Alpha Epsilon Phi
| Alpha Epsilon Phi | |
|---|---|
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ΑΕΦ
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| Founded | October 24, 1909 Barnard College, (New York, New York) |
| Type | Social |
| Emphasis | Judaic Values and Sisterhood |
| Scope | National |
| Motto | Multa Corda, Una Causa Many Hearts, One Purpose |
| Colors | White |
| Symbol | Columns |
| Flower | Lily of the Valley |
| Jewel | Pearl |
| Publication | Columns |
| Philanthropy | Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Sharsheret |
| Mascot | Giraffe: It's got the biggest heart, and its head is above the rest. |
| Headquarters | Danbury, Connecticut, USA |
| Homepage | http://www.aephi.org/ |
Alpha Epsilon Phi (ΑΕΦ) is a sorority and member of the National Panhellenic Conference. It was founded on October 24, 1909 at Barnard College in New York City by seven Jewish women; Helen Phillips Lipman, Ida Beck Carlin, Rose Gerstein Smolin, Augustina "Tina" Hess Solomon, Lee Reiss Liebert, Rose Salmowitz Marvin, and Stella Strauss Sinsheimer. The mission of Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority is "to inspire and support exemplary women dedicated to friendship and a lifelong commitment to Alpha Epsilon Phi while building on the vision of our Jewish founders."[1]
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[edit] History
Out of a desire for friendship, mutual understanding and respect for the high ideals of womanhood, Alpha Epsilon Phi was born. Seven Jewish Barnard College women met one day in 1909 to found a "club" where they could foster their aims and desires and became the founders of Alpha Epsilon Phi. Their goal was to foster lifelong friendship and sisterhood, academics, social involvement and community service while providing a home away from home for their members. This idea was the firm basis upon which Alpha Epsilon Phi was founded.
In the early 1900s a college education for a woman was quite rare. However, in 1907 Barnard College opened its door and young ladies from well-to-do families came to continue their high school studies. There were seven: Helen Phillips, Ida Beck, Rose Gerstein, Augustina Hess, Lee Reiss, Stella Strauss and Rose Salmowitz. Helen Phillips was the one who really inspired the idea of forming a club. She wanted some material thing to keep in closer contact with her friends. Helen suggested that the others meet in her room and discuss the possibilities of such a club. And so, on October 24, 1909, Alpha Epsilon Phi came into being. The other women met in Helen's room were not chosen because of any special scholastic prominence, financial circumstances or other arbitrary standards, but because they had a common heritage, shared common interests and were imbued with the ideals of true friendship.
[edit] Symbols
Crest The columns of Alpha Epsilon Phi were added in 1916, the sorority's seventh year in existence. It was decided to create a simple insignia as opposed to an elaborate crest like that of most other Greek letter organizations. Each column of the insignia holds special significance to the members.
Jewel The pearl was chosen as the national jewel by the founders. They chose the pearl because of its glowing beauty gained through years of growth and the fact that it is a jewel that literally grows.
Colors The colors of green and white were also chosen in the beginning by the founders. They represent growth and fellowship, respectively.
Flower The last symbol of Alpha Epsilon Phi which can be directly attributed to the founders is the flower. The lily of the valley was selected for its simple beauty and for the fact that it is green and white.
Mascot At the 1977 National Convention the giraffe was chosen as the mascot for Alpha Epsilon Phi
Open Motto Multa Corda Una Causa... Many Hearts One Purpose was chosen as the open motto in the early years of the sorority because it best expressed the intentions of the founders of Alpha Epsilon Phi.
Tag Line In 2001, the sorority unveiled its updated image, complete with a new tag line: Above All Else. The statement captures the sentiments and experiences AEPhis have had.
[edit] National philanthropies
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (abbreviated EGPAF) is a public charity which "seeks to prevent pediatric HIV infections and to eradicate pediatric AIDS through research, advocacy, and prevention and treatment programs." The organization was founded in 1988 by Elizabeth Glaser (Sigma Chapter), Susan DeLaurentis (Xi Chapter), and Susie Zeegen.
Sharsharet
Sharsheret is a national non-profit organization dedicated to serving the unique concerns of young Jewish women with breast cancer.
[edit] Chapters
[edit] Notable members
| Name | Original Chapter | Notability | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbara Barrie | Omega, Texas | actress; (Barney Miller) | [2] |
| Lillian Copeland | Xi, USC | Olympic Gold and Silver medalist | [3] |
| Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Kappa, Cornell | Supreme Court Justice | [2] |
| Elizabeth Glaser | Sigma, University of Wisconsin | AIDS Activist and co-founder of The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation | [2] |
| Nancy Goodman Brinker | Mu, Illinois | Founder of the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Research; appointed in 2001 as Ambassador to Hungary | [3] |
| Erica Hill | Alpha Chi, Boston University | CNN Anchor | [3] |
| Bessie Margolin | Epsilon, Newcomb | former U.S. Department of Labor attorney | [3] |
| Charlotte Rae | Omicron, Northwestern | actress; (Diff'rent Strokes, The Facts of Life) | [2] |
| Judith Resnik | Alpha Nu, Carnegie Mellon | 2nd American woman astronaut | [3] |
| Dinah Shore | Chi, Vanderbilt | Singer, actress and talk show host | [4] |
| Annette Strauss | Omega, Texas | former Mayor of Dallas | [2] |
| Lauren Weisberger | Kappa, Cornell | author, (The Devil Wears Prada) | [2] |
| Harriett Woods | Pi, Michigan | former Lt. Governor of Missouri | [2] |
[edit] References
- ^ Alpha Epsilon Phi Mission Statement
- ^ a b c d e f g Jacobson, Judie (January 2, 2007). Conversation with…Bonnie Wunsch Jewish sorority on the rise in CT and elsewhere. The Jewish Ledger. http://www.jewishledger.com/articles/2007/01/02/news/news03.txt. Retrieved 2007-03-13
- ^ a b c d e "Alpha Epsilon Phi - Famous Phis". Alpha Epsilon Phi. http://www.aephi.org/story/default.asp?page=famous_phis. Retrieved 2007-03-13.
- ^ Sanua, Marianne Rachel (1994). 'Going Greek': A social history of Jewish college fraternities in the United States, 1895-1945. Columbia University. http://wwwlib.umi.com/dissertations/fullcit/9516173.
[edit] External links
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