About Us
Alpha Phi International Fraternity is more than just a Greek organization — it’s a community of empowered women supporting one another for a lifetime. Our sisterhood stretches across the United States and Canada with 173 collegiate chapters and a global network of high-achieving alumnae.
When you join Alpha Phi, you’re welcomed by a community of more than 268,000 members committed to lifelong friendships, leadership, academic excellence, personal growth, and community involvement. Alpha Phi is always working to improve and grow.
Mission Statement
A loyal sisterhood of women courageously pursuing limitless excellence.
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
Creed
I believe in my Fraternity.
I believe in the friendships formed in the springtime of my youth.
I believe in its high ideals which lift me up beyond myself.
I believe in its earnest drive for good scholarship, moral character, and genuine culture.
I believe in it as a shrine of international sisterhood wherein I may find love and loyalty, sympathy and understanding, inspiration and opportunity.
I believe in it as a creator of good citizenship, helping me to do my work well, to live in harmony with others, and to serve my country and to trust in God.
I believe in my Fraternity.
I believe in Alpha Phi.
-Annette Holt Hitchcock, (Pi-North Dakota) 1912
Symbols
Greek Letters
Using the Greek alphabet, the name Alpha Phi is depicted above. “Alpha” is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and “Phi” is the twenty-first letter. In the Greek language, “Phi” is pronounced “fee” instead of “fie” when it follows a vowel.
Ivy Leaf
An ever-growing vine, the ivy leaf symbolizes the growth of the Alpha Phi sisterhood. It also represents fidelity and eternal friendship. Ivy is incorporated into Alpha Phi’s crest and new member pins.
Alpha Phi Crest
The Fraternity Crest is the Alpha Phi coat-of-arms, adopted by Convention delegates in 1922. It represents the dignity and honor of Alpha Phi’s heritage. 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, which is witnessed at initiation.
Lily of the Valley
One of the flowers of Alpha Phi is the fragrant lily of the valley.
Forget-Me-Not
The other flower of Alpha Phi is the blue and gold forget-me-not.
“When all your college days are through,
To Alpha Phi you’ll e’er be true,
Forget‐me-nots will still be blue,
And Alpha Phis are true.”
-Lovely Girl
Ursa Major
The Fraternity constellation is Ursa Major, the Great Bear. This symbol is displayed on the ceiling of the Alpha Phi Executive Office in Evanston, Ill. Ursa Major is primarily known for its main seven stars, the “Big Dipper,” which are superimposed on the lower left-hand corner of Alpha Phi’s crest.
Fraternity Colors
Silver and Bordeaux are Alpha Phi’s rich and distinctive colors. These colors are often worn in a ribbon under member badges to acknowledge special occasions, such as Alpha Phi Founders’ Day on October 10, new chapter installations, and milestone anniversaries.
Alpha Phi 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.
Honor Badges
Today, special honor badges, replicas of the lazy Phi pin, are worn by international officers and Educational Leadership Consultants. They are also worn by presidents of collegiate chapters while they serve as president.
History
In 1872, the first women to attend Syracuse University decided that it was not enough to merely participate in the classroom. Denied admission to the men’s fraternities, several of these women chose to create their own fraternity for women – Alpha Phi.
From the beginning, they envisioned an expansive sisterhood, and their leadership and organizational practices set the tone for the Alpha Phi of today. Much like our present-day membership, the Founders were a group of curious women who did not back down from a challenge—women who had a vision for our sisterhood and the confidence in one another to make an impact.
Read more about the founders on the Alpha Phi International website and view our digital history, timeline and more here.
