Sigma Lambda Beta

Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity, Incorporated () is an American Latino-based fraternity with multicultural membership. It was founded in 1986 at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.

History

Sigma Lambda Beta fraternity was founded at the University of Iowa on April 4, 1986. Its founder was Baltazar Mendoza-Madrigal, along with seventeen other men. Mendoza-Madrigal, a member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, was inspired by the significant contributions of his fraternity to the African American community and recognized a similar need within the Latino community. With permission granted by the national board of Phi Beta Sigma, he was able to maintain his membership while establishing a new organization that aimed to serve and unify the Latino community.

This process resulted in the creation of a fraternity that shared many ideological and procedural similarities with Phi Beta Sigma, reflecting their shared goals, ideals, and challenges. The founding meeting, held on March 7, 1986, at the Chicano Native American Cultural Center (now the Latino Native American Cultural Center), brought together diverse Latino students to discuss the feasibility of the new fraternity. The overwhelming support and collective enthusiasm at the meeting led to the formal establishment of the fraternity, with its ideology and philosophy solidified on its founding date.

In 1990, Sigma Lambda Beta assisted with the establishment of Sigma Lambda Gamma sorority. Despite the aid provided in its creation, the sorority is not constitutionally bound to Sigma Lambda Gamma. Soon after the creation of the sorority, Sigma Lambda Beta, along with Phi Beta Sigma, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, and Sigma Lambda Gamma, formed the First Inter-Racially Mixed (F.I.R.M) Family network. F.I.R.M. was created to embody a shared commitment to unity and mutual support across the four different Greek letter organizations.

In the 21st century, Sigma Lambda Beta's membership grew beyond its Hispanic-Latino origins. The organization eventually withdrew from the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO) due to its increasingly multicultural membership and focus, which no longer aligned with the regulations required of NALFO's membership criteria.

In 2025, the fraternity had 777 active collegiate members and 14,000 total initiates. Its national headquarters is in North Liberty, Iowa.

Symbols

Sigma Lambda Beta's motto is "Opportunity for Wisdom, Wisdom for Culture". Its principles or pillars are Brotherhood, Scholarship, Community Service, and Cultural Awareness.

The fraternity's colors are royal purple and pure white. Its flower is the red carnation. Its mascot is the white stallion mustang. Its publication is '. Its nicknames are Betas, Lambda Betas, and SLB.

Chapters

Sigma Lambda Beta has chartered 142 chapters in thirty states in the United States. It also has nine associate chapters and 36 alumni networks.

Activities

BetaCon is the fraternity's biennial convention. Its Leadership Institute is a three-day conference held every other year, alternating with BetaCon, where collegiate brothers are taught how to enhance their leadership and organizational skills to better meet the mission of the fraternity.

Philanthropy

The Víctor Correa CPR Awareness Day was created in honor of Victor "Ziggy" Correa Ortiz, a Sigma Lambda Beta member who drowned during an accident where none of the bystanders knew how to administer CPR. The fraternity encourages its members to host CPR training and awareness events.

In 2001, members of the fraternity formed the Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity Inc.'s Educational Foundation as a 501(c) tax-exempt organization. The money raised by the Sigma Lambda Beta Education Foundation is used mainly to fund educational and leadership development programs for Sigma Lambda Beta, as well as for scholarships that are made available to undergraduate and graduate student members.

Member and chapter misconduct

In March 2015, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) chapter of Sigma Lambda Beta was temporarily suspended following allegations of hazing. According to the university, the fraternity’s international office received complaints, leading to an investigation by UNL police. The alleged hazing was reported to be non-physical. The university's Greek Affairs office and Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity conducted independent investigations into the matter, but no specific details regarding individuals or acts involved were made public.

In 2019, at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. The chapter was suspended due to allegations of misconduct. The suspension halted all fraternity operations, including social events and academic programming, pending investigations by both the university and law enforcement authorities.

In 2020, the Sigma Lambda Beta chapter at the University of California, Davis, was placed on revocation of registration until at least spring 2025 due to hazing-related incidents.

In 2021, the fraternity's chapter at the University of Texas at Austin faced disciplinary action for hazing violations. New members were reportedly required to wear specific attire and blindfolds during activities, sing songs in unison before exiting rooms, and answer questions amidst loud music, leading to concerns about mental health threats. The university imposed conditional registration on the chapter from November 2021 through December 2022.

In April 2025, the Sigma Alpha chapter of Sigma Lambda Beta at DePaul University faced controversy after various chapter alumni were found to have made homophobic remarks online after its undergraduate members hosted a drag event called the "Purple Reign Extravaganza" which aimed at challenging machismo and promoting LGBTQ+ inclusion. Fraternity alumni both within and outside the chapter criticized the event as being disgraceful and inconsistent with the fraternity’s values, which upset various undergraduate members of the chapter and others within the local community. The fraternity's national leadership did not release a formal response to the incident.

See also

* List of social fraternities and sororities

References

External links

Sigma Lambda Beta National Website

Sigma Lambda Beta Educational Foundation

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1986 establishments in Iowa
Fraternity Leadership Association
Hispanic and Latino American organizations
International student societies
Latino fraternities and sororities
North American Interfraternity Conference
Student organizations established in 1986
Student societies in the United States
University of Iowa
Former members of National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations