Alpha Phi

At the time of the founding there were only 666 women attending Syracuse; ten of them eventually formed Alpha Phi to create an organization "on the principles of the promotion of growth in character; unity of feeling, sisterly affection, and social communion among the members."[7] Although the actual founding date is September 18, 1872, Alpha Phi has been celebrating their Founders Day on October 10 since 1902, since many colleges and universities were not open for classes in mid-September at that time. Alpha Phi considers itself a women's fraternity because its founding date predates the invention of the word "sorority".[8]

Four founders of Alpha Phi, reunited at a national convention in 1922: Clara Bradley Burdette, Jane Sara Higham, Louise Shepard Hancock, and Clara Sittser Williams.

Like many other women's fraternities, Alpha Phi recognizes multiple types of symbols, with the Ivy Leaf as their primary symbol.

The fraternity's official colors are bordeaux and silver. The colors were originally blue and gold; however, these colors were similar to those of Delta Upsilon Fraternity so they were changed.

The official flowers are the Lily of the Valley and the Forget-me-not.

Alpha Phi lists its ideals as "Sisterhood, Generosity, Innovation, and Character."

Alpha Phi's public motto is "union hand in hand".[13]

In 1956, Alpha Phi became one of the first women's fraternities to establish a Foundation.[14] Alpha Phi officially adopted Cardiac Care as its philanthropic priority in 1946, which then became the Foundation's focus, along with awarding academic scholarships, upon its founding in 1956. The Foundation supports Alpha Phi's leadership training and programming, awards need-based and merit-based scholarships, invests in the advancement of women's heart health, and preserves Alpha Phi's rich and expansive heritage.[15]

The Foundation most notable program is its Women's Heart Health Program and Heart to Heart to Grant, a $100,000 grant awarded to medical professionals to better understand heart disease in women—specifically its symptoms, treatment, and prevention.[16] Since its establishment in 1993, the Heart to Heart Grant has invested over $1.4 million in women's heart health initiatives.[17] Collegiate chapters, alumnae chapters and individual members can nominate a local heart project for the Heart to Heart Grant. Self-nominations are also accepted. The recipient is selected by a team of medical professionals and the Foundation Board of Directors.

Starting in the early 2000s, many collegiate chapters of Alpha Phi host a philanthropy event known as Red Dress Gala, which often includes a silent auction, guest speakers, and a full dinner for sisters, alumnae, and family. Traditionally, the collegiate members wear red dresses and pins to represent their support for Women's Heart Health. Individual Alpha Phi chapters are encouraged to develop a relationship with a local cardiac care project in their community as well as to promote awareness of women's heart disease.

In 2021, Alpha Phi Foundation announced their $38 million comprehensive endowment campaign, Leading With Heart, the largest known campaign of its kind in the National Panhellenic Conference space.[18]

Past recipients of the Heart to Heart Grant [17]

• 1993 – Program in Women's Cardiovascular Health – University Hospitals of Cleveland – nominated by the Cleveland East Alumnae chapter
• 1994 – Brigham and Women's Hospital, Cardiovascular Division – nominated by the Zeta Phi Chapter, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• 1995 – Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, formerly the Deaconess Hospital, Institute for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease – nominated by the Zeta Phi Chapter, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• 1997 – Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation's "Women's Heart Night Out" – nominated by the Albuquerque Alumnae Chapter
• 1998 – Egleston Children's Hospital's Sibley Heart Center – nominated by the Atlanta Alumnae Chapter and Theta Pi Chapter, Emory University
• 1999 – California Pacific Medical Center/Transitional Cardiac Care Unit – nominated by the San Francisco Alumnae Chapter
• 2000 – University of Cincinnati Women's Health Program – nominated by the Cincinnati Alumnae Chapter
• 2001 – Allen Memorial Hospital – nominated by the Epsilon Theta Chapter, University of Northern Iowa
• 2002 and 2003 – Mercy Medical Center of Northern Iowa – nominated by Kaitlin Maguire (Gamma Omicron, Drake University)
• 2004 – Mainline Health Heart Center
• 2005 – Cleveland Clinic Foundation
• 2006 – American Heart Association of San Diego, CA
• 2007 – University of Colorado Hospital (and) American Heart Association of San Diego, CA
• 2008 – Events of the Heart of New York, NY[19]
• 2009 – Women's Heart Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill[20]
• 2010 – Oregon Health and Science University Foundation (and) Greater Boston Division of the American Heart Association
• 2011 – St. Luke's Hospital Foundation in Kansas City, MO
• 2012 – University of Washington Division of Cardiology
• 2013 – Texas Heart Institute in Houston, TX
• 2014 – Memorial Hermann Foundation
• 2015 – Geisinger Health System
• 2016 – University of Louisville Foundation
• 2017 – Texas Heart Institute in Houston, TX
• 2018 – Yale School of Medicine
• 2019 – UC Davis Health
• 2020 – University of Iowa
• 2021 – Duke University School of Nursing
• 2022 – Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Note: Texas Heart Institute has been awarded the grant twice, in 2013 and 2017.

In 2013, Miss America 2015 Kira Kazantsev was terminated from the Theta Mu chapter at Hofstra University for abusive hazing. At the time, Kazantsev was serving the chapter as head of recruitment.[21]

In 2015, the Beta Mu chapter at the University of Alabama took down a recruitment video that was heavily criticized for its lack of diversity and the provocative way in which collegiate women were portrayed.[22]

In October 2016, the Iota Delta chapter at the University of Rhode Island charter was revoked for at least four years. On bid day, the sorority was accused of endangering the health and safety of new members and violating the university's alcohol policy.[23]

In January 2018, Harley Barber, a member of the Beta Mu chapter at the University of Alabama was terminated from the sorority and expelled from the college after posting videos on social media in which she repeatedly used the n-word and other profanities to make degrading comments about African Americans.[24] The incident gained media coverage across the country, University President Stuart R. Bell, the University Panhellenic Association, and Linda Kahangi, executive director of Alpha Phi International Fraternity released statements.[25]

In January 2018, three members of the Iota Iota chapter at the George Washington University were removed from the organization due to what was deemed a racist social media post. The incident prompted criticism from national and international news sources and the university's Student Association received petitions to remove the chapter from campus.[26]

In September 2018, a document by a former recruitment chair of the University of Michigan Alpha Phi chapter surfaced with descriptions of how the chapter's membership selection process was based on selecting for certain physical appearances and assigned numbers to these women based on the judgment of the recruitment chairs and representatives from their international headquarters. The exposé described that Alpha Phi supervisors ordered her to give the PNMs an "External Prescore" based on pictures from their social media profiles. Throughout the recruitment process, active members in the sorority were also ranked on superficial qualities and matched with "stronger" or "weaker" PNMs.[27]

In January 2019, the Alpha Phi chapter at Old Dominion University was accused of racist behavior within the members of the sorority. School officials are investigating the allegations and the chapter cannot currently hold functions of any kind at this time.[28]

In February 2023, the Theta Mu chapter at Hofstra University was accused of body-shaming inductees. At an event they held, they only had size small t-shirts. This chapter had also had a reputation of "only allowing thin girls" into the sorority. [29]

• List of social fraternities and sororities

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alpha Phi.

• Alpha Phi Homepage
• Alpha Phi Foundation