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In 1889, Barnard College was founded order as a women's college connected to Columbia University, which did not admit women at the time. A decade later, the campus had student organizations such as social sororities; however, not all sororities allowed Jewish women or other minorities to join at this time.

The discrimination frustrated one student, Helen Phillips, who then fostered the idea for forming an organization for Jewish women to promise the same friendship and sisterhood as other sororities. Phillips suggested to some other women that they meet in her room and discuss the possibilities of such a club. These others were seven Jewish Barnard College students who would found the sorority – Helen Phillips, Ida Beck, Rose Gerstein, Augustina Hess, Lee Reiss, Stella Strauss, and Rose Salmowitz.

Alpha Epsilon Phi was formally chartered on October 24, 1909 at Barnard College



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