Sigma Theta Epsilon
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Sigma Theta Epsilon () was an American interdenominational national
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fraternal organization A fraternity (; whence, " brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club or fraternal order traditionally of men but also women associated together for various religious or secular aims. Fraternity in the Western conce ...
that operated from 1941 to . It had 47 chapters across the United States.


History


Predecessors

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
students at the
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in
Vermillion, South Dakota Vermillion (; "The Place Where Vermilion is Obtained") is a city and the county seat of Clay County. It is in the southeastern corner of South Dakota, United States, and is the state's 12th-most populous city. According to the 2020 census, the ...
, formed a local a religious fraternity, Phi Lambda Phi, around 1924. They invited representatives from similar organizations at other colleges to meeting in
Lincoln, Nebraska Lincoln is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Nebraska. The city covers and had a population of 291,082 as of the 2020 census. It is the state's List of cities in Nebraska, second-most populous city a ...
on February 6–7, 1925, to discuss forming a national fraternity. At that meeting, the delegates drew up articles of federation and elected national officers, establishing a national religious fraternity for Methodist men known as
Phi Tau Theta Phi Tau Theta () was an American religious fraternity for Methodist men. It was established in 1925 and had chapters, mostly in the midwest. Through a merger and name change, it became part of Sigma Theta Epsilon in 1941. History Methodist men ...
. On October 8, 1936, Methodist students at
Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a state university system, system of Public university, public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. The system has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration o ...
established Sigma Epsilon Theta. Edwin Green, a student pastor at the
Wesley Foundation {{methodism A Wesley Foundation is a United Methodist campus ministry sponsored in full or in part (depending on the congregation) by the United Methodist Church on a non-church owned and operated campus. Wesley Foundations claim ancestry in the ...
was its first president. Other founding members included Edward Dodd, Montford Mead, F. Jay Nimitz, and Robert E. Schalliol. Sigma Epsilon Theta became a regional fraternity with three chapters.


Formation

In 1939,
Phi Tau Theta Phi Tau Theta () was an American religious fraternity for Methodist men. It was established in 1925 and had chapters, mostly in the midwest. Through a merger and name change, it became part of Sigma Theta Epsilon in 1941. History Methodist men ...
approached Sigma Epsilon Theta about merging. On November 30, 1941, at a meeting in
Cedar Falls, Iowa Cedar Falls is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the city population was 40,713. Cedar Falls is home to the University of Northern Iowa, a public university. Cedar Falls along with neighbori ...
held during Thanksgiving break 1941, the two fraternities merged into Delta Sigma Theta. It had the common mission as a fraternity for Methodist men. However, a national sorority with prior usage of the Delta Sigma Theta name, threatened suit against the new fraternity. The fraternity's members selected the new name, Sigma Theta Epsilon, during
Easter Easter, also called Pascha ( Aramaic: פַּסְחָא , ''paskha''; Greek: πάσχα, ''páskha'') or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in t ...
break 1949. The purpose of Sigma Theta Epsilon was four-fold: # "To extend our service projects through programs of action to meet unfilled human needs. # To attempt with the guidance of God to live Christian lives of faith and service. # To provide social activities through service and Brotherhood. # To provide a background for understanding ourselves, our faith, and our world." Its officers include president, vice president, recording secretary, corresponding secretary, treasurer, chaplain, historian, and alumni secretary. After a period of expansion, the many chapters became inactive, leading to the 1968 national conclave to appoint a committee to review the fraternity's mission. The committee suggested changing the emphasis on Methodist men to Christian men. However, this change increased the loss of members because of less support from campus the Wesley Foundations. In 1972, the fraternity changed purpose to be religious, service, and social; however, this was reversed in 1975. In 1975, ''Alpha Gamma'' at
West Virginia Wesleyan College West Virginia Wesleyan College is a private college in Buckhannon, West Virginia, United States. It has an enrollment of about 1,055 students from 35 U.S. states and 26 countries. The school was founded in 1890 by the West Virginia Conference of ...
and the ''Epsilon'' at
Ohio Northern University Ohio Northern University (Ohio Northern or ONU) is a private college in Ada, Ohio, United States. Founded by Henry Solomon Lehr in 1871, ONU offers over 60 programs across five undergraduate and graduate colleges and is affiliated with the Unit ...
were the only active chapters. The addition of a chapter at
Mount Union College The University of Mount Union is a private liberal arts university in Alliance, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1846, the university was affiliated with the Methodist Church until 2019. It had an enrollment of 2,100 students as of 2023. Histo ...
in April 1980 stimulated optimism for the fraternity. However, by 1988 ''Delta chapter'' nearly closed and ''Alpha Gamma's'' membership was declining. That year, ''Beta Alpha chapter'' formed in
Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City University (OCU) is a private university historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church and located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The university offers undergraduate bachelor's degrees, graduate master's degrees and docto ...
. The ''Beta Alpha'' designation marked what was hoped to be a rebirth for the fraternity, and all chapters from this point on would be named in succession following ''Beta Alpha''. In March 1993, the ''Beta Beta chapter'' at
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of Ohio was formed. In the fall of 1993, ''Delta chapter'' at
University of Mount Union The University of Mount Union is a private liberal arts university in Alliance, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1846, the university was affiliated with the Methodist Church until 2019. It had an enrollment of 2,100 students as of 2023. History ...
was reviving from nearly closing and initiated its first pledge class in almost five years. In 1998, the ''Beta Gamma chapter'' was installed at the
University of Cincinnati The University of Cincinnati (UC or Cincinnati, informally Cincy) is a public university, public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1819 and had an enrollment of over 53,000 students in 2024, making it the ...
. The ''Beta Delta chapter'' was formed in 1999 at
Our Lady of the Lake University Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU), known locally as the Lake, is a private Catholic university in San Antonio, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1895 by the Sisters of Divine Providence, a religious institute originating in Lorraine, ...
. ''Beta Epsilon chapter'' from
Bradley University Bradley University is a private university in Peoria, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1897, Bradley University enrolls 5,200 students who are pursuing degrees in more than 100 undergraduate programs and more than 30 graduate programs in fiv ...
was chartered in 2000. This was followed by ''Beta Zeta chapter'' at
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in 2002 and ''Beta Eta chapter'' at
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and ''Beta Theta'' at
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in 2003. The addition of the ''Beta Kappa chapter'' in 2006 brought the number of active chapters to eleven, the highest number seen since the 1960s. However, growth ceased, and in there was only one active chapter,
Our Lady of the Lake University Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU), known locally as the Lake, is a private Catholic university in San Antonio, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1895 by the Sisters of Divine Providence, a religious institute originating in Lorraine, ...
. On November 19, 2022, Sigma Theta Epsilon officially closed. There are no remaining active chapters and all fraternal operations have ceased.


Symbols

The Greek letters Sigma Theta Epsilon were selected to represent the Greek words , meaning "Fellow Workers with God". This is taken from I Corinthians 3:9 and was also the group's motto. The fraternity's insignia included badge, pledge pin, recognition pin, and alumni key. The fraternity's colors were purple, old gold, and white. Its flag consisted of vertical stripes of purple, white, and gold with the Greek letters and the fraternity's crest in the middle stripe.


Chapters

Chapters of Sigma Theta Epsilon included the following, with inactive chapters and institutions noted in ''italics''. The main archive URL i
The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage
A state naming system was adopted briefly when there were few chapters still active.


References

{{Christian fraternity Christian fraternities and sororities in the United States Student organizations established in 1925 1925 establishments in Nebraska 2022 disestablishments in Nebraska Defunct fraternities and sororities