Alpha Epsilon Iota

Alpha Epsilon Iota
Alpha Epsilon Iota
ΑΕΙ
Founded	February 26, 1890; University of Michigan
Type	Professional
Affiliation	Independent
Status	Defunct
Defunct date	March 1963
Emphasis	Medical
Scope	National
Colors	Black, White and; Green
Symbol	Serpent
Flower	White carnation
Jewel	Emerald
Publication	The Directory-Journal
Chapters	31
Members	4,000 lifetime
Headquarters	; United States

Alpha Epsilon Iota (ΑΕΙ) was an American professional fraternity for women in the field of medicine. It was established in 1890 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It established 31 chapters before gong inactive in 1963.

History

Alpha Epsilon Iota was established as a medical fraternity for women on February 26, 1890 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan.^[1] Its founders were Lotta Ruth Arwine-Suverkrup, Ada Fenimore Bock, Anna Ward Croacher, Lily Mac Gowan-Fellows, and May Belle Stuckey Reynolds.^[1] Six grades of members were created: collegiate, graduate, honorary, affiliate, non-graduate, and associate.^[1]

Founded prior to the turn of the 20th century, Alpha Epsilon Iota was one of the first professional medical fraternities to include women. It added 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.^[1] In 1907, it had 100 active members and 400 lifetime member from nine chapters.^[3] 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. It had initiated 4,000 members.^[1]

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. Alpha Epsilon Iota sold its properties in 1979, splitting into two groups: the AEI Foundation which continues to provide scholarships, and a networking organization called Minnesota Women Physicians.^[4]

Symbols

Alpha Epsilon Iota's 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 "ΑΕΙ" in gold, the two lower facets, a gold serpent."^[1]

Alpha Epsilon Iota's colors were black, white, and green.^[1]^[3] The fraternity's flower was the white carnation.^[1]^[3] Its jewel was the emerald. Its symbol was the serpent. Its biannual publication was The Directory Journal.^[1]

Chapters

Following is a list of Alpha Epsilon Iota members, with inactive chapters and institutions in italics.^[1]^[2]

Chapter	Charter date and range	Institution	Locations	Status
Alpha	February 26, 1890 – 19xx ?	University of Michigan	Ann Arbor, Michigan	Inactive
Beta	1890–1940	University of Chicago	Chicago, Illinois	Inactive
Gamma	1899–1933	University of Cincinnati	Cincinnati, Ohio	Inactive
Delta	1899–19xx ?	University of Illinois at Chicago	Chicago, Illinois	Inactive
Epsilon	1901–1982	University of Minnesota	Minneapolis, Minnesota	Withdrew (local)
Zeta	1902–19xx ?	Stanford University	Stanford, California	Inactive
Eta	1902–1913	Cornell University	Ithaca, New York	Inactive
Theta	1902–19xx ?	Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Inactive
Iota	1905–19xx ?	University of California, San Francisco	San Francisco, California	Inactive
Kappa	1906–19xx ?	University of California, Los Angeles	Los Angeles, California	Inactive
Lambda	1909–19xx ?	Syracuse University	Syracuse, New York	Inactive
Mu	1919–19xx ?	Tulane University	New Orleans, Louisiana	Inactive
Nu	1902–19xx ?	University of Oklahoma	Norman, Oklahoma	Inactive
Xi	1922–19xx ?	University of Oregon, Portland	Portland, Oregon	Inactive
Omicron	1922–1948	University of Kansas	Lawrence, Kansas	Inactive
Pi	1923–19xx ?	Medical College of Virginia	Richmond, Virginia	Inactive
Rho	1923–19xx ?	University of Texas at Austin	Austin, Texas	Inactive
Sigma	1923–19xx ?	Ohio State University	Columbus, Ohio	Inactive
Tau	1927–19xx ?	University of Wisconsin–Madison	Madison, Wisconsin	Inactive
Upsilon	1927–19xx ?	University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center	Dallas, Texas	Inactive
Phi	1927–19xx ?	George Washington University	Washington, D.C.	Inactive
Chi	1927–19xx ?	Washington University in St. Louis	St. Louis, Missouri	Inactive
Psi	1938–19xx ?	LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans	New Orleans, Louisiana	Inactive
Omega	1940–19xx ?	University of Tennessee	Knoxville, Tennessee	Inactive
Alpha-Alpha	1941–19xx ?	Marquette University	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Inactive
Alpha-Beta	1944–19xx ?	Hahnemann University (Drexel)	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Inactive
Alpha-Gamma	1948–19xx ?	Baylor College of Medicine	Houston, Texas	Inactive
Alpha-Delta	1948–19xx ?	New York Medical College	Valhalla, New York	Inactive
Alpha-Epsilon	1948–19xx ?	Temple University	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Inactive
Alpha-Zeta	1949–19xx ?	Creighton University	Omaha, Nebraska	Inactive
Alpha-Eta	1949–19xx ?	Augusta University	Augusta, Georgia	Inactive

