Symbols · History · Beliefs · Facts · Famous · Firsts · International
History
Our National History
In 1872, a group of ten women gathered to discuss the problems facing the first
college women entering Syracuse University. Feeling that their presence
unwelcome, they asked, "Why can't we have a society as well as the men?" The
first chapter meeting was held September 18, 1872 and Rena Michaels was elected
president. The women held weekly meetings, literary programs, and a debate every
three weeks. On September 30, 1872 at the home of Ida Gilbert, ten women founded
Alpha Phi with the first initiation ceremony. Nine years after the founding of
Alpha Phi, the Beta chapter was created in 1881 at Northwestern University in
Illinois and ever since then the number of chapters has grown to 144, spanning
much of North America. In 1886, the first chapter house was built at Syracuse
University. In 1902, Alpha Phi called for a meeting that would lead to the
creation of the National Panhellenic Council. In 1946, Cardiac Care was selected
as the philanthropy and in 1957, the Alpha Phi Foundation was created.
Why We Are a "Fraternity"
Before women's organizations existed, men's organizations took on the name of "fraternity" which means "brotherhood". When the first women's society developed they took on the same term because there was no other. Later the tern "sorority" was coined after the Latin word "soror" which means "sister". The term fraternity was kept, although the term sorority is used. Actually, fraternity also means a group of people with common interests.
Home · Alpha Phi · Our House · Recruitment · Alums · Go Greek · Pacific · Contact