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Phi Facts

Symbols | Creed | Firsts, Facts, & More

Firsts

• Alpha Phi is a "Fraternity" because the term "Sorority" had not been coined when it was founded.
  
• Alpha Phi called the world's first inter-sorority meeting: A gathering that led to what is now the National Panhellenic Conference.
  
• Alpha Phi built the world's first sorority house (in 1872 at Syracuse University).
  
• Alpha Phi was the first woman's society to use Greek letters.
  
• Alpha Phi was the first sorority to use traveling delegates.
  
• Alpha Phi was the first sorority to establish a foundation.
  
• Alpha Phi was the first NPC sorority to establish a website.
  
• Alpha Phi was the first sorority to publish a history of it's first 50 years.



Facts

• Alpha Phi is the third largest women's sorority with 150 chapters/colonies in the US and Canada.
  
• Alpha Phi was founded in 1872 by 10 of the first 20 women to enter Syracuse University.
  
• A professor of Greek at Syracuse advised our founders to call the organization Alpha "Fee" instead of "Fie," as this is grammatically correct since it follows Alpha, which ends in a vowel.
  
• Alpha Phi is the fourth oldest national women's sorority.
  
• Alpha Phi is one of only three international sororities. The Xi chapter was established at the University of Toronto in 1906.
  
• Three of our founders were listed in Who's Who of America: Clara Bradley Burdette, Martha Foote Crow, and Rena Michaels Atchison.
  
• Alpha Phi's password was changed from German to Greek at the 1922 Convention.
  
• The Alpha Phi Foundation was established in 1957.
  
• Alpha Phi chapters are named in Greek alphabetical order as they are incorporated.
  
• Alpha Phi has over 175 active alumnae chapters.

Purpose

          "..The objectives of our Fraternity are the promotion of growth in character; unity of feeling, sisterly affection, and social communion among our members. In all that we do, we try to obey God’s principles of justice and right. We have banded ourselves together to improve our minds and hearts, and we seek to aid each other through a constant watchcare always given in love. We believe ourselves to be sincere searchers for truth.

          We seek the highest ideal of womanhood, and we try to gain this ideal by cultivating not only the power and passion for seeking intellectual development but, also, the spirit of love and charity. And we who are thus united are under a solemn pledge to lend a helping hand to one another..."

- Constitution of Alpha Phi International Fraternity, Incorporated, Article II

 

WatchCare

          Watchcare started with our Founders, who believed in high ideals and need to support each other for mutual growth. They were vigilantly concerned about their sisters, people they cared about a great deal. This is why watchcare was created. Watchcare is Alpha Phi's safety net. Watchcare assists and protects a sister without her asking, even when she may not know she needs this support. It is the mutual caring for each other that carries on this safety net and protects every sister in the chapter. The watchcare message is this: hand in hand we will stay safe and grow to meet our highest potential.