Sigma Chi - Definition and Overview

Sigma Chi is the largest international all-male college social fraternity, with chapters at universities in Canada and the United States. Sigma Chi was founded in 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon. Sigma Chi had seven founding members: Benjamin Piatt Runkle, Thomas Cowan Bell, William Lewis Lockwood, Daniel William Cooper, Franklin Howard Scobey, James Parks Caldwell, and Isaac M. Jordan. Sigma Chi is a part of the Miami triad, which included Beta Theta Pi, Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Chi.

The fraternity's official colors are blue and gold, and its symbol is a white cross with emblems on its arms: Crossed keys on the top arm, an eagle's head on the left arm, seven gold stars and a pair of clasped hands on the bottom arm, and a scroll on the left arm. In the center of the cross in gold and on a black background are the symbols for the Greek letters sigma and chi. The left and right arms are connected to the upper arm by seven-linked gold chains.

Sigma Chi entails both service-oriented activities as well as social bonding for its members. Sigma Chi's suggested benificiary for chapter community service projects is the Children's Miracle Network. Since 1992 Sigma Chi chapters have raised nearly $3,000,000 for area CMN hospitals and devoted thousands of hours of service to CMN affiliates.

The Split from Delta Kappa Epsilon

The founding of Sigma Chi came as the result of a disagreement over who would be named Poet in the Erodelphian Literary Society of old Miami University in Ohio.

Several members of Miami University's Delta Kappa Epsilon chapter were also members of the Erodelphian Literary Society. In the fall of 1854 this society was to pick its Poet, and a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon (a "Deke") wanted the position. He was supported by five of his brothers, but four others (Caldewell, Jordan, Runkle, and Scobey) felt that he lacked poetic talent. These men instead chose to give their support to another man who was not a Deke. Bell and Cooper were not members of Erodelphian, but their support for the dissenting four was unequiviocal.

In 1854 Delta Kappa Epsilon at Miami University had 12 members, so the disgreement over who to support as Poet evenly divided the chapter. Other differences might have been forgotten, but both sides saw this conflict as a matter of principle and over the next few months there came a distancing of their friendship.

The matter finally came to a head in February of 1855, when, in an attempt to seal the rift, Runkle and his companions planned a dinner for their brothers. The feast was prepared, and the table was set, but only one of the men who supported the Deke as poet arrived, Whitelaw Reid. With him Reid brought a stranger. The six learned that the stranger was an alumnus of DKE from a nearby town.

"My name is Minor Millikin; I live in Hamilton," said the man. "I am a man of few words." Reid had told Millikin his side of the dispute, and the two were present to lay down punishment on Runkle, Scobey, and the rest. The leaders of the rebellion (Runkle and Scobey) were to be expelled from the fraternity. The other four, after being properly chastised, would be allowed to stay a part of the group.

At the announcment of the punishment Runkle stepped forward. He pulled off his Deke pin, tossed it to the table, and said, "I didn't join this fraternity to be any man's tool. And that, sir," addressing Millikin, "is my answer!" Runkle stalked from the room and his five brothers followed.

Famous "Sigs"

Athletes

• Drew Brees, Purdue 2001
• Drew Bennett, UCLA 2001
• Brad Hoover
• Bill Buckner, University of Southern California 1972
• Mike Ditka, University of Pittsburgh 1961
• Mike Holmgren, University of Southern California 1970, head coach of the Green Bay Packers
• Jim Palmer, Arizona State University 1967, Major League Baseball Hall of Famer pitcher
• Eddie Sutton, Oklahoma State Basketball Coach, Big XII Coach of the Year
• Mark DeRosa, Major League Baseball, Atlanta Braves
• Casey Martin, PGA
• Eric Fanoimoana

Politicians

• Lamar Alexander, U.S. Senator, Tennessee (Vanderbilt University - 1962)
• Grover Cleveland, U.S. President Honorary Member
• Gray Davis, Recalled Governor of California (Stanford University - 1964)
• John Ensign, U.S. Senator, Nevada (Oregon State University - 1981)
• C. Saxby Chambliss, U.S. Senator, Georgia (University of Georgia - 1966)
• Barry Goldwater, U.S. Senator, Arizona (University of Arizona - 1932)

Entertainers

• James Caviezel, Washington 1990
• Warren Beatty, Northwestern University 1959
• Woody Harrelson
• David Letterman, Ball State University 1969
• Brad Pitt, Missouri 1986
• Rip Torn, University of Texas, Alpha Nu Chapter
• Matt Groening, Creator of The Simpsons
• Carson Daly, MTV Personality
• Tom Selleck, University of Southern California 1967
• John Wayne, University of Southern California 1929

Academia

• Greg Harbaugh, Purdue University 1978, Space Shuttle astronaut
• John W. Young, Georgia Tech 1952, Space Shuttle astronaut

Business

• Kenneth "Bud" Adams, University of Kansas 1944, owner of Tennessee Titans
• Bob McNair, owner of Houston Texans
• Lod Cook Louisiana State University 1949
• Jon Huntsman, University of Pennsylvania 1959
• J. William Marriott, Utah State University 1954, President of Marriott Corporation

Unsorted

• James Barksdale
• Carl Bausch
• James Brady
• Brian Dennehy
• Dr. William DeVries
• Jim Everett
• John Gingrich
• Gordon Gould
• Robert Griese
• Steven Lew
• John Madigan
• Frank Murphy
• Michael D. Rose
• Dennis Swanson
• Ben Wells
• Matt Eversmann, U.S. Army Ranger, portrayed by Josh Hartnett in the movie Black Hawk Down
• Gen. Merrill A. McPeak, Air Force Chief of Staff
• Maurice Britt, recipient of Congressional Medal of Honor
• Forrest Vosler, recipient of Congressional Medal of Honor