November is already here and with that we celebrate our partners’ Founders Days this month! Here are the upcoming dates to look out for this month, along with a tiny bit of history on the founding and mission of these chapters.

Sigma Phi Epsilon – November 1st

Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity is one of the largest fraternities in the country, founded on the principles of “Virtue, Diligence and Brotherly Love”. The fraternity was founded in 1901 by 12 men at Richmond College (then known as the University of Richmond) in Richmond, Va. Their mission is “Building Balanced Men,” which is attained through “a commitment to Sound Mind and Sound Body”.They are committed to strengthening their member’s character, leadership and interpersonal skills, all while developing healthy, lifelong relationships. To learn more about Sigma Phi Epsilon, click here.

Lambda Chi Alpha – November 2nd

Lambda Chi Alpha is a fraternity was founded by one man in 1909 with the intent to create a lifetime of true brotherhood with like-minded men. Warren Albert Cole was a law student at Boston University when he began putting his dream into action. There are actually two versions of the story of how the fraternity came to be, and it is not necessarily clear which one is correct. Although their history is unclear, their values and mission statement are not. Lambda Chi Alpha

Sigma Kappa – November 9th

Sigma Kappa Sorority was founded at the earliest college in New England to accept women on the same basis as men, Colby College in Waterville, ME. The first 5 women to attend the university oftentimes found themselves together amidst the male majority, quickly forming a bond from this shared experience. During the school year of 1873-74, they decided to form a literary and social society that later became officially Sigma Kappa Sorority on November 9th, 1874. The sorority’s purpose is to “provide women lifelong opportunities and support for social, intellectual and spiritual development by bringing women together to positively impact our communities”. This purpose statement aligns with their four core values-Personal Growth, Loyalty, Friendship and Service. Today they use the motto “Live With Heart”, an ode to their traditional open motto, “One Heart, One Way”. To learn more about Sigma Kappa, click here.

Gamma Phi Beta – November 11th

Gamma Phi Beta Sorority is the very first female organization to be coined with the term “sorority” 146 years ago. The organization was founded by four friends at Syracuse University in NY with the mission to provide a welcoming and supportive environment for women during a time of great gender discrimination on college campuses. From November 9th, 1874 to today, the sorority has built a clear mission and vision for their organization, all based around being “True and Constant”. Their mission is to “build confident women of character who celebrate sisterhood and make a difference in the world around us.” while trying to “inspire the highest type of womanhood”. To learn more about Gamma Phi Beta, click here.

Employee Spotlight: Gamma Phi Beta Alumni

Southern Sales Representative Meghan Tynes is an alumna of the Zeta Rho chapter at Texas A&M University in College Station, TX. Here is what she had to say about her experience:

“Gamma Phi Beta introduced me to lifelong friendships and an experience I’ll never forget. I have a great group of friends that I met while living in the house that will forever be a part of my life!”

THEN

NOW

Phi Sigma Sigma – november 26th

Phi Sigma Sigma Sorority was started by 10 women with the intent to create an organization that would promote membership to all women of character, regardless of their faith or cultural background. Founded on November 26th, 1913 at Hunter College in New York, NY, Phi Sigma Sigma became the first nonsectarian sorority, meaning women of all backgrounds were welcome to join at a time when that was not the norm. Their mission is to “inspire the personal development of each sister and perpetuate the advancement of womanhood” while being “a dynamic sisterhood of powerful women fostering uncompromising principles, igniting positive change and embracing individuality”. Today, their open motto is “Aim High”, supported by six core virtues. To learn more about Phi Sigma Sigma, click here.

Sigma Alpha Mu – November 26th

Sigma Alpha Mu is a fraternity founded in 1909 at the College City of New York by eight like-minded men. Although the fraternity was founded as a Jewish organization, it opened its membership to all men of good character in 1953. The organization’s mission is to “foster the development of collegiate men and our alumni by instilling strong fraternal values, offering social and service opportunities, encouraging academic excellence and teaching leadership skills”. Today they use the tagline “True Manhood, Democracy. Humanity” to exemplify this mission. To learn more about Sigma Alpha Mu, click here.

Check back here next month to learn about our partners’ Founders Days in December!