Lambda Phi Epsilon
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ΛΦΕ (Lambda Phi Epsilon) (also LPhiE, Lambdas) is a nationally recognized Asian-Interest fraternity based in the United States. Lambda Phi Epsilon is dedicated to contributing community service (particularly the local Asian community), increasing Asian awareness, promoting academic scholarship, strengthening Asian-American voice on campus. Lambda Phi Epsilon is the largest Asian-Interest fraternity at 44 chapters in the United States and is one of the fastest expanding fraternities in the nation.
Service and Philanthropy
Among the fraternity's many philathropies is the Asian American Bone Marrow Donor Program (AADP)[1], Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches (A3M)[2] on the West Coast and the Cammy Lee Leukemia Foundation [3]. The philanthropy became a defining part of the fraternity nationwide after one of its brothers developed leukemia and wrote an open letter to Lambdas nationwide encouraging them to participate.
Members of the fraternity are also involved in many other national and local community services all over the country, as service is one of the pillars of Lambda Phi Epsilon.
Convention
Lambda Phi Epsilon has an annual gathering known as Convention during Memorial day weekend held at a location designated at the previous Convention. Convention is a national event for members to get together for business and pleasure, and is one of the largest Asian-American gatherings in the United States. Parties and after-parties are held all weekend as well as Brotherhood showcases where members from their respective chapters can perform a dance or step. The winning chapter is awarded Keight, a sword passed down from the previous year's winner. Board members are also elected at meetings during this weekend as well.
Convention 2006 will mark the silver anniversary of Lambda Phi Epsilon and will be held in the fraternity's founding city, Los Angeles. Over 90% of the original founders have been confirmed to attend.
History
National
Founded at University of California, Los Angeles on February 25, 1981, Lambda Phi Epsilon was the last fraternity to be founded under the Interfraternity Council (of which it is no longer a member) and has since expanded to all corners of the United States and beyond. Soon after the inception of Lambda Phi Epsilon, the fraternity chartered to Universities in Texas and the East Coast with the University at Buffalo - Nu Chapter being the first.
Expansion
Nu Chapter was the first Asian-Interest chapter chartered on the American East Coast. Starting as Delta Gamma Tau, on September 15, 1992 Delta Gamma Tau merged with Lambda Phi Epsilon (effectively taking on Lambda Phi Epsilon's letters) to unify organizations with identical purposes and to strengthen the Asian voice in the school community.
In Fall 2004, Lambda Phi Epsilon added University of Toronto, thereby granting Lambda Phi Epsilon unofficial status as an international fraternity.
Founding Fathers
Not satisfied with the single Asian fraternity on the campus of University of California, Los Angeles, principal founder Mr. Craig Ishigo and a group of eighteen other dedicated men decided to form Lambda Phi Epsilon on February 25, 1981. Noticing that Asian fraternities and sororities at the UC campuses were recognized as only service organization due to their memberships focus on specific Asian groups and to the exclusion of other ethnic groups, the goal of the founders was to transcend this limitation. The founders hoped to set new and higher standards of excellence for all Asian-interest organizations to follow, while feeling a need to offer a fraternity that would be recognized by the IFC and the Greek system. While the original charter focused on Asian-Pacifics, people from all ethnic backgrounds were welcome to join and support the brotherhood of Lambda Phi Epsilon. Their vision was that the members would eventually become the leaders of their respective communities and bridge the gaps that divided the Asian American community through the affiliation with a common organization. Mr. Craig Ishigo and Darryl L. Mu signed the charter as president and vice-president, respectively.
- Mr. Hunter Chang
- Mr. Randy Fujimoto
- Mr. John Hanvey
- Mr. Craig Ishigo
- Mr. Jeff Kaku
- Mr. Bobby Kawai
- Mr. Dean Kumagawa
- Mr. Jim Lee
- Mr. Bruce Mau
- Mr. Ted Mihara
- Mr. Neil Miyazaki
- Mr. Darryl L. Mu
- Mr. Kelvin Sakai
- Mr. Kevin Shida
- Mr. Albert Sun
- Mr. Weyton Tam
- Mr. Jamie Watanabe
- Mr. Bennett Wong
- Mr. Fred Wong
Credit: Lambda Phi Epsilon - Psi Chapter for Founding Fathers summary
Chapters
Active Chapters
- Α - University of California, Los Angeles [4]
- Β - University of California, Davis
- Γ - University of California, Santa Barbara
- Δ - University of California, Berkeley
- Ε - University of California, Irvine
- Ζ - University of Texas, Austin
- Η - University of California, Riverside
- Θ - Stanford University
- Ι - University of California, San Diego [5]
- Κ - University of California, Santa Cruz [6]
- Μ - California State University, Sacramento
- Ν - State University of New York, Buffalo [7]
- Ξ - University of Michigan [8]
- Ο - California State University, San Francisco [9]
- Π - University of Houston
- Ρ - California State University, San Jose
- Σ - University of Pennsylvania
- Τ - Pennsylvania State University [10]
- Υ - Johns Hopkins University
- Φ - California State University, San Luis Obispo [11]
- Χ - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign [12]
- Ψ - University of Chicago
- ΑΑ - State University of New York, Binghamton
- ΑΒ - New York University [13]
- ΑΓ - Baylor University
- ΑΔ - St. Johns University
- ΑΕ - State University of New York, Stonybrook
- ΑΖ - University of Washington
- ΑΗ - Northwestern University
- ΑΘ - Rutgers University
Note: Λ and Ω are reserved chapter designations. Brothers believe that every chapter is a Lambda Chapter and no one chapter should recieve the special designation. Omega Chapter is reserved for brothers who have passed away and have entered "Eternal Brotherhood".
Associate Chapters
- Boston University
- Cornell University
- Columbia University
- Purdue University [14]
- University of Virginia [15]
Colony Chapters
- University of Georgia
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Michigan State University
- University of Massachusetts Amherst [16]
- University of Kansas [17]
- Duke University
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
- City University of New York - Baruch
- University of Toronto
- University of Texas, Dallas