Alpha Sigma Tau: Empowering Women to Excel in Life
Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority is eager to introduce itself to the Xavier community, bringing a sisterhood experience that’s flexible, student-driven, and rooted in belonging. Focused on the future, Alpha Sigma Tau aims to empower women to excel in life and contribute their share to the progress of humankind.
The Essence of Alpha Sigma Tau
Alpha Sigma Tau's mission is to invest in women by instilling the skills necessary to navigate life and inspire members to enrich their own lives and the lives of others. The sorority's vision is to empower women to excel in life. This spirit aligns with Xavier University's values, encouraging students to give back and get more involved. Together, Alpha Sigma Tau and Xavier can form women who change the world for the better.
A History of Early Adoption and Retention
Alpha Sigma Tau is no stranger to being one of the first NPC sororities on a campus. In fact, AΣΤ has very successful chapters where they were the first or second NPC sorority, and on some, they’re still the only NPC sorority! These thriving communities and chapters can be found at Iona University, Gustavus Adolphus College, and Lebanon Valley College, among others.
When members join Alpha Sigma Tau, they don’t want to quit! In Fall 2025, AΣΤ had a 95% new member retention rate and a 94% retention rate for all collegiate members. Creating an experience where a Xavier woman can invest in both the campus and the Sorority is the goal.
Values and Goals in Alignment
Alpha Sigma Tau gives chapters and members autonomy over their experience (within bounds of critical policies) and provides flexibility for campus culture. Members come first, and when something’s not working, the sorority listens. This collaborative approach ensures that the sorority experience is both engaging and educational, putting a Xavier woman at the forefront.
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Austin Stellato, Assistant Director of Student Engagement and Fraternity & Sorority Life at Iona University, shares his experience working with Alpha Sigma Tau staff members to establish their chapter. When you need to speak with someone at Headquarters-emergency or not-you don’t need to navigate layers of organizational infrastructure to reach a decision-maker. Having a large presence in the Northeast means they have a lot of members nearby!
A Supportive Sisterhood
Alpha Sigma Tau offers a supportive sisterhood where women build lifelong friendships, grow together, and make the most of their time on campus. Alpha Sigma Tau can be the place where women feel empowered to be who they are without fear of judgment, rejection, or ridicule. The sorority is better equipped than nearly any other organization, on a college campus or otherwise, to provide women with a community of emotional safety and unconditional support because they believe failing to do so prevents individuals from reaching their full potential and contributing positively to the progress of humankind.
New Member Education
A six-week process, the interactive education program is designed to teach the sorority's history, values, and membership expectations, develop members for future leadership opportunities, and provide learning outcomes to set new members up for life success. Each week, new members are expected to complete an online course to learn new member content. In-person meetings build on the content each week, facilitated by an Alpha Sigma Tau staff member for newly established chapters. Sisterhood, service, campus, and other events may be included in the new member schedule to promote new member bonding.
Prioritizing Safety and Well-being
Alpha Sigma Tau strives to ensure members have a healthy, safe, and meaningful member experience. Members are expected to make and support decisions that are safe, legal, compliant with all campus and Sorority policies, and honor and respect the human dignity of all people.
In 2020, Alpha Sigma Tau embarked on an intentional journey to create a more inclusive Sisterhood, listening to the voices of collegiate members to update policies and programs. The Member Support and Accountability Process focuses on building a supportive Sisterhood that demonstrates care and empathy for members experiencing challenges or concerns related to their well-being. The Member Support and Accountability process is supported by a team of elected members (a Chair and 1-5 delegates, depending on chapter size) and the Member Support and Accountability Advisor.
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The chapter structure features a Vice President of Organization Development, who has primary responsibility for risk prevention, reduction, and management, responsible for evaluating chapter events for potential risks and developing plans for preventing, reducing, and managing those risks. Officers and members have access to online training that includes topics like safe social event planning, Member Support and Accountability Procedures, and accountability best practices.
