Phi Sigma Sigma
Encyclopedia
Phi Sigma Sigma colloquially known as "Phi Sig," was the first collegiate nonsectarian
Nonsectarian
Nonsectarian, in its most literal sense, refers to a lack of sectarianism. The term is also more narrowly used to describe secular private educational institutions or other organizations either not affiliated with or not restricted to a particular religious denomination though the organization...
fraternity
Fraternity
A fraternity is a brotherhood, though the term usually connotes a distinct or formal organization. An organization referred to as a fraternity may be a:*Secret society*Chivalric order*Benefit society*Friendly society*Social club*Trade union...
, welcoming women of all faiths and backgrounds. Founded by 10 women on November 26, 1913, Phi Sigma Sigma is now an international sorority with 60,000 initiated members, 115 collegiate chapters and more than 100 alumnae chapters, clubs and associations across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The ten young women who founded Phi Sigma Sigma are: Lillian Gordon Alpern, Josephine Ellison Breakstone, Fay Chertkoff, Estelle Melnick Cole, Jeanette Lipka Furst, Ethel Gordon Kraus, Shirley Cohen Laufer, Claire Wunder McArdle, Rose Sher Seidman, and Gwen Zaliels Snyder.
Dedicated to the twin ideals of promoting the brotherhood of man and alleviation of the world’s pain, Phi Sigma Sigma strives to instill the values of leadership through service, lifelong learning and social inclusiveness in today’s young women and future leaders.
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
in Medford, MA, and the Gamma chapter at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, although ironically, both of these chapters are inactive as of today. In November 2009, the Delta chapter, at the University at Buffalo, was reinstalled; making it the oldest active chapter. The second oldest active chapter is the Epsilon chapter at Adelphi University, in Garden City, NY, which was recolonized December 6, 2008. While other chapters were founded earlier and have been recolonized, the Xi Chapter at Temple University is the oldest chapter in continuous existence, having never lost its Charter, founded in 1926.
The official publication of Phi Sigma Sigma is The Sphinx, which first appeared in 1923. The sorority's first song, "The Hymn," was written in 1921 by Pearl Lippman of the Alpha chapter and her husband, Arthur Lippman.
Phi Sigma Sigma has also established chapters in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
: Upsilon chapter (1930) at the University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Delta Epsilon chapter (1981) at University of Windsor
University of Windsor
The University of Windsor is a public comprehensive and research university in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's southernmost university. It has a student population of approximately 15,000 full-time and part-time undergraduate students and over 1000 graduate students...
in Windsor
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
, and Zeta Eta chapter (1991) at Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
.
Philanthropy
The sorority's official philanthropy is the Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation, which supports the National Kidney FoundationNational Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation, Inc. is a major voluntary health organization in the United States, headquartered in New York City...
(NKF). The Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation also provides scholarships and educational grants, as well as leadership programming to collegiate and alumnae members. The NKF has been Phi Sigma Sigma's primary philanthropic endeavor since 1971 because kidney disease was a leading health concern for women at that time. Since then, Phi Sigma Sigma has actively helped educate women, men and children about kidney disease, as well as the importance of organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Indeed, the Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation is a major sponsor of the National Kidney Foundation U.S. Transplant Games, a national Olympics-style event where organ-donor recipients compete in various athletic competitions, thereby highlighting the need for, and success of, organ donations and transplantation.
Following September 11, 2001, the Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation established the Twin Ideals Fund to provide assistance to disaster victims. Named for Phi Sigma Sigma's twin ideals - to promote the brotherhood of man and alleviate the world's pain - the fund has contributed to aid organizations in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
in southeast Asia and Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
.
Each year, thousands of Phi Sigma Sigma sisters participate in a philanthropic fundraising event known as "Rock-a-Thon," where they spend a marathon day gathering donations as they sit in rocking chairs located in highly public places, such as on campus, in malls and at community events. This event raises tens of thousands of dollars annually for the Foundation and NKF.
Collegiate and alumnae chapters also participate in various philanthropic events benefiting their communities. Examples of these include walking for multiple medical causes, gathering food and supplies for U.S. troops, coordinating local reading programs, fundraising so underprivileged women can attend college, providing shoes to needy children, and assisting Habitat for Humanity.
Timeline
- On November 26, 1913, Phi Sigma Sigma was founded at Hunter CollegeHunter CollegeHunter College, established in 1870, is a public university and one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Hunter grants undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in more than one hundred fields of study, and is recognized...
in New York City.
- In 1918, Phi Sigma Sigma expanded by founding the Beta Chapter at Tufts UniversityTufts UniversityTufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
in Medford, MA, and the Gamma Chapter at New York UniversityNew York UniversityNew York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. This prompted the first National Convention in New York City that same year. Delegates to the Convention adopted the fraternity's Constitution and elected the first Grand Council. Fay Chertkoff was elected the first Grand Archon.
- In 1923, the first issue of The Sphinx, the sorority's official magazine, was published.
- In 1930, Phi Sigma Sigma became an international sorority when it founded the Upsilon chapter at The University of Manitoba in Manitoba, Canada.
- In 1936, Phi Sigma Sigma’s first double-letter guard, signifying the beginning of the Greek alphabet, was granted to Beta Alpha chapter at the University of MarylandUniversity of Maryland, College ParkThe University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
.
- In 1947, Phi Sigma Sigma became an associate member of the National Panhellenic ConferenceNational Panhellenic ConferenceThe National Panhellenic Conference , founded in 1902, is an umbrella organization for 26 national women's sororities.Each member group is autonomous as a social, Greek-letter society of college women and alumnae...
(NPC).
