Fun Facts About Alpha Pi Phi!

About Our External Motto and Greek Letters

The Greek-Lettered Symbols "Alpha", "Pi" and "Phi" were not chosen by our founders accidentally. While they represent a number of values and meanings sacred to our Ritual, they also represent our external motto: Love, Loyalty and Friendship. If you take our external motto, translate it into greek, and take the first letter of each word, you'll find yourself with the greek letters "Alpha", "Pi" and "Phi". These letters signify as a reminder to our sisters and other members of the greek community that our sorority's name and external meaning literally stems from the qualities of "Love, Loyalty and Friendship" - the foundation of what our founders believed a true sisterhood should be created upon.

About Our AMPP (Pledging) Pin

Our AMPP, or Active Members in the Pledging Period, pin is in the shape of a golden cygnet (baby swan). This pin, which all AMPPs must wearing during their pledging period, symbolizes the growing and transformation which our new members make during their pledging period, in adjusting to life within our sisterhood. Our AMPPs receive their pin during the first part of Initiation (Cygnet Ceremony) a.k.a. "pinning", and the pin is returned to the chapter before being fully initiated into the sisterhood.

About Our AIM Pin

Our AIM, or Active Initiated Members, pin is a gold greek "Phi" symbol, studded with seed pearls around the exterior, and amethysts down the middle. The "Alpha" and "Pi" symbols are etched in gold on the inner left side of the "Phi" symbol, opposite a gold swan on the inner right side, over a black background.

Only members who have been fully initiated into our sisterhood are allowed to own and wear this pin.

About Our Coat of Arms

Alpha Pi Phi decided to follow in fraternity and sorority tradition, and created a Coat of Arms. Our greek letters "Alpha", "Pi" and "Phi", along with our external motto, are incorporated into it.

Certain organizations choose not to have a coat of arms or crest, because they believe that coat of arms/crests/shields represent medieval or masonic traditions, and not that of greek heritage. Alpha Pi Phi feels that it is a tradition within the greek community, across North America, for an organization to have of coat of arms and we proudly bear ours!

 

 

*this post is borrowed from our Alpha Chapter's blog
check it out at www.alphapiphi.blogspot.com

Interested in Rushing Alpha Pi Phi Brock Chapter?

Alpha Pi Phi, Brock University's newest Sorority, would like to extend an invitation to the ladies of Brock University to come out for Rush in September 2011! 


We are looking for undergraduate women attending Brock University who are interested in and dedicated to: achieving academic excellence, expanding their experiences with philanthropy by giving back to the Niagara Region and Brock community, forming the lasting bonds of friendship and sisterhood and gaining strong leadership skills. 


Our Mission Statement: The purpose of Alpha Pi Phi is to promote a sisterhood united through love, loyalty and friendship; to foster confidence in young women, and to aid in the development of their leadership skills; to encourage its members to conduct themselves with grace, dignity and moral integrity; to cultivate academic excellence and nurture generosity through active philanthropy for the betterment of the community. 


So if you think you have what it takes, come out for our Fall Rush beginning on September 12th 2011! 
More event details TBA! 

Please feel free to email us with any comments and questions at: Rush@alphapiphibrock.com 

or

join our rush group and search "RUSH ALPHA PI PHI SORORITY AT BROCK UNIVERSITY" on facebook :)


Make rushing Alpha Pi Phi your priority!

Relay For Life!

Alpha Pi Phi Beta Chapter is participating with Omega Sigma Chi in St. Catharine's Relay for Life on June 24th, 2011. This event is to help raise money and promote awareness for the Canadian Cancer Society.

If you are interested in donated to our team, "Brock Sororities," please click on the link below or contact any of our sisters!

Click here to donate! (this link will take you directly to the donation page for our team)

Thanks in advance!

Academics and Alpha Pi Phi

The reason why we're all at school is because of Academics, which is why Academics is one of Alpha Pi Phi's main priorities. It is very important that all of our members have an average of at least 65%. We aim to have our overall chapter average above 70% every semester.

Every month, it is mandatory for each sister to complete at least 3 study hours with her sisters in the James A. Gibson Library at Brock University. Having your sisters to support you academically with any challenges you may face in any of your classes or with exams is a great way to stay motivated to do well in your classes.

So far, Alpha Pi Phi Beta Chapter has accomplished having an overall average of 72.6% and in April alone we've spent over 150 sister study hours in the library. Many of the founding sisters' averages have also increased since the founding of our chapter.

First Summer Meeting :)

Alpha Pi Phi Beta Chapter had their first summer meeting tonight to work on planning rush and to finalize our by-laws. Miranda could not attend but was on skype for the meeting at the chapter house.

My Alpha Pi Phi Experience

When I first came to Brock University I had made a last minute transfer here from UWO. At UWO I had established my university family as most students do in their first year at school. So as you can imagine, transferring to Brock, where I knew very few people and was not living in residence, was a bit of a shock to my social life. I was finding it very difficult to get involved with the Brock community as most students here had already found their university family, and it’s really awkward to introduce yourself into an already established group of close friends.

However, in my second semester things started looking up. Through a friend from home I was introduced to Allison. In January, Allison and Miranda, already two very close friends, approached me about forming a new sorority at Brock. I was honestly sooo thrilled with the idea. It was the perfect way to get involved socially, philanthropically and academically. Basically everything I was looking for all wrapped into one. Very shortly after, Kerri and Jenna became a part of our group and we formed the Beta Chapter of Alpha Pi Phi.


