Sigma Iota (ΣΙ), Established March 12, 1912 was the first Latin American–based Greek lettered inter-collegiate fraternity in the United States. On December 26, 1931 Sigma Iota Fraternity merged with Phi Lambda Alpha Fraternity to form Phi Iota Alpha.
| Sigma Iota | |
|---|---|
| ΣΙ | |
 | |
| Founded | November 27, 1904 La Colonia Hispano-Americana March 12, 1912 as Sigma Iota Louisiana State University |
| Type | Social |
| Affiliation | Independent |
| Status | Merged |
| Merge Date | December 26, 1931 |
| Successor | Phi Iota Alpha |
| Emphasis | Latin American |
| Scope | International |
| Motto | Omne Rarum Carum |
| Chapters | 14 |
| Headquarters | United States |
History
edit
Sigma Iota was founded on November 27, 1904 in Louisiana State University as a secret society for Spanish-American students under the name La Colonia Hispano-Americana. Soon after its founding La Colonia Hispano-Americano decided to change its name to Sociedad Hispano-Americana in December 1904.[1]
On March 12, 1912, recognizing the benefit of the disciplinary background of a Greek system, the society transformed itself into the very first Latino fraternity, Sigma Iota. This name change allowed for the official transformation from a Latin American social club to Latin American Greek Lettered Fraternity.
Between 1912 and 1925, Sigma Iota expanded very rapidly in the United States, Central America, and Europe. As a result of this, Sigma Iota became the first international Latin American–based fraternity.[2] By 1928, Sigma Iota had lost many of its chapters and therefore sought to stabilize its operations by consolidating its chapters in the United States with a more stationary and well-rooted organization.99
Meanwhile, another fraternity Phi Lambda Alpha, which had been recently founded in 1919 at the University of California, Berkeley was seeking to expand throughout the United States. Sigma Iota Fraternity was in search of revitalizing some of its defunct chapters. Thus both organizations complemented each other and began to work towards the creation of the fraternity now known as Phi Iota Alpha.
On December 26, 1931 Sigma Iota Fraternity merged with Phi Lambda Alpha fraternity to form Phi Iota Alpha. Phi Sigma Alpha fraternity can also trace its roots back to Sigma Iota.
Chapters
edit| Collegiate Institution | Establishment Year | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana State University | 1912 | United States |
| Auburn University (formerly Alabama Polytechnic Institute) | 1913 | United States |
| University of Geneva | 1913 | Switzerland |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | 1913 | United States |
| Syracuse University | 1913 | United States |
| Atlanta Medical School | 1914 | United States |
| University of Guatemala | 1914 | Guatemala |
| University of Liège | 1914 | Belgium |
| University of Louvain | 1914 | Belgium |
| University of Pennsylvania[3] | 1915 | United States |
| Tulane University | 1924 | United States |
| Loyola University, New Orleans | 1927 | United States |
| University of Iowa | 1928 | United States |
| Iowa State University | 1928 | United States |
| University of Florida | 1928 | United States |
See also
editPhi Iota Alpha
Phi Lambda Alