Phi Alpha Mu
Phi Alpha Mu (ΦΑΜ) is a social sorority that was founded at McDaniel College (Western Maryland College) in 1926. The organization has over 1,000 alumnae, with an increasing number of sisters joining every year.
History
Phi Alpha Mu began as a club called the Snake Charmers in 1923, created by a group of women who later called themselves F.A.M., jokingly referring to themselves as "Find A Man". The club combined with another group, Zeta Gamma, using the Greek letters for F.A.M. The club then adopted its official colors, purple and white, and the purple pansy as its official flower. In 1926, the Western Maryland College officially recognized the sorority and it became one of the first greek organizations on campus. In 1937, the sorority began its official yearbook, "The Torch" named after The torch of learning, which symbolizes the group and its ideals. The sorority adopted Gamma Beta Chi as its brother fraternity in 1941, also a local organization at McDaniel, and adopted the purple cow as their mascot. Although there is continuous pressure to become a national organization, which started in the 1970s when other fraternities and sororities joined national organizations, the sorority refuses to follow the trend and compromise the self made rules, constitutions, and traditions that maintain the intimacy and closeness that make it a unique organization. Today, the sorority is the only remaining original local sorority at McDaniel College.
Values
The three letters "Phi", "Alpha", and "Mu", represent the three basic values of the sorority, philanthropy, altruism, and melioration. The sisters believe in devoting themselves to each other in order to better and develop themselves and the sorority as a whole.
Philanthropy
The official philanthropy of Phi Alpha Mu is House of Ruth. The organization is very active in the local community as well, participating in various philanthropic events .
Mission Statement
The mission of Phi Alpha Mu is to promote love, trust, loyalty, and respect between each sister and to support growth and learning as individuals and as a group while providing service and compassion to our community there by ensuring the survival of the group and the groups' ideals.
Creed
Love and sisterhood, our principle, yet lofty ideals, are obtainable only through a concentrated effort by every member of phi alpha mu. Membership connotes responsibility, a willingness to give the most at all times; for halfhearted efforts are meaningless and can do us no good. A sister must be willing to accept such a responsibility with pleasure. Membership also means unwavering loyalty to and pride in Phi Alpha Mu. If one, only one, member does not believe that she is part of "the best sorority on the HIll" then, as a consequence, the entire sorority will suffer. There are no secrets among the sisters of Phi Alpha Mu. Nothing can be a secret when a group of women as large as us, share in its knowledge. Yet this sharing cannot reach beyond the bounds of the clubroom. How can we distinguish ourselves, what will make us different than any other group of persons if their awareness of out fortunes and problems is equal to ours? Upon formal initiation a woman has committed herself to this responsibility, loyalty, and pride. This commitment is not to be taken lightly, never to be forgotten, and never to be placed second to involvement in any activity.