn. On the