Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi

In the early 1990s with the closing of a national Jewish sorority on its campus, 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 a positive response from the campus, Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi was formed.^[1]

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 eighteen 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.^[2]

Despite its formative Jewish identity, the sorority allows no discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or handicap.^[3] SAEPi's publication is called The Iris Petal, with a quarterly publication schedule.

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.^[4]

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 are blue and gold, explained as. "Blue is prominent in Judaism, and gold symbolizes the richness ΣΑΕΠ 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.^[5]

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

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.

Chapters of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi follow.^[1] Active chapters are listed in bold and inactive chapters are listed in italic.

• List of social sororities and women's fraternities

• List of Jewish fraternities and sororities