| Sigma Phi | |
|---|---|
| ΣΦ | |
 | |
| Founded | March 4, 1827 Union College |
| Type | Secret |
| Affiliation | NIC |
| Former affiliation | NIC |
| Status | Active |
| Scope | National |
| Motto | Esto Perpetua "Let it be perpetual" |
| Member badge |  |
| Colors | Azure and Argent |
| Publication | The Flame |
| Chapters | 7 |
| Headquarters | P.O. Box 57417 Tucson, Arizona 85732-7417 United States |
| Website | sigmaphi.org |
The Sigma Phi Society (ΣΦ) is an American college fraternity. Established in 1827 at Union College in Schenectady, New York, it was the second Greek letter fraternal organization founded in the United States. Sigma Phi was the first collegiate social fraternity to establish a chapter at another college, making it the first national fraternity. It was also a founding member of the National Interfraternity Conference, now the North American Interfraternity Conference. It is part of the Union Triad.
History
The Sigma Phi Society was formed as a secret society on March 4, 1827, on the campus of Union College in Schenectady, New York.[1][2] Its founders were Charles Thorn Cromwell, John Thomas Bowie, Thomas Fielder Bowie, and Thomas Sydenham Witherspoon.[1][2]
The Alpha chapter of Sigma Phi at Union College has been in continuous operation since its founding, making it the oldest continuously running fraternity chapter in the United States.[3] In 1831, Beta of New York was established at Hamilton College, making the society the first Greek fraternal organization in the United States to establish a chapter at another college, thus becoming the first national Greek letter organization in the United States.[4]
In 1834, Sigma Phi became the first fraternity to publish a catalogue of its membership.[1] The fraternity was incorporated in the State of New York in 1885 and was reincorporated in 1920.[1]
In 1901, Sigma Phi became a founding member of the National Interfraternity Conference, now the North American Interfraternity Conference.[5]
Historically, the fraternity had been conservative in adding chapters.[1] In 1963, the fraternity had eleven active chapters, two inactive chapters, and 3,910 living members.[1]
Its headquarters is in Tucson, Arizona.[6]
Symbols
The practices and rituals of the Sigma Phi Society are relatively unknown due to its establishment, and continued consideration, as a secret society.[7]
The Sigma Phi badge is a monogram with a jeweled Σ directly over a Φ that is either plain or chased.[1] It was designed by Charles N. Rowley, founder of the Beta of New York chapter.[8] In 1879, Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities stated that the badge was royal purple. Since 1879, the badge has been produced mainly in gold.[1] Its pledge pin is a light blue and white button.[1]
The society's colors are azure and argent (light blue and white).[1] Its motto is Esto Perpetua or "Let it be perpetual".[2] Its publication is the Sigma Phi Flame, first published in 1920.[1]
Chapters
In the following list, active chapters are indicated in bold and inactive chapters are in italics.[1][2][9][10]
| Chapter | Letter | Charter date and range | Institution | Location | Status | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha of New York | U | March 4, 1827 | Union College | Schenectady, New York | Active | |
| Beta of New York | H | 1831–2019 | Hamilton College | Clinton, New York | Inactive | [a] |
| Alpha of Massachusetts | W | 1834–1968 | Williams College | Williamstown, Massachusetts | Inactive | [b] |
| Gamma of New York | N | March 4, 1836–March 4, 1848 | New York University | New York City, New York | Inactive | [c] |
| Delta of New York | G | August 4, 1840 | Hobart College | Geneva, New York | Active | |
| Alpha of Vermont | V | March 4, 1845 | University of Vermont | Burlington, Vermont | Active | |
| Alpha of New Jersey | P | 1853–1858 | Princeton University | Princeton, New Jersey | Inactive | [d] |
| Alpha of Michigan | M | 1858–2022 | University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Inactive | [e][a] |
| Alpha of Pennsylvania | L | February 4, 1887 – 2002 | Lehigh University | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | Inactive | [f] |
| Epsilon of New York | C | October 4, 1890 | Cornell University | Ithaca, New York | Suspended | |
| Alpha of Wisconsin | F | October 31, 1908 | University of Wisconsin–Madison | Madison, Wisconsin | Active | |
| Alpha of California | I | September 7, 1912 | University of California, Berkeley | Berkeley, California | Active | [a][g] |
| Alpha of Virginia | S | 1953 | University of Virginia | Charlottesville, Virginia | Active | [h] |
| Alpha of North Carolina | T | 2008–2019 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, North Carolina | Inactive |
Notes
- ^ a b c Attempted, with little success, to include women in the chapter's membership.
- ^ Chapter formed from Phi Alpha (local), established in 1833.
- ^ According to the Baird's Manual (1963), the chapter closed "in a belief that a successful chapter could not be maintained in a city college where the students met only at recitations".
- ^ Charter returned to the Convention of 1860 after the college banned fraternities.
- ^ Charter revoked.
- ^ Chapter formed from Delta Tau Delta (local), established in 1870.
- ^ Chapter formed from the La Junta Club (local), established in 1901.
- ^ Chapter formed from the Serpentine Club (local), established in 1890 and later called Delta Tau Delta. .
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Chapter houses
Alpha of Massachusetts at Williams College was the first chapter to build its own chapter house.[1] Today, some chapters own buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, such as the Thorsen House, owned by the Alpha of California chapter in Berkeley and designed by Greene and Greene.[7] The Alpha of Wisconsin chapter house is the Harold C. Bradley House, a National Historic Landmark designed in 1908 by Louis Sullivan.[11]
Alpha of Vermont
The Alpha of Vermont chapter house, known as Sigma Phi Place, is a listed contributing building to the National Register of Historic Places' University Green Historic District.[12] It was designed in 1903 by architect Marcus T. Reynolds of Albany, New York, who was a member of the Alpha of Massachusetts chapter.[12] Located at 420 College Street, Sigma Phi Place was the first purpose-built fraternity house at the University of Vermont.[12] It is a three-story, Colonial Revival style brick house.[12] Its main entrance has a gable pedimented portico with four columns that have Corinthian capitals.[12]
Governance
Sigma Phi is governed by officers who are elected at an annual convention of chapter delegates.[1] Its national headquarters is in Tucson, Arizona.[10]
Notable members
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Robson, John, ed. (1963). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: George Banta Co. pp. 325–326. OCLC 1819883.
- ^ a b c d Catalogue of the Sigma Phi: E.P.V. Sigma Phi Society. 1915 – via Google Books.
- ^ "What's The Oldest Continually-Running Fraternity Chapter In America?". Total Frat Move. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
- ^ Robson, John, ed. (1963). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: George Banta Co. pp. 8 and 325. OCLC 1819883.
- ^ Robson, John, ed. (1963). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: George Banta Co. p. 34. OCLC 1819883.
- ^ "Contact Us". Sigma Phi Society. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
- ^ a b "Home". Sigma Phi Society. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ^ "Rowley, Charles N." 1829. January 1829 – via Union College.
- ^ "Chapters". Sigma Phi Society. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ a b Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (January 13, 2025) "Sigma Phi". Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed April 2, 2025.
- ^ "Our house - Wisc". Sigma Phi Society. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form for University Green Historic District. Revision, 2021.
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