- In 1951, Phi Sigma Sigma became an official member of the National Panhellenic ConferenceNational Panhellenic ConferenceThe National Panhellenic Conference , founded in 1902, is an umbrella organization for 26 national women's sororities.Each member group is autonomous as a social, Greek-letter society of college women and alumnae...
(NPC).
- In 1957, the Phi Sigma Sigma Cardiology Laboratory was established at Yeshiva University College of Medicine in New York City. Phi Sigma Sigma presented a $20,000 grant to establish the laboratory.
- In 1963, Phi Sigma Sigma celebrated its 50th year, the Golden Anniversary, in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. A centennial celebration is planned 2013 in New York City, as well.
- In 1966, the sorority created its national Leadership Training School (LTS), an event scheduled during those years when no convention was planned. LTS has since been replaced with the sorority's ACHIEVE leadership and risk-management program, launched in 2005. ACHIEVE stands for "Achieve, Challenge, Honor, Integrity, Engage, Value and Excellence" - among the top values Phi Sigma Sigma sisters hold dear.
- In 1968, the separation of Hunter CollegeHunter CollegeHunter College, established in 1870, is a public university and one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Hunter grants undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in more than one hundred fields of study, and is recognized...
’s two campuses prompted the original Alpha chapter to divide. Alpha Alpha was installed at the new Herbert Lehman CollegeLehman CollegeLehman College is one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, USA. Founded in 1931 as the Bronx campus of Hunter College, the school became an independent college within the City University in 1968. The college is named after Herbert Lehman, a former New York governor,...
in the Bronx, while Alpha chapter remained on Hunter College’s Park Avenue campus. Neither is active at this time.
- In 1969, in an effort to provide greater focus on the philanthropic activities of Phi Sigma Sigma, the Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation was created by Jeanine Jacobs Goldberg, who led the foundation as its first president.
- In 1971, the Fraternity adopted the National Kidney FoundationNational Kidney FoundationThe National Kidney Foundation, Inc. is a major voluntary health organization in the United States, headquartered in New York City...
(NKF) as its official philanthropicPhilanthropyPhilanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
cause at the National Convention.
- In 1999, the National Make a Difference Day Award was presented to Phi Sigma Sigma in recognition of its commitment to volunteer service and community involvement. Phi Sigma Sigma sisters still participate in Make a Difference Day, which is a national event promoted by USA Weekend magazine.
Founders
- Lillian Gordon Alpern
- Josephine Ellison Breakstone
- Fay Chertkoff
- Estelle Melnick Cole
- Jeanette Lipka Furst
- Ethel Gordon Kraus
- Shirley Cohen Laufer
- Claire Wunder McArdle
- Rose Sher Seidman
- Gwen Zaliels Snyder
Notable alumnae
- Irna PhillipsIrna PhillipsIrna Phillips was an American actress and most notably writer who created and scripted many of the first American soap operas.Phillips created radio and TV soap operas including:...
(Theta) - "Mother" of the modern soap opera, creator of Guiding LightGuiding LightGuiding Light is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running drama in television and radio history, running from 1937 until 2009...
, As the World TurnsAs the World TurnsAs the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
, Days of Our LivesDays of our LivesDays of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
, and Another WorldAnother World (TV series)Another World is an American television soap opera that ran on NBC from May 4, 1964 to June 25, 1999. It ran for a total of 35 years. It was created by Irna Phillips along with William J...
. - Nancy PimentalNancy PimentalNancy Marie Pimental is an American actress and screenwriter.-Biography:Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Pimental attended Somerset High School, graduating in 1983 and she graduated from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where she was a member of the Phi Sigma Sigma sorority with a degree in...
(Gamma Iota)-A screen play writer for The Sweetest ThingThe Sweetest ThingThe Sweetest Thing is a 2002 American film farce directed by Roger Kumble and written by Nancy Pimental, who based the characters on herself and friend Kate Walsh...
and a writer for the TV series South ParkSouth ParkSouth Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
. She also replaced Jimmy Kimmel as co-host of the Comedy Central game show Win Ben Stein's Money, a job she held from 2000 through 2002 - Marian Rosen-The youngest woman lawyer to appear before the Supreme Court of the United StatesSupreme Court of the United StatesThe Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
. - Meghan McCabe (Zeta Eta) – Manager, Communications for the JUNO Awards (Canada's Music Awards)
- Amy DiazAmy DiazAmy Diaz is a beauty queen from Rhode Island who competed in the Miss USA pageant in 2008 and Miss Earth United States 2009.-Background:...
(Iota Theta) - Miss Teen USA 2001, Miss USA 2008 (top 15), Miss Earth USA 2009 - Shannon Ford (Delta Kappa) - Mrs. USA 2011
- Zelda RubinsteinZelda RubinsteinZelda Rubinstein was an American actress and human rights activist, best known as eccentric medium Tangina Barrons in the movie Poltergeist and its sequels, Poltergeist II: The Other Side , and Poltergeist III . Playing 'Ginny', she was a regular on David E...
(Iota) - Actress and activist - Tatyana McFaddenTatyana McFaddenTatyana McFadden is a Paralympian athlete from America competing mainly in category T54 sprint events.-Early life:Tatyana was born with spina bifida in St. Petersburg, Russia and was abandoned in an orphanage where she spent the first six years of her life. She was not expected to live...
(Theta) - Six-time Paralympic medalist - Alex FlinnAlex FlinnAlex Flinn is an American author of novels for young adults. To date, she has written eight books that have been published.-Personal life:Flinn was born in Glen Cove, New York and grew up...
(BetaTheta)- New York Times Bestselling author of Beastly - Kyna Wise (Delta Gamma) - Singer and actress , daughter of Ray Wise
- Aliza Virani (Zeta Eta) - Miss Teen Vancouver 2007
- Louise Schlegel (Gamma Pi)- Miss Maryland 2008