The Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity Service Center would like to welcome your family to ΣAE! We are thrilled to welcome your son into our brotherhood. Our organization is comprised of more than 12,000 undergraduates, over 250,000 living alumni, and 227 collegiate chapters. Our Mission is to advance the highest standards of friendship, scholarship, leadership, and service for our members throughout life. We are committed to your son’s personal growth, leadership development, and health and safety through our educational programs and communication resources. We also provide various other services, such as scholarships and award programs.
Membership in Sigma Alpha Epsilon also comes with responsibilities. We expect our members to uphold and emulate our creed, The True Gentleman. We hope you’ll also take a moment to read it. In addition, our Ritual provides our members with the values and teachings to guide them through life.
Some important things we want you to know about ΣAE that we are proud of :
Sigma Alpha Epsilon proudly eliminated “pledging” for our new members in 2014. We do not see the value of class distinction, and it does not build brotherhood. Today, our potential new members are issued an invitation, or a “bid,” of membership and are to be initiated as full members within 96 hours of its acceptance. We do not believe in or support hazing of any kind.
If we are alerted to its occurrence, we take every action possible to hold individuals and/or chapters accountable while helping correct the course. We hope you will view it and then reinforce with your son why participating or contributing to hazing activities is wrong. They should feel empowered to speak up if they ever see or experience it.
Each Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter is required to follow a standard member education program. The Phoenix Member Education Program consists of two components: member onboarding and brother-to-brother lessons. We believe in full transparency and accountability, so much so that we have publicly displayed our organization’s member education process. Members should know what to expect when joining Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and we want to assure our members’ families, friends, and support systems that we have your son’s best interests in mind when educating them about our fraternity’s history and values. Please click here for more information and resources about the Phoenix Member Education Program.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon is committed to the health and wellness of our members. The Fraternity Service Center has prioritized our continuous educational efforts to provide resources to our members and raise awareness of the health and safety issues we face on our college campuses. Through our educational programs, Phoenix Member Education, online modules, and resources, we are giving our members the higher education resources they need now more than ever.
Minerva’s Shield is ΣAE’s official health-and-safety guide, which details expectations, protocols, and crisis procedures that all members are expected to understand and follow. Sigma Alpha Epsilon maintains a zero-tolerance policy for behaviours and actions that violate our regulations or deviate from our creed and values. This guide provides a foundation for risk prevention throughout our chapters nationwide.
Our Good Samaritan Policy allows your son to speak up without fear. It provides an opportunity to create a safer environment if they witness or experience something wrong. Your son should feel empowered to use their voice during these times, and we are committed to hearing what they have to say.
Our Amnesty Policy enables your son’s chapter to bring issues to our attention without fear of retribution, especially in the case of an emergency. This policy was created for protection and allows the chapter to recommit to Minerva’s Shield and our mission, values, and The True Gentleman if they confide in us for help.
As a parent/guardian, we understand and realize that your son’s well-being is your top priority, as it is ours. We hope you will contact us with your concern if you see, hear, or experience anything you believe to be inconsistent with our creed or the values you have taught at home. Please feel free to review the rest of our policies and procedures here.
In 1935, ΣAE was the first Fraternity to develop and implement a National Leadership School for our members. Today, we offer our annual DeVotie Ritual Institute and Leadership School. These programs are available to all of our members throughout their undergraduate experience. Each program uses the leadership theory for our members to develop and expand upon leadership competencies and skills that will set them up for success.
Every graduating participant from one of our programs receives a Resume/Interview Guide with the skills and competencies they gained by participating in the event to market themselves for their future career/professional endeavors. We are invested in your son’s future and want to set them up for success during their undergraduate career and life. To learn more about our programs, please click here.
ΣΑΕ Career Connect is a set of initiatives and resources tapping into Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s national network of members with more than 250,000 living alumni and 11,000 collegians. In today’s evolving and competitive workplace, ΣΑΕs must continue to build essential life skills that underscore values, accountability, teamwork, resiliency, responsibility, self-awareness, problem-solving, and communication.
This initiative includes the True Gentleman (TG) Mentor Program, ΣΑΕ Backpack to Briefcase, TG Talk, and the Job/Internship Board. Membership goes beyond your son’s four years in college, and these initiatives allow them to be set up for success while they are a student and when they enter their professional career. You can learn more about these initiatives here!
