Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi

Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi (ΣΑΕΠ) is a national Jewish sorority. It was founded on October 1, 1998 at the University of California, Davis.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi
ΣΑΕΠ
FoundedOctober 1, 1998 (1998-10-01)
University of California, Davis
TypeSocial
EmphasisJewish
MottoSpirit, Strength, Sisterhood
Colors  Blue   Gold
SymbolPaw
FlowerBlue Iris
JewelSapphire
MascotLioness
PhilanthropyAmerican Jewish World Service
Chapters22 active
Members750+ collegiate
Websitehttp://www.sigmaaepi.com

Formation

In the early 1990s with the closing of a national Jewish sorority, the University of California, Davis was left without a Jewish women's social organization. Several women on campus noticed the gap left by the absence of the former sorority and began strategizing how to start an organization on campus that would fill the need. Members of Alpha Epsilon Pi, a national Jewish fraternity, also urged the women of Davis to start a Jewish women's social organization of their own. With positive response from the campus Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi was formed.

The "Sigma" is meant to represent "sisters of" in honor of Alpha Epsilon Pi's contributions towards the formation of the sorority. Sigma is also the 18th letter of the Greek alphabet; in Jewish tradition, the number 18 means chai (life).

The six women who founded the sorority—Alycia Seaman, Erin Glick, Leah Dansker, Rachel Rothfarb, Erin Barker, and Dana Miller—are considered the eternal mothers of the sorority.[1]

Despite being a Jewish sorority there is no discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or handicap.[2]

Mission, Vision, and Values

Mission: "The purpose of this organization is to promote unity, support, and a Jewish awareness, as well as to provide a Jewish experience for ourselves, our members, and the community as a whole. This organization is devoted to friendship, motivation, opportunity, leadership, and well-being."[2]

Vision: "Our vision is to provide a Jewish environment for collegiate women to grow as individuals and leaders."[3]

Values: Unity, Trust, Strength, Sincere Sisterhood, and Exemplifying Jewish Values. These values define the sorority as a community. Members, individually and collectively, aim to live these values both in and out of the context of the organization.

Traditions

SAEPi's publication is called The Iris Petal, with a quarterly publication schedule.

The sorority's mascot is the Lioness, representing "strength, power and force."

The sorority's flower is the Blue Iris. From the Iris, its colors were chosen: Blue and Gold. They are explained as such: "Blue is prominent in Judaism, and gold symbolizes the richness SAEPi brings to its members." Additionally, these colors are used to identify the University of California, where the sorority was founded. The sorority's gemstone is the sapphire.[4]

Sorority Life

The first season of MTV’s Sorority Life was filmed in the spring of 2002 on the UC Davis campus featuring members and pledges of ΣΑΕΠ. Through the airing of the show, ΣΑΕΠ began to expand across the country.[5]

National Board

A national board was started in the summer of 2002 to oversee the expansion and growth of ΣΑΕΠ as a nationwide sorority. Currently, there are seven alumnae from different chapters voluntarily serving as the directors on the National Board.

In early 2017, the National Board voted to restructure in order to consolidate operational functions into the Executive Office, maintaining the National Board for governance, strategic planning, and oversight.

2019-2021 National Board members are:

  • Past President: Adi Hanein (Charter)
  • President: Dawn Savage (Mu)
  • President-Elect: Emmy Bajayo (Lambda)
  • Secretary: Rachel Allen (Mu)
  • Treasurer: Deborah Joseph Friedman (Eta)
  • Regional Governor - West: Amy McElroy (Charter)
  • Regional Governor - East: Deena Abramson (Xi)
  • Executive Director: Chayla Furlong (Delta)

National Philanthropy

At the 2008 national convention, Cancer Schmancer was selected as the sorority's national philanthropy.

In 2011 the National Board re-evaluated the national philanthropy and decided to move on to an organization that encompasses all of the philosophies of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi. American Jewish World Service was chosen. In addition to the national philanthropy, some chapters also support local philanthropies.

Chapter list
Name Chartered Institution Location Status Notes Reference
Charter 1998 University of California, Davis Davis, California Active
Alpha 2003 Arizona State University Tempe, Arizona Inactive As of 2005
Beta 2003 University of Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota Active As of 2018 [6]
Gamma 2003 University of California, Riverside Riverside, California Inactive As of 2006
Delta 2005 University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, California Active
Epsilon 2005 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon Inactive As of 2005
Zeta 2005 Virginia Tech Blacksburg, Virginia Inactive As of 2011
Eta 2008 University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, California Active
Theta 2008 Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, Michigan Inactive As of 2011
Iota 2009 University of Maryland, Baltimore County Baltimore, Maryland Inactive As of 2014
Kappa 2009 University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio Inactive As of 2020
Lambda 2010 University of Missouri Columbia, Missouri Active [7]
Mu 2010 James Madison University Harrisonburg, Virginia Active
Nu 2011 University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, California Active
Xi 2013 Binghamton University Binghamton, New York Active
Omicron 2014 California State University, Northridge Northridge, California Active
Pi 2015 University of Nevada, Reno Reno, Nevada Active
Rho 2017 Rutgers University New Brunswick, New Jersey Active
Sigma 2018 Queens College Queens, New York Active
Sigma Alpha 2017 SUNY New Paltz New Paltz, New York Active
Tau 2017 Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado Active
Upsilon 2018 University of Colorado, Boulder Boulder, Colorado Active
Phi 2018 California State University, Fullerton Fullerton, California Inactive As of 2019
Chi 2018 Hunter College, City University of New York New York City, New York Inactive As of 2019
Psi 2018 Wilfrid Laurier University Waterloo, Ontario Inactive As of 2019
Omega 2018 Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers, Florida Active
Sigma Alpha 2018 State University of New York, New Paltz New Paltz, New York Active
Sigma Beta 2018 Ryerson University Toronto, Canada Inactive As of 2019
Sigma Gamma 2018 University of Nevada, Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada Inactive As of 2019
Sigma Delta 2018 South Miami, Florida Active
Sigma Epsilon 2018 University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Active
Sigma Zeta 2018 Brandeis University Waltham, Massachusetts Active
Sigma Eta 2019 Stockton University Galloway, New Jersey Inactive As of 2020
Sigma Theta 2019 University of Hartford Hartford, Connecticut Active
Sigma Iota 2019 Baruch College New York, New York Inactive As of 2020
Sigma Kappa 2019 Towson, Maryland Active

References
  1. SAEPi national website, accessed 1 Jul 2020.
  2. "About Us". Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi National Website. Retrieved February 3, 2010.
  3. "Mission & Vision – ΣΑΕΠ Sorority". Retrieved 2019-02-21.
  4. As noted in the Quick Facts section of SigmaAEPi's website, accessed 1 Jul 2020.
  5. MTV's Sororoty Life, season 1, accessed 1 Jul 2020.
  6. MN Daily article on SAEPi, accessed 1 Jul 2020.
  7. The Maneater newspaper, noting emergence of SAEPi on the Missouri campus, accessed 1 Jul 2020.
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