Leadership Development and Structure
The Alpha Sigma Tau officer structure model is team-based; teams work together to set goals for the chapter and carry out the day-to-day-operations while engaging as many members as possible. The officer structure is also scaled based on chapter size (max positions shown below) to ensure a positive member experience! The Chapter President oversees the Executive Committee officers (Vice Presidents) and serves as the ex-officio member of the Recruitment Committee, Risk Reduction Committee, Budget Committee, Bylaws Revision Committee, New Member Education Committee, and Women’s Wellness Initiative Committee. Chapters must have an Executive Committee, Recruitment Committee, and Risk Reduction Committee to operate. All other committees are ad hoc. Other committees may be added depending on chapter needs and campus culture.
Alpha Sigma Taus leave college stronger, more confident, and better prepared for what’s next. Officer Academy is the cornerstone leadership program open to Executive Committee officers from every collegiate chapter. It’s an opportunity for Sisters to develop and gain leadership skills, but also to build positive and supportive connections with chapter officers across the country! Officers complete leadership lessons online, featuring core leadership principles to help them manage interpersonal and situational challenges and opportunities that may arise within the chapter. Then, they gather virtually to apply their knowledge, problem-solve scenarios, and connect. Officer Academy also prepares members for future personal and professional leadership opportunities through skill-building focused on team management, identifying support and resources, delegation, and more. Sisters become more strategic, mindful, and skillful leaders because of this program! Conventions, held every two years, are opportunities for collegiate members to participate in Sorority business, learn more about chapter management, and network with alumnae. Sorority business at Convention includes electing the National Vice President-Collegian. This intimate cohort-style program is designed to strengthen competencies in key leadership development areas and foster insightful conversations. It’s open to sophomore, junior, and senior Sisters regardless of their officer position. Illuminate is not about mastering a topic but about sparking curiosity and passion for continuous learning and personal and professional growth.
Academic Success and Financial Literacy
As an organization with a core value of Intellect, Alpha Sigma Tau recognizes the importance of lifelong learning and academic success. The minimum GPA for a new or collegiate member is 2.5; however, many Alpha Sigma Tau chapters are operating at a higher minimum for individuals, with a chapter average GPA of 3.23. Chapters also have a Director of Academic Success, who is responsible for encouraging and supporting individual and chapter academic achievement. They are provided with an Academic Success Toolkit, with programs, recognition ideas, and templates for Individual Academic Success Plans. Additionally, members are eligible to receive Alpha Sigma Tau Foundation scholarships for educational purposes.
Alpha Sigma Tau is taking an active role in closing the financial literacy gap! All collegiate members have access to MoneySmarts U, a program that empowers students to take control of their financial futures.
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Networking and Partnerships
Joining a National Organization like Alpha Sigma Tau means doubling your network! In fact, there’s already Cincy-area alumnae ready to get Xavier’s AΣΤ network started!
“Alpha Sigma Tau shaped my life for the better, and serving as an advisor has only deepened that commitment. When women uplift one another, real change happens."
Alpha Sigma Tau is proud to partner with Dress for Success and Girls Who Code, giving members the opportunity to support women’s empowerment on both national and international stages. Dress for Success Cincinnati is just three miles away from Xavier! Additionally, chapters have the flexibility to support local women-focused organizations, ensuring that the impact is both broad and meaningful.
Mental Health Support
Empowerment also means supporting each other’s mental health. Through Name Your Story, the online, video-based course, members learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of common mental health challenges facing college students. The course also provides training on how to discuss these experiences with one another and prioritize self-care. Each semester, Alpha Sigma Tau hosts a live webinar with Dr. Lauren Cook on a relevant mental health topic, giving members the chance to learn directly from an expert.