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991). Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. VIII-37. ISBN 978-0963715906.
^ ^a ^b ^c 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.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Greek Letter Sororities. Women's Secret Societies in American Colleges". Times Union. Brooklyn, New York. 1907-07-21. p. 13. Retrieved 2025-11-12 – via Newspapers.com.
^ As noted in the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center Archives, accessed 10 Sept 2020.

[Bairds1991-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991). Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. VIII-37. ISBN 978-0963715906.

[1922directory-2] 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.

[:0-3] "Greek Letter Sororities. Women's Secret Societies in American Colleges". Times Union. Brooklyn, New York. 1907-07-21. p. 13. Retrieved 2025-11-12 – via Newspapers.com.

[MNArchives-4] As noted in the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center Archives, accessed 10 Sept 2020.

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Professional fraternities and sororities organizations and members
Currently active members of the Professional Fraternity Association	Alpha Zeta Alpha Kappa Psi Alpha Rho Chi Alpha Phi Omega Alpha Chi Sigma Alpha Omega Epsilon Delta Chi Xi Delta Epsilon Mu Delta Theta Phi Delta Kappa Alpha Delta Omicron Delta Sigma Pi Delta Sigma Chi Epsilon Nu Tau Theta Tau Kappa Epsilon Kappa Epsilon Psi Kappa Eta Kappa Kappa Kappa Psi Kappa Lambda Chi Kappa Psi Lambda Kappa Sigma Mu Beta Phi Mu Phi Epsilon Pi Sigma Epsilon Rho Pi Phi Sigma Alpha Sigma Alpha Iota Tau Beta Sigma Phi Alpha Delta Phi Beta Phi Gamma Nu Phi Delta Epsilon Phi Delta Chi Phi Sigma Pi Phi Chi Theta
Former and formerly active members of the Professional Fraternity Association or its predecessors: Professional Panhellenic Association or Professional Interfraternity Conference	Alpha Delta Theta Alpha Delta Sigma Alpha Kappa Kappa Alpha Sigma Alpha Alpha Tau Delta Alpha Omega Beta Alpha Psi Gamma Eta Gamma Gamma Iota Sigma Delta Epsilon Iota Delta Sigma Delta Delta Psi Kappa Epsilon Eta Phi Zeta Phi Eta Theta Kappa Psi Theta Sigma Upsilon Theta Sigma Phi Iota Sigma Pi Kappa Alpha Pi Kappa Beta Pi Kappa Delta Epsilon Kappa Phi Kappa Nu Sigma Nu Xi Psi Phi Omicron Delta Kappa Omicron Nu Pi Lambda Theta Sigma Delta Chi Sigma Nu Phi Sigma Sigma Sigma Sigma Phi Delta (now social) Phi Beta Gamma Phi Beta Pi Phi Delta Delta Phi Delta Gamma Phi Delta Kappa Phi Delta Pi Phi Delta Phi (now honor society) Phi Epsilon Kappa Phi Lambda Kappa Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (now social) Phi Rho Sigma Phi Upsilon Omicron Phi Chi Chi Beta Phi Psi Omega Omega Tau Sigma Omega Upsilon Phi Pershing Rifles Scabbard and Blade Scarab
North American Interfraternity Conference	Alpha Gamma Rho Alpha Gamma Sigma
Active independent professional fraternities	Alpha Gamma Kappa Alpha Zeta Omega Alpha Eta Rho Alpha Iota Alpha Psi Gamma Epsilon Tau Delta Theta Sigma Delta Kappa Gamma Delta Kappa Phi Delta Phi Epsilon Kappa Gamma Psi Kappa Pi Nu Beta Epsilon Phi Delta Kappa (sorority) Phi Sigma Gamma Phi Psi Chi Delta Mu Chi Eta Phi Block and Bridle Queens' Guard
Inactive independent professional fraternities	Aleph Yodh He Alpha Epsilon Iota Alpha Tau Sigma Alpha Zeta Gamma Chi Zeta Chi Delta Omicron Alpha Delta Sigma Theta Pi Delta Nu