Phi Kappa Sigma was founded by Samuel Brown Wylie Mitchell  at the University of Pennsylvania on August 16, 1850. Fascinated by the prospect of fraternal relations with his fellowman, Mitchell set out to found a new, secret order in the restricted life of the university at that time. His papers indicate that on August 16, 1850, he had determined to install a new order on the campus in the fall of 1850. Between August 16 and October 19, 1850, Mitchell sought six other men to constitute the Alpha Chapter of Phi Kappa Sigma. The formal organization of Alpha Chapter occurred at the home of James Bayard Hodge on October 19, 1850. While the official founding date of the Fraternity is August 16, 1850, Phi Kappa Sigma began celebrating "Founder's Day" on October 19 as a commemoration of the establishment of Alpha Chapter. Mitchell, born August 16, 1828, attained a high level of achievement at the University, including earning B.A., M.A., and M.D. degrees. He spent a year as an assistant physician at Philadelphia Hospital and was responsible for supervising the Fraternity's growth at the University of Pennsylvania and the other schools where early chapters were established. Dr. Mitchell practiced medicine until he was commissioned on April 11, 1861, as a Major and Surgeon in the Union Army with the Eighteenth Pennsylvania U.S. Volunteers. He served with distinction until the expiration of his service on January 24, 1865. In March of the same year, Mitchell was made Lieutenant-Colonel U.S.V. for "gallant and meritorious service.

For many years, there existed in the Department of Pharmacy at Columbia University, two fraternities. Neither of which, however, would allow the admission of members of minority races, religions or creeds. During the year 1909-1910, two small groups of men became intrigued with the idea that friendship acquired during collegiate days should be bound together through some means for the remainder of one's life. The desirable qualities that one gathered from those around him should be interchanged for more than the mere two or three years of collegiate association. Neither of these two groups had any inkling of the existence of the other until the opening of the school term the following year when providence interceded to bring together these men. One of these groups based their linking together on the idea that a social club was the solution to their problem. The other felt that a fraternity (about which they knew little except for the two groups on campus) was the correct solution. With the contact of these two groups, it was immediately evident that one could not get along without the other and the union was made. On October 10, 1910, during a lunch period, a hurried conference was held between that two groups in a deserted lecture hall. The spirit of organization was so instilled in the eight original gatherers that another meeting was arranged for that very afternoon after school hours. At five o'clock that afternoon, a determined group of young men met in Central Park to hold a lengthier discussion and see the plans that they had dreamed of approach reality. The problem of the moment appeared to be finding a meeting room but this was settled quickly with an appeal to the school for permission to use an empty lecture hall. That appeal was granted. The first regularly recorded meeting was called to order in the library of the Department of Pharmacy, Columbia University, on Friday afternoon, October 19, 1910. Four additional men, two of whom later dropped out, were invited to that meeting.

Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity, the Jewish Fraternity of North America was founded to provide opportunities for a Jewish man seeking the best possible college and fraternity experience. AEP has maintained the integrity of our purpose by strengthening our ties to the Jewish community and serving as a link between high school and career. Alpha Epsilon Pi develops leadership for the future of the North American Jewish community.