Emphasis Jewish | ||
Motto Spirit, Strength, Sisterhood (open) | ||
Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi (ΣΑΕΠ) is a national Jewish interest sorority that was founded on October 1, 1998 at the University of California, Davis.
Contents
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. Alpha Epsilon Pi, a national Jewish fraternity, 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.
Despite being a Jewish sorority there is no discrimination based on race, creed, ethnicity, or religious beliefs.
Purpose
"The purpose of this organization shall be 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."
“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.
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 eight alumnae members from different chapters voluntarily serving as the directors on the National Board, and four alumnae members serving as assistant directors.
2016-2017 National Board members are:
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
In 2001, a chapter was founded at San Diego State University by members of the UC Davis chapter, however they did not remain a chapter of Sigma for very long.