Alpha Epsilon Iota
ΑΕΙ
FoundedFebruary 26, 1890 (1890-02-26)
University of Michigan
TypeProfessional
AffiliationIndependent
EmphasisMedical
ScopeNational
ColorsBlack  , White   and
Green  
SymbolSerpent
FlowerWhite Carnation
JewelEmerald
PublicationThe Directory-Journal
Chapters31, all dormant
OutcomeDissolved, March 1963; some chapters lingered as locals
Headquarters
USA

Alpha Epsilon Iota (ΑΕΙ) was a professional fraternity for women in the field of medicine.

History

Alpha Epsilon Iota was established as a medical fraternity for women on February 26, 1890 at the University of Michigan. Its Founders were:

  • Lotta Ruth Arwine-Suverkrup
  • May Belle Stuckey Reynolds
  • Ada Fenimore Bock
  • Anna Ward Croacher
  • Lily Mac Gowan-Fellows[1]

Founded prior to the turn of the 20th Century, Alpha Epsilon Iota was thereby one of the earliest of the professional medical fraternities to serve women. It quickly expanded to a Beta chapter at the University of Chicago that same year, cementing its national intentions.[1][2]

By the turn of the century two additional chapters had formed, with seven more added by 1910. Later, growth slowed for the most part, with a flurry of new groups in the 1920, but no new chapters after 1949.[2]

The fraternity dissolved as a national organization in March 1963. Some chapters continued on as local entities. Minnesota's Epsilon chapter remained active through the 1970s at which time there was a marked expansion of female enrollment in the growing medical school there, but ΑΕΙ sold its properties in 1979, splitting then into two groups, the AEI Foundation which continues to provide scholarships, and a networking organization called Minnesota Women Physicians.[3]

Traditions and insignia

The colors of Alpha Epsilon Iota were black, white, and green.

The fraternity flower is the White Carnation.

The official badge is described as a "black enameled faceted pentagon, having a gold star at the apex with an emerald inset. The three upper facets contained the Greek letters Α Ε Ι in gold, the two lower facets, a gold serpent."

The biannual publication is The Directory Journal.

Six grades of members were created: Collegiate, Graduate, Honorary, Affiliate, Non-graduate, and Associate.[1]

Chapters

Chapter information from Baird's Manual (20th), which reports there were approximately 4,000 members.[1][2]

Name Chartered Institution Location Status Notes Reference
Alpha February 26, 1890–19xx University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI Dormant
Beta 1890–1940 University of Chicago Chicago, IL Dormant
Gamma 1899–1933 University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH Dormant
Delta 1899–19xx University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL Dormant
Epsilon 1901–1982 University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN Dormant Reverted to local
Zeta 1902–19xx Stanford University Stanford, CA Dormant
Eta 1902–1913 Cornell University Ithaca, NY Dormant
Theta 1902–19xx Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA Dormant
Iota 1905–19xx University of California, San Francisco San Francisco, CA Dormant
Kappa 1906–19xx University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Dormant
Lambda 1909–19xx Syracuse University Syracuse, NY Dormant
Mu 1919–19xx Tulane University New Orleans, LA Dormant
Nu 1902–19xx University of Oklahoma Norman, OK Dormant
Xi 1922–19xx University of Oregon, Portland Portland, OR Dormant
Omicron 1922–1948 University of Kansas Lawrence, KS Dormant
Pi 1923–19xx Medical College of Virginia Richmond, VA Dormant
Rho 1923–19xx University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX Dormant
Sigma 1923–19xx Ohio State University Columbus, OH Dormant
Tau 1927–19xx University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison, WI Dormant
Upsilon 1927–19xx University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Dallas, TX Dormant
Phi 1927–19xx George Washington University Washington, D.C. Dormant
Chi 1927–19xx Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis County, MO Dormant
Psi 1938–19xx LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, LA Dormant
Omega 1940–19xx University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN Dormant
Alpha-Alpha 1941–19xx Marquette University Milwaukee, WI Dormant
Alpha-Beta 1944–19xx Hahnemann University (Drexel) Philadelphia, PA Dormant
Alpha-Gamma 1948–19xx Baylor College of Medicine Houston, TX Dormant
Alpha-Delta 1948–19xx New York Medical Valhalla, NY Dormant
Alpha-Epsilon 1948–19xx Temple University Philadelphia, PA Dormant
Alpha-Zeta 1949–19xx Creighton University Omaha, NE Dormant
Alpha-Eta 1949–19xx Augusta University Augusta, GA Dormant

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. VIII-37. ISBN 978-0963715906.
  2. 1 2 3 Early chapters noted in the "1922 Alpha Epsilon Iota Directory". Archived from the original on 2020-08-05., from the collection of the Medical College of Pennsylvania, accessed 10 Sept 2020.
  3. ↑ As noted in the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center Archives, accessed 10 Sept 2020.
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