The organization is involved in the philanthropies Glenmary Home Missioners and The House that Theta Phi Alpha Built which help the homeless and underprivileged, specifically in the Appalachian Mountain region, and Camp Friendship, a summer camp in northeast Mississippi for children from disadvantaged and low-income homes.

[5][2] Father Edward D. Kelly (later bishop), a pastor of the student chapel at the University of Michigan saw a need for Catholic women to have a place to go for socialization and friendship.

[7] Plans for the coming school year were completed on August 30, 1912, and Theta Phi Alpha began operation on the campus of the University of Michigan.

[4] On June 28, 1952, Theta Phi Alpha absorbed Pi Lambda Sigma, the only other national Catholic women's fraternity.

Theta Phi Alpha approved the expansion of its Grand Council from five to seven members in 2006 to have more of a focus on chapter assistance.

[11] Dorothy Phalan (née Caughey) assisted in the founding of the sorority by providing the original meeting space to plan the reorganization of Omega Upsilon.

[1]: 12 After graduating from the University of Michigan in 1911 with a literary degree, Katrina Ward (née Caughey) assisted the new Theta Phi Alpha as an Omega Upsilon alumnae.

[1]: 15 Mildred Connely focused on turning Theta Phi Alpha into a national sorority by visiting old Omega Upsilon members.

After founding Theta Phi Alpha, Gilday went on to teach German, Latin, and mathematics for 46 years in Toledo where she organized the Toledo-Monroe City Alumnae Association.

She, along with Eva Bauer Everson, located and secured the home for the newest sisters of Theta Phi Alpha.

After she graduated the following year, O'Hara remained involved in the fraternity, chairing the committee that selected the gift of silver flatware presented to Alpha at the 1941 national convention.

After graduating from the University of Michigan in 1898 as an alumna of Omega Upsilon, Amelia McSweeney became an important figure in education and civic life in Detroit.

[6] This experience in civic life and education was the reason Father Edward A. Kelly approached her to found this new Catholic sorority.

Camilla Sutherland (née Ryan) was an alumna teacher of Omega Upsilon when she was approached by Bishop Edward Kelly to establish the sorority.

Sutherland and her sister hosted a joint meeting of the grand council and the board of trustees in 1931 in their family home.

Helen Quinlan (née Ryan) graduated from the University of Michigan in 1908 and started teaching mathematics in Detroit.

As a founding member, May is credited with developing the name, motto, and original coat of arms for Theta Phi Alpha.

Before she entered the University, she found solace in the St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, whose namesake became the patroness of the Theta Phi Alpha fraternity.

The motto, Theta Phi Alpha in Greek lettering, is written in upper and lower case on the blue banner on the bottom of the crest.

Because of the respect and reverence for Saint Catherine, her feast day, April 30, is used to celebrate the fraternity's founding because the original date, August 30, frequently does not fall within the academic year at most universities.

Guards are worn by current and former members of the grand council and depict the fraternity's coat of arms set with a sapphire on each side.

The foundation provides resources for Theta Phi Alpha for scholarships, philanthropy, community service, and education through charitable giving.

[17] Glenmary's work is in depressed, rural areas of the United States, primarily in the Appalachian Mountains, where they distribute food, clothing, and books to needy persons, and assist in providing medical care, job training, and tutoring.

[1]: 207  Theta Phi Alpha sponsors the camp and donates clothing, toiletries, and arts and crafts supplies.

[18] Sisters may also volunteer for two weeks to help run the camp, offsetting costs that allow participation by children who otherwise may not be able to afford the program.

Chapters may seek to assist organizations that help the homeless, shelters, home building, or neighborhood revitalization projects.

Many specific charitable efforts fall under The House That Theta Phi Alpha built, such as promoting literacy, serving dinners, and running errands for the elderly.

As of August 1, 2022, Theta Phi Alpha had 55 active collegiate chapters as well as 37 alumnae associations and clubs across the United States.

Chapters must apply for this award based on campus involvement, community service, national organization contributions, and others.

[1]: 191  An outstanding alumnae association may win a Diamond Jubilee Award for excellence in membership, financial management, program planning, and other criteria.