Quebec Alpha - Sigma Alpha Epsilon

Coordinates: 50°56′05″N 5°30′38″E / 50.934592°N 5.510631°E / 50.934592; 5.510631 The Quebec Alpha colony of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity is Sigma Alpha Epsilon's second extension into Canada and the only currently active colony in Canada, and outside of The United States.

It is one of nine fraternities at McGill University. It was founded in 2013 by Kahn Lowes and Avram Lieberman.

History

Quebec Alpha was founded in December 2013 by freshmen McGill undergraduates Kahn Lowes and Avram Lieberman. Driven by the desire to develop the university's social life and to improve upon the lacklustre school spirit, Kahn reached out to SAE National Headquarters shortly after the commencement of his freshmen year. At the time, the position of Coordinator of Expansion was held by Jeff Hall. With extreme enthusiasm from Nationals about opening a chapter at McGill, Jeff worked with Kahn and Avram who he enlisted as co-founder in the development of an official "Interest Group", the foremost of three stages, followed by "Colony" and "Chapter" statuses chronologically.

Colonization

The group was put in touch with Andrew Danielson who served as Province Archon and Alumni Advisor for a number of U.S. colleges in the Greater Boston area, and who acted as temporary advisor for the Interest Group. By the end of the Winter Semester, the Interest Group listed 27 members, far surpassing the requirement of 15 members with great interest and enthusiasm from other McGill undergraduates. Kahn and Avram were invited and given scholarships to attend the 79th John O. Moseley Leadership School in Miami, FL where they met many of the national fraternity's leadership, including the Eminent Supreme Archon at the time, Brad Cohen, and Steven Churchill.

The Interest Group was set to be Colonized in the following Fall Semester and the ceremonies took place during the month of September, 2014. The Interest Group was given the designation "Quebec Alpha". Cohen made a personal appearance at the colonization, a rare gesture which underlined the enthusiasm of Sigma Alpha Epsilon in re-opening a Canadian group after the Ontario Alpha chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at Western University in London, Ontario became inactive in 2003. It was during this visit when Cohen expressed to Kahn that the Quebec Alpha colony of Sigma Alpha Epsilon should attempt to obtain a charter from National Headquarters by the end of the 2014-2015 school year in April. At the time, this was considered to be an expedition of the chartering process which until then was restricted to colonies of at least one full year in age. Cohen's desire however was unmet in the allotted timeframe, and he would be replaced as ESA by Churchill in the summer of 2015. Brad was an inspiring leader to Kahn and the two have remained good friends.

Charter

The Quebec Alpha colony of Sigma Alpha Epsilon has unofficial plans to obtain their charter from the National Headquarters at the end of the Winter Semester of 2016, in April. Quebec Alpha's ability to charter was delayed by the weak Canadian Dollar and its hindrance on Quebec Alpha's treasury in meeting the associated costs to chartering invoiced in U.S. Dollars.

Leadership

Co-founder Avram Lieberman served as Eminent Treasurer to the Colony from its inception but stepped down at the close of the Winter Semester in 2015. Kahn Lowes announced his resignation as Eminent Archon at the end of the 2015 Fall Semester and will be replaced by Tom Reid in January 2016.

Fraternity Affairs

Since its inception in 2014, Quebec Alpha has become heavily involved both on McGill Campus and in the Montréal community. The fraternity engages in intramural athletics, charitable fundraisers, community service, and aims to develop a reputation differing from the negative stigma of a typical fraternity, in the hopes that Greeks may continue to inspire youths to achieve in a nurturing environment.

Philanthropy & Community Service

Quebec Alpha's philanthropic efforts have been a focus of development since its inception. The fraternity's Philanthropy & Community Service Committee consists of five members in addition to the committee chair. Regularly, Quebec Alpha partners with the Right To Play organization on campus to raise money in efforts to provide children in impoverished nations the ability to participate in organized sports. Members are also encouraged to give back to the community by volunteering at local hospitals including the Montreal Children's Hospital, and becoming involved in local sports leagues.

Quebec Alpha is heavily involved with Montréal's Mothers Against Drunk Driving chapter and every member of the fraternity is expected to volunteer a certain number of hours to the organization.

Campus Presence

McGill University does not recognize Greek Life due to the innate nature of sororities and fraternities and thus violates the Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU) guidelines for operating a recognizable third party organization. Thus most fraternities and sororities at McGill elect to become members of the McGill University Inter Greek Letter Council (IGLC) which is a recognized group by SSMU. Quebec Alpha has elected not to join the IGLC so as to remain completely independent and to preserve the integrity and secrecy of the fraternity. Kahn is quoted at a colony meeting, "By joining the IGLC we are accomplishing nothing but conforming to a false precedent. The integrity of the Quebec Alpha colony of Sigma Alpha Epsilon is better preserved in the absence of association with the mediocre greek groups that are most of the fraternities at McGill".

Quebec Alpha has currently 46 active members making it the second largest fraternity on campus. Due to its youth and strict governance, the reputation of the Quebec Alpha colony of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at McGill University is pristine. Members who fail to abide to strict fraternity policies are immediately referred to the Judiciary Board whence perpetrators are sentenced to harsh penalties. Members of the fraternity are encouraged to become involved in student government, McGill clubs and organizations, and varsity athletics, of which a majority belong. Rush is held twice yearly, once in the Fall Semester and once in the Winter Semester, with only the introductory event open to the public. Rushing freshmen are personally invited to attend later events in which active members scrutinize prospective members to be assured every candidate receiving a bid is worthy. As such, the Quebec Alpha colony is known on campus as the most exclusive fraternity, and bids from Quebec Alpha are coveted by freshmen men.

Greek Relations

At McGill

Quebec Alpha currently mixes with Gamma Phi Beta - Alpha Tau Chapter, and Kappa Alpha Theta - Beta Psi.

Nationally

The Quebec Alpha colony of Sigma Alpha Epsilon is somewhat removed from the majority of other U.S. chapters of SAE, the closest being those in the northeast. As such Quebec Alpha has been somewhat isolated from other chapters of SAE, with the exception of a close friendship with the Massachusetts Gamma chapter at Harvard University. Members from both groups often visit one another, and Quebec Alpha is known to frequent the Head of the Charles Regatta where they are hosted by Massachusetts Gamma. Quebec Alpha and Massachusetts Gamma partake in an annual joint ski trip to Stowe Mountain in Vermont.

List of Executives and Officers

References

Sources

External links

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