Establishing a Chapter at Xavier
Following Invitation: Staff arrives on campus to meet with key student life leaders, potential new members, and begin marketing efforts. Local alumnae will be appointed to the Chapter Advisory Board. New Member Education, Elections, and Training: New members complete weekly courses and attend in-person meetings. Officer elections are held and committees formed. Training and team-building workshops prepare Xavier women for their new roles. Installation and Chartering: This major milestone celebrates new members becoming initiated in Alpha Sigma Tau and the installation of the chapter at Xavier. Staff, campus faculty and staff, representatives from the National Council, and local alumnae will be invited to celebrate their success!
Position Statement on Nondiscrimination
Alpha Sigma Tau is a private membership organization. For membership selection purposes, only women who meet and maintain the requirements and obligations as set forth by the Sorority shall be eligible for membership. The sorority does not discriminate in membership selection on the basis of race, religious affiliation, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, or physical disability. Qualification for membership is based on six fundamental standards: scholarship, leadership, community service, character, personal development, and financial responsibility. Potential members are extended an equal opportunity to seek membership. Membership is open to women and transgender persons who identify as women. Males are excluded from membership as provided by Title IX, 20 E.S.C 1681 (a)(6)(A), which pertains to social fraternities and sororities.
Advisor Roles and Support
Advisors are volunteers who work at a local level to coach, mentor, and guide collegiate officers and members to achieve success. Advisors are considered an extension of the Headquarters Staff and are either members or friends of Alpha Sigma Tau. The Chapter Advisory Board (CAB) has a maximum of thirteen positions, with adjustments made for chapter size and campus culture, and they are directly correlated to an officer. As soon as Alpha Sigma Tau receive an invitation to start a chapter, they begin the advisor application, appointment, and training process. The goal is to have a Chapter Advisory Board (CAB) in place at the beginning of the chapter’s establishment semester. All potential advisors must apply, interview with a Headquarters Staff member, and complete an online New Advisor Onboarding course. Advisors receive subsequent support through additional online learning modules and are included in all communications with the establishing chapter, their officers, and Headquarters Staff. They are included for in-person training and events with the chapter during the first semester, and are invited to attend additional advising education opportunities during Convention, Advisor Academy, and online webinars.
The campus professional who works with the chapter is a member of the Chapter Support Team. This professional receives monthly communication with resources from Headquarters. Although Xavier does not currently have a Panhellenic community to support, Alpha Sigma Tau is ready to help navigate Panhellenic changes as needed! If a Panhellenic is established at Xavier, the chapter would be assigned a Panhellenic Support Contact who provides guidance regarding Panhellenic issues, such as changes to bylaws, recruitment structure, Panhellenic infractions, and judicial concerns.
Financial Investment and Resources
Starting a new chapter is a major investment in both time and financial resources. The National Organization financially supports all new chapters until they are installed, from recruitment to sisterhood to programming, as well as the expenses of a full-time staff member on campus. First semester dues and fees will total $550 per member, and this includes a technology fee, local dues (money that stays with the chapter for activities and services), an Initiation fee, and a Badge fee. Alpha Sigma Tau will provide other financial resources as needed to ensure a successful new chapter. This includes but is not limited to: staff and volunteer expenses; public relations and marketing efforts; Bid Day activities and gifts; new member education materials; Ritual materials and supplies; and expenses for the Educational Consultant assigned to support the new chapter.
Learning Resources
In the Alpha Sigma Tau Learning Lounge, chapter members, officers, advisors, and select volunteers can access training materials, explanations of Alpha Sigma Tau procedures, and competency development exercises so that they always have the most up-to-date information right at their finger tips. In addition to the Alpha Sigma Tau Learning Lounge, all members and guests can explore the Alpha Sigma Tau Knowledge Base, known as Ask AΣΤ. This site features searchable how-to guides, video instructions, timelines, and more, categorized by officer team. MyChapterRoom (MCR) is a robust tool built for sorority women by sorority women. With a mobile-friendly platform, MCR has a …
