The original colors of Alpha Phi were blue and gold.. Because another fraternity had similar colors, Alpha Phi adopted the colors of Silver and Bordeaux. Sisters wear Silver and Bordeaux ribbons under their badge to honor special occasions such as the installation of a new chapter or to celebrate Alpha Phi Founders' Day, October 10.

   One of the flowers that are symbolic of Alpha Phi is the Lily of the Valley. They are clusters of small, individual white bell-shaped blossoms that hang from a common stem, just as sisters of Alpha Phi are individuals held together by the common bond of sisterhood.

   Ivy leaves are symbolic of everlasting growth. Ivy vines twist and become intertwined just as we become intertwined in the lives of those we hold dear.

   The Forget-me-not, symbolic of remembrance, is a symbol of Alpha Phi. Forget-me-nots are beautiful, small, blue and white blossoms.

   The Crest of Alpha Phi was adopted by Convention Delegates in 1922. The shield is Bordeaux with a scroll and ivy leaf above it. Inscribed is the motto, Union hand in hand. the upper half of the shield contains a Roman lamp in silver and Ursa Major on the lower half.

   Alpha Phi's mascot is the "Phi Bear". This bear is named for Ursa Major, the Great Bear. This cute and cuddly mascot was adopted in 1974.

   New members are given a pewter badge in the shape of an ivy leaf. This pin is worn until initiation. The ivy leaf represents the way  the sisters' lives become intertwined with one another as friendships are formed as sisters of Alpha Phi.

   The founding sisters were advised by a professor of Greek at Syracuse to call the organization Alpha "Fee" instead of "Fie" as Phi is pronounced with a long "e" when followed by a vowel. Incidentally, Alpha Phi is a Fraternity because at the time it was founded the term sorority had not been coined.

   The official badge of Alpha Phi is a monogram of gold showing the symbol of Alpha superimposed upon the symbol of Phi. Inscribed in black are the letters a, o, e. At the time of the initiation ceremony the meaning of these letters is learned.

More Phi Facts~

• Over 140 collegiate chapters
  
• 175 alumnae chapters
  
• from 1872 to over 10,000,000 sisters
  
• currently 74,000 alumnae sisters
  
• 12,000 collegiate sisters
  
• 11,000 Canadian sisters
  
• 500 "World travelers"
  
• 90 alumnae initiates
  
• Ten women at Ida Gilbert's home on September 18, 1872 initiated themselves into Alpha Phi.
  
• In New York, Alpha Phi could not be incorporated under a Greek name, therefore the Chapter applied under the name of the Michaelenean Society in honor of their President, Rena Michaels.
  
• Clara Williams was the only farmer's daughter among the founders.
  
• Martha Foote Crow was the first National President of Alpha Phi.
  
• Jane Higham, Martha Foote Crow, and Clara Bradley Burdette were members of Phi Beta Kappa.
  
• Alpha Phi was the first women's fraternity to occupy a chapter house, and in 1886 at Syracuse University, Alpha Chapter built the first sorority house in America.
  
• This house was sold in 1910, and in 1962, before it was torn down, the stained glass windows and the University presented other important memorabilia to Alpha Phi.
  
• The original cherry and birch stair railing of the original Alpha house was used to make Alpha Phi heirlooms. One hundred commemorative gavels were made from this wood.
  
• Three of our Founders were listed in Who' Who of America: Clara Bradley Burdette, Martha Foote Crow, and Rena Michaels Atchison.
  
• Clara Burdette lives to be 99 years old and was married three times. She outlived all of her husbands as well as her son.
  
• Florence Chidester Lukens was the first of the Founders to enter the Silent Chapter in 1885.
  
• Annette Hall Hitchcock wrote the Alpha Phi Creed in 1912.
  

• The official Alpha Phi pin was adopted in 1908.
  
• At Convention in 1922 the present Coat-of-Arms was adopted and the password was changed from German to Greek.
  
• In 1902, Alpha Phi called the inter-sorority meeting which resulted in the founding of what is now the National Panhellenic Council.
  
• Alpha Phi was the first women's fraternity to use Greek letters as its emblem. Other early groups had used keys, kites, arrows, and anchors.
  
• Originally there was no standard badge, each member went to a jeweler of her choice, showed him a design, and had him make it for her.
  
• Alpha Phi's original colors were blue and gold. In 1879, the colors were changed to the more distinctive silver and Bordeaux. Blue and gold were the colors of the Fraternity Delta Upsilon, and the change was made in order to truly set us apart from any other Fraternity's colors.
  
• The Alpha Phi Quarterly was first published in July 1888 and has not missed a single issue since its inception.
  
• Alpha Phi has donated over a million hours of volunteer service and raised and contributed over $2.25 million for heart projects since 1946.
  
• Alpha Phi is the only organization that has twice received the American Heart Association's highest award, The Heart and Torch Award.
  
• The Alpha Phi Foundation was established in 1957.
  
• Alpha Phi was the first Fraternity to adopt a plan for supervision of her chapters by visiting officers.
  
• Alpha Phi was the first Fraternity to publish a history of her first 50 years.
  
• Frances E. Willard, the leader of the temperance movement, was the first alumna initiate. She served as National President of Alpha Phi from 1888-1889.
  
• The chapters were named in alphabetical order as they were incorporated, all except Eta chapter at Boston University. They should have been Gamma, or the third chapter, but incorporated as Eta chapter because they had 7 founding members.