Learning what it means to be an SAE
Phoenix Member Education
The Phoenix Member Education (PME) Program is SAE’s member development experience, offering structured programming for every chapter member. It includes Member Onboarding and Brother-to-Brother lessons, with resources available in the Phoenix Member Education manuals and the SAE Portal.
Member Onboarding
Member Onboarding offers programming for Candidates for Membership and initiated members to intentionally welcome brothers into the Chapter or Emerging Chapter. New members complete an onboarding experience with online modules, readings, and in-person meetings to build a strong foundation for their SAE experience.
Brother-to-Brother Lessons
Brother-to-Brother Lessons, led by the Member Educator and chapter leaders, engage all members in SAE’s values, history, and skills for personal and professional growth. Each chapter completes at least 18 lessons annually.
Program Goals
What does Phoenix Member Education do?
Focus on the needs of our members
The traditions and lessons of SAE have been modernized and adapted in order to be most effective for today’s collegiate brothers.
Provide a model for onboarding new members
Chapters and Emerging Chapters are provided with a guide to help facilitate member onboarding while still customizing the experience for their chapter, involving all brothers on a deeper level, ensuring the rich history of SAE leaves a lasting impact on all members.
Recommitting of initiated brothers
Initiation is not only for new members, but serves as a reminder to all members about the values and lessons emulated within the Ritual; their commitment to SAE extends beyond their first semester.
Opportunities for brothers to earn their membership
Lessons of the past help shape decisions of the future. Using SAE’s prominent figures, events, and texts, The Phoenix Member Education program provides weekly lessons to all members about what it means to be an SAE, and how lessons from the past can help them prepare for the future.
Keep the traditions, rituals, & meaning of SAE alive
By practicing the recitation of The True Gentleman, learning and memorizing SAE Songs, and learning straight from The Phoenix, new initiates will keep the things that make SAE unique alive and thriving. The lessons throughout the entire Phoenix Member Education Program were written with the intention of educating members on what it means to be an SAE and teaching them about what makes Sigma Alpha Epsilon the fraternity it is today.
Accessing the Phoenix Member Education Program
You can access the Phoenix Member Education manual, resources, and online learning modules through the SAE Learning Management System (LMS) in The SAE Portal.
The SAE PortalFrequently Asked Questions
Member onboarding offers programming for Candidates for Membership and initiated members to intentionally welcome initiates into the Chapter or Emerging Chapter and reflect on membership thus far.
Brother-to-Brother Lessons are lessons facilitated by the Member Educator (with the help of other chapter leaders) at chapter meetings and are meant for all brothers of the chapter or emerging chapter.
Every chapter/emerging chapter must complete at least 18 Brother-to-Brother lessons each year (9 each semester or 6 each quarter). The Lesson Schedules section at the back of the Phoenix Member Education Manual is a great resource to help you plan out all your lessons for the year.
Each lesson enriches members with the knowledge of SAE and core values, as well as how the lessons of history apply to us today. Some lessons also feature a song of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. By learning to sing SAE’s songs, members can bring more ‘fun’ to their chapter experience and keep our strong singing tradition alive.
Start by selecting 18 Brother-to-Brother lessons for the year that meet the needs and interests of your chapter. The Manual includes many options, so you may choose to do more than the minimum number required. Use the Brother-to-Brother Checklist for specifics about required lessons and how many lessons you should facilitate from each of the categories.
You can also view the Lesson Schedules section at the back of the manual for tips, tricks, and planning resources for choosing the best topics for your chapter.
As outlined in The Phoenix Member Education Manual, the first portion of Member Onboarding is suggested to take place over three days. The timeline for the period from bid to initiation is only a suggestion. You may move around these activities (within the 96 hours from bid to initiation) to suit the needs of your chapter.
Your chapter may add member education activities/lessons for all members in addition to the materials outlined in The Phoenix Member Education Program, but each chapter and emerging chapter is expected to fully implement The Phoenix Member Education Program.
If you or your chapter want to learn more, contact the Education Department at education@sae.net.