Beta Gamma Sigma

Beta Gamma Sigma () is the International Business Honor Society. Founded in 1913 at the University of Wisconsin, University of Illinois and the University of California, it has over 980,000 members, selected from more than 600 collegiate chapters in business schools accredited by AACSB International. Founded in the United States, it has collegiate chapters in over 190 countries.

Mission and purpose

The mission of Beta Gamma Sigma is to encourage and honor academic achievement in the study of business; cultivate and celebrate leadership and professional excellence and build their professional skills; to foster an enduring commitment to honor and integrity, the pursuit of wisdom, earnestness, and service; and to serve its lifetime members by helping them network and connect to each other.

Beta Gamma Sigma members reside in over 190 countries and there are more than 50 alumni chapters and networking groups located in major metropolitan areas and other regions throughout the world. These alumni groups provide ongoing educational and networking opportunities for members—both in person and virtually.

Beta Gamma Sigma is the largest alumni group in the world for graduates of business programs.

Membership eligibility requirements include that a student must be in the top 10% of a bachelors business program (top 20% for masters programs, and all doctoral students) Undergraduates are inducted toward the end of their degree program, but no earlier than after completion of 50% of the coursework or the last semester of the 3rd (junior) year for those in 4-year bachelor's degrees. Doctoral students are eligible for membership after having successfully defended their dissertation.

Societal Impact

In 2020, Beta Gamma Sigma added new societal impact standards and practices. They believe that business can be a force for global good and have committed to incorporating the environmental, social, & governance (ESGs) criteria and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their business operations and programming. BGS joins their partner organization AACSB and universities across the globe, in putting a major focus on societal impact and corporate citizenship.

Some environmental and sustainability initiatives include:

# The BGS x SDGs Lab Leadership Conference, a virtual conference focused on connecting, educating, and empowering participants to be catalysts for change in their communities.
# The BGS Gives Back Program, sponsored by KPMG, encourages BGS members to give back and make a difference in their local communities.
# A commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. This includes ongoing DEIB and cultural competency training for BGS staff and developing opportunities for members to connect and learn from one another.
# A commitment to greener business practices, such as:
## Digitizing Membership Guides and Invitation booklets, which will help reduce their carbon footprint by over 50,000 booklets;
## Consciously selecting vendors committed to recycling, donation, and sustainability;
## Hybrid work environment to reduce carbon emissions from daily commutes.

History

The Society was founded on with the union of three pre-existing local societies for men in commerce and economics. These were: Beta Gamma Sigma (1907) at the University of Wisconsin, the Economics Club (1906) at the University of California, and Delta Kappa Chi (1910) at the University of Illinois. The three are considered co-equal founding institutions.

In 1919 Beta Gamma Sigma was designated by the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) as "the scholarship society" for students in commerce and business administration. Today, only AACSB schools are eligible to host chapters.

On April 29, 1933, Beta Gamma Sigma merged with Gamma Epsilon Pi, a similar organization that had been formed to serve women. Gamma Epsilon Pi had been founded on March 26, 1918, also at the University of Illinois. Beta Gamma Sigma was older, by five years, and the Society retained its name.

Governance of the society is by convention, held biennially, with intermediate administration vested in a Board of Governors, these holding staggered, four-year terms.

The organization is also a member of the Association of College Honor Societies.

Significance of Initials

The Society explains its name in its Recognition Ceremony (public):

Beta () is the initial letter of the Greek word BEBAEOS, which signifies honor. Honor is personal integrity and excellence of character. It is an enduring quality found in all persons who deserve to lead others. All honorable persons conscientiously seek to recognize, to uphold, and to encourage that which is ethical and that which is just. Honor is a guiding star which encourages altruism, enlightened social responsibility, and service rather than selfishness.

Gamma () is the initial letter of the Greek word GNOSIS, which means wisdom. Wisdom is knowledge tested by experience and tempered by discerning judgment. It abhors prejudice, it insists upon freedom of thought and expression. Persons of wisdom constantly seek a better comprehension and more fruitful application of what is known. They are also endlessly engaged in a quest for an understanding of what is unknown. Confronted by a veritable flood of facts and concepts, the person of wisdom exercises special discrimination to select, to arrange, to relate, to interpret, and to apply. This is a challenge worthy of the finest mind.

Sigma () is the initial letter of the Greek word SPOUDE, which means earnestness. Earnestness is enthusiasm measured by achievement, disciplined by reason and ennobled by sincerity. It is that dynamic quality which is essential for all great achievement. Without Earnestness, both Honor and Wisdom lose much of their potential effectiveness. The greatest personal achievements are tributes to the blending of honor, wisdom and earnestness in the minds and hearts of those who lead. Rewards for the individual and progress for society surely proceed from this wholesome union of qualities.

Board members

* Mary A. Gowan – University of North Georgia (Board Chair)
* John Navin — Ohio Northern University (Vice Chair)
* Bernard J. Milano — Retired former President, KPMG Foundation (Secretary/Treasurer)
* Christina Allrich — Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS Executive Director)
* Wes Hamilton-Jessop — The University of Sydney
* Linda Hadley — Columbus State University
* Lawrence Singleton — Pace University
* Joyce Strawser — Seton Hall University
* Jodi Weiss — Korn Ferry
* Caryn Beck-Dudley — President and CEO, AACSB International
* Blane Ruschak — President, KPMG Foundation
* Anthony Wilbon — Howard University
* Ken Merritt — Korn Ferry
* Nicole Thorne Jenkins — University of Virginia
* Narjess Boubakri — American University of Sharjah
* Robert Walsh — University of Dallas
* Reto Steiner — ZHAW School of Management and Law

Notable members

* Lowell C. Smith, president of Nichols College
*Bengt Holmstrom, 2016 Nobel Prize Winner in Economics
*Ann-Marie Campbell, Executive Vice-President of Home Depot
*Marillyn Hewson, President and CEO of Lockheed Martin Corporation
* Ellen Kullman, Former Board Chair & CEO of Dupont
*Alan Greenspan, Former Chairman of the Federal Reserve
*Gerek Meinhardt – 2016 Olympian Fencing Team
* John Hanki – Inventor of Pokémon Go
* Eugene T. Lee – Esq President of MBK Sports Management
*Sally Krawcheck – Co-founder & CEO of Ellevest Global Woman’s Index Fund

See also

* Alpha Kappa Psi , professional
* Delta Sigma Pi , professional
* Phi Gamma Nu , professional, originally women's
* Phi Chi Theta , professional, originally women's
* Epsilon Eta Phi , merged into ()

* Delta Mu Delta , honor, (ACBSP)
* Pi Omega Pi , honor, business education teachers
* Sigma Beta Delta , honor, (non-AACSB schools)

* Alpha Beta Gamma , honor, (2-yr schools)
* Kappa Beta Delta , honor, (2-yr schools, (ACBSP)

* AACSB schools
* Association of College Honor Societies

References

External links

Beta Gamma Sigma Headquarters

Beta Gamma Sigma
at Association of College Honor Societies

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Association of College Honor Societies
Honor societies
Student organizations established in 1913
1913 establishments in Wisconsin