ΣAE welcomes and promotes parent/guardian involvement. We host parent/guardian fall and spring webinars to engage with and provide information about our organization.
Parents/guardians are integral to creating a positive Fraternity experience for our members. Parents/guardians are encouraged to support their son(s) by joining or establishing a Parents Club for their son’s chapter. Parents Clubs promote engagement opportunities between our undergraduate members and their parents.
Our highest-performing chapters have a great volunteer foundation for support through their Parents Club. Ways to support your son’s chapter through a Parents Club include collaborating with the chapter to help plan Mom’s/Dad’s/Family Weekends, volunteering to help students move in, using your expertise to lead/facilitate chapter Brother-to-Brother Lessons, volunteering with our service and philanthropy initiatives, being an advocate as a parent/guardian the positive experiences that your son has gained being a member of ΣAE, and more.
More resources for establishing and supporting a local Parents Clu will be available soon. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the Education Team at education@sae.net
If you’d like to keep up with what ΣAE is doing around the country, we hope you’ll take the time to read our online news magazine, The Record Online. You can also stay connected through our Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram accounts.
We also encourage you to tell your son to tag us or let us know about the great things they are doing on their campus so we can highlight the great work that our chapters are doing across the country!
We value your son’s membership in Sigma Alpha Epsilon and you for supporting him. We encourage you to communicate with them regularly to reinforce the importance of being a thoughtful and responsible fraternity member and to echo the positive values and morals with which you raised them. Please contact us at contact@sae.net with questions or concerns about our programs or services.
What does ΣAE do to prevent hazing?
We do not condone or tolerate hazing. We take action immediately if we are notified of any hazing. Additionally, we partner with Hazing Prevention.org, which provides an anonymous hotline for students, friends, and families to use whenever they have concerns. We investigate any calls we receive and act when the information proves true. You may reach us at (847) 475-1856, our centraloffice number, or at (888) NOT-HAZE.
What is ΣAE’s alcohol policy?
Sigma Alpha Epsilon does not permit underage alcohol consumption or the use of hard liquor. Our policy limits alcoholic products to beer, wine, or products below 15% ABV at any events or activities of the Fraternity. This includes any events where undergraduate members are present, even if alumni or parents are participating and any events with a third-party licensed vendor. To support academic success, lower risk, and protect our members and their peers, we also prohibit the use of alcohol during the beginning and end of each term.
How does ΣAE promote diversity and inclusion?
Sigma Alpha Epsilon has a Diversity & Inclusion Position Statement and a Non Discrimination Policy to ensure that we promote, support, and value diversity and inclusion within our organization. We do not condone or tolerate, discrimination in any form.
What does my son’s time commitment look like when he joins ΣAE?
This question depends on how involved your son wants to be. The basic answer would come from our seven expectations of membership. This includes maintaining a minimum GPA of 2.5, being involved in at least one additional campus or community organization, completing 85% of educational assignments throughout the year (PME), attend at least 75% of chapter Ritual events, be financially current or on an approved payment plan, complete a minimum of 20 community service hours, and attend at least 85% of chapter meetings. If your son wants to hold a position, that would require additional time. We have intentionally provided resources to help cut the time commitment down.
What are the benefits of my son joining a fraternity?
Research has been conducted about the benefits of joining a fraternity. Please visit the North American Interfraternity Conference research links to learn more about the benefits! Fraternity/Sorority affiliation and First Year Student Impact, Fraternity members report higher levels of positive mental health and support, and Fraternity/Sorority Membership ties to Strong College Experiences, Development of Career Skills, and Post-Graduate Wellbeing.
Is there a resource for important dates that I should be aware of?
We have compiled all of our important dates and deadlines here.
What does ΣAE provide for suicide prevention nationally?
We provide the QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer) Gatekeeper Training free of charge to any member who signs up! Please click here to learn more about QPR.
Who are ΣAEs national service and philanthropy partners?
Our national service partners are NMDP, Children’s Miracle Network, Movember, and Sleep in Heavenly Peace. To learn more about our partners, click here.
Where can I buy merch for my son?
You can visit The ΣAE Store and browse the best ΣAE gear!.