But most importantly, in the short time that we had between meeting and becoming an initiated Chapter, we became Sisters. I felt such immediate acceptance with these girls and an immediate close and loving friendship. We have been together nearly every day since we met in January and now that we’re all home for the summer, it’s only May and I cannot wait for the end of August when we’re all back together.

The forming of Alpha Pi Phi Beta Chapter was based on such acceptance and strong friendship that it truly warms my heart. SOOO lame and cheesy I know… but it had to be said. We all came from such different places in our lives, some of us as previous best friends, some as acquaintances and some as complete strangers. That is what Alpha Pi Phi is all about.

As Alpha Pi Phi Beta Chapter’s very first Recruitment Executive, I cannot wait to take the Love, Loyalty and Friendship the five Founding Sisters have for each other and introduce it to our Alpha, Beta and every class to come!

RUSH ALPHA PI PHI!!!

Phi Love Forever,

Stephanie G.
Recruitment Executive, Public Relations Chair and Keeper of the Ritual Chair.

How much do you know about Greek Life?

When you ask many students at Brock if they know about fraternities or sororities, many will give you generic answers based off of movies such as Animal House or House Bunny. According to many people, Greeks are students who lack morals, love partying, all look the same, buy their friends and are horrible students, but that is definitely not the case.


In many Canadian Universities, Greek Life is an amazing opportunity to get involved in around campus. Although some may see Greek Life in a negative way, it has done nothing but enrich its member’s lives not only socially, but academically and mainly philanthropically. Being a part of Greek Life gives people the chance to participate in philanthropic activities as a group, making them more fun. Some sororities and fraternities have monthly study hours that are mandatory, which helps in furthering their academic endeavours. A lot of our sisters would not be as involved in the community or around Brock if it wasn’t for Greek Life. It’s amazing to know that you have a group of sisters, who are essentially a second family, which you can count on to be there for you at anytime for anything.


Currently at Brock University there is one Fraternity, Zeta Psi, and two sororities, Alpha Pi Phi and Omega Sigma Chi and Greek Life is continuing to grow!


An important aspect of Greek life is Philanthropy. Volunteerism and fundraising are intrinsic to Greek life! Greek Life at Brock supports various Philanthropies such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, CIBC Run for the Cure, Alzheimer Society of Canada and many, many more!



An important thing to keep in mind is that Alpha Pi Phi (and other sororities and fraternities) have a strict policy on anti-hazing. Hazing is what we believe to be anything that would put an individual in an uncomfortable or harmful situation. Alpha Pi Phi is very strong in our stance against hazing, as we believe all it does is create division among the pledge class and the active members instead of fostering friendships. Our pledge period involves activities, otherwise known as pledge tasks, which are designed to create a stronger bond among the pledges and to the sorority. These tasks have since been described as fun, and help each new member in their pledging period to adjust to Greek life.


Some of the positive outcomes of Greek Life include (but are not limited to); community and school involvement, study buddies, academic help, leadership, social skills, support network, business connections, philanthropy, lifelong friends and people who are there for you when you need them. Through many positions within a sorority or fraternity, one also can build on skills such as event planning, budgeting, networking and more!


Some fun facts about the GREEK communities:

• College graduates who belong to a sorority or fraternity tend to be more successful financially than other college graduates.
• Student members tend to participate more often in co-curricular campus activities. Nationally, $7 million is raised for charity by Greek organizations.
• Fraternities and sororities provide a viable option for leadership development and extracurricular involvement.
• Forty-three of fifty of the largest North American companies are headed by fraternity men and sorority women.
• 85% of Fortune 500 executives (past and present) belonged to a fraternity or sorority.
• Greeks volunteer 850,000 hours yearly across North America.
• All the Apollo 11 astronauts were fraternity members.
• More than 7 million men and women in the United States and Canada are Greek, which is only a fraction of the population.

GREEK TERMS

(INFORMATION TAKEN FROM http://www.valdosta.edu/stulife/greek/GreekTermsandFunFacts.shtml)

Many sororities and fraternities are different, some use different terms and processes for recruitment.

Types of Members- 

Potential New Member: A non-member who is eligible to participate in the recruitment process, visiting Greek organizations with an interest in possibility affiliating with one organization.
New Member: A new member of a fraternity or sorority aspiring to become an initiated member.
Active: An initiated collegiate member who is currently paying dues to an undergraduate chapter.
Alumna: The graduate members of a Sorority. Plural: Alumnae.
Alumnus: The graduate members of a Fraternity. Plural: Alumni.

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Bid: A membership invitation extended to a prospective member.

Bid Day: The last day of recruitment where a potential new member accepts the bid to become a new member.

Big Brother/Big Sister: An active member chosen to assist and advise a new member.

Chapter: The local group of undergraduate students on a particular campus recognized by the university and/or the (inter)national organization.

Initiation: A ritual based ceremony that marks the acceptance of a lifetime commitment to the fraternity or sorority.

Legacy: Someone who’s mother, father, sister or brother is a member of a particular Greek-letter organization. Being a legacy does not guarantee membership.

Mixer: A themed party between a fraternity and sorority.

New Member Educator (Pledge Educator): A sister or brother responsible for overseeing the development of new members and their preparation for initiation. This individual serves as a liaison between the new members and the chapter.
Philanthropy: An effort to promote human welfare. Philanthropic activity is one of the foundations of Greek-letter organizations.
Pinning: See Pledging.
Pledging: The ceremony in which an individual begins to become a member of a Greek organization. 
Recruitment: The organized period of selecting prospective new members. It is a mutual selection process. 
Rush: See Recruitment.