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Phi Facts
Symbols | Creed | Firsts, Facts and More
Symbols
Alpha Phis are members of a lifelong sisterhood, a woman’s fraternity. Our keystone is friendship–warm, simple and sincere. In Alpha Phi there is encouragement, understanding, and opportunities to grow. With members all over the world and collegiate and alumnae chapters throughout the United States and Canada—our sisterhood knows no bounds.
Fraternity Colors
Silver and Bordeaux are Alpha Phi's colors. Our original colors, however, were blue and gold. In 1879, noting that another fraternity had colors too similar to hers, Alpha Phi adopted these more distinctive colors. The Forget-Me-Not reflects the heritage of the first colors.
Fraternity Crest
The Fraternity Crest is the Alpha Phi coat-of-arms, adopted by Convention delegates in 1922. The shield is bordeaux with a scroll and ivy leaf above it. Inscribed on the scroll is the public motto, "Union Hand In Hand." A bar of silver crosses the shield from left to right; the upper half of the shield contains a Roman lamp in silver and the lower half, Ursa Major. The meaning of the symbols depicted on the crest is a significant part of the ritual witnessed at initiation. The use of the Fraternity crest is reserved for initiated members, on jewelry, sportswear and other Fraternity equipment befitting the dignity and honor of Alpha Phi’s heritage.
Member Badge
The official badge of Alpha Phi is an unjeweled monogram of gold showing the symbol of Alpha superimposed upon the symbol of Phi. Inscribed in black on the symbol Phi are the letters a, o, e. The meaning of these letters is reserved for the initiation ceremony.
Alpha Phi was the first women’s organization to use Greek letters as an emblem. Originally there was no standard badge. Until 1906 when the current badge was adopted, each member went to the jeweler of her choice to have her pin designed.
New Member Badge
In 1898 the Fraternity adopted a special badge to honor her newest members. The badge they selected is in the shape of an ivy leaf, set in silver pewter. An ever-growing vine, the ivy symbolizes the growth of the Alpha Phi sisterhood.
New members receive this new member badge at the Formal Bid Acceptance ceremony, usually held one to two weeks after a woman accepts her bid.
Fraternity Flowers
The Ivy Leaf is one of our most recognizable public symbols and our new member badge takes its form. It can also be found in our crest located above. It symbolizes the intertwining of intellectual, philanthropic and social pursuits. It is also symbolic of the way in which our lives become intertwined with one another's as we become friends and sisters in Alpha Phi.
The flowers of Alpha Phi are the fragrant Lily of the Valley and the Forget-me-not.
The blue and gold of the Forget-me-not remind us of our fraternity's original colors. This flower also reminds Alpha Phi's to always remember their sisters.
Fraternity Mascot
The mascot of Alpha Phi, the “Phi Bear,” is named after Ursa Major, the Great Bear, and was adopted in 1974.
