is shaped as gold Greek "K" for Kappa with a serpent lacing through it to form a Greek "Σ" for Sigma. This design was adopted as the new member pin in 1920. There are also alumni pins, 25-year pins, and 50-year pins, and the "Pearl Court Pin" which is given to recipients of the Ernestine Duncan Collins Pearl Court Award, which is a national award given by the organization. Philanthropies In 1962, Sigma Kappa established a separate branch, the Sigma Kappa Foundation, and in 1989, it was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Chapters raise funds for the Foundation, which then grants the funds towards: scholarships for leadership and tuition for its collegiate members, alumnae chapter funds, alumnae and collegiate crisis relief, and collegiate project grants, while donations made with specific restrictions may be given to specific scholarships or causes such as Alzheimer's research. At a 1918 convention, the sorority voted to partner with the Maine Sea Coast Mission to aid communities and ecologies of coastal Maine. In 1954, gerontology was adopted as another main philanthropy of Sigma Kappa, with members encouraged to volunteer with the elderly. Beginning in 1984, the sorority added an emphasis on Alzheimer's disease research. The sorority also has an "Inherit the Earth" project that has goals of improving local environments. The first letter of Sigma Kappa's five philanthropies spell out the word "Sigma;" the philanthropies are the Sigma Kappa Foundation, Inherit the Earth, Gerontology, Maine Sea Cost Mission, and the Alzheimer's Association. Many collegiate chapters of Sigma Kappa participate in The Walk to End Alzheimer's to raise money for the Alzheimer's Association. This money does not go through the Sigma Kappa Foundation but directly to the Alzheimer's Association. According to the Foundation's website: "Since becoming a Platinum National Walk team in 2016, Sigma Kappa has consistently raised more than $1,000,000 annually. In 2019, Sigma Kappa will become a Diamond Level National Walk Team, the highest level for a national team for the Alzheimer's Association." Some chapters may also participate host a variety of fundraising events called "Ultra Violet", a concept introduced in 2008, where all funds raised go to the Foundation's PULSE fund. Values As sisters of the Sigma Kappa Sorority, alumnae and collegiate women strive to uphold the four values that the sorority is founded on: friendship, loyalty, personal growth, and service. Membership As with all National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) sororities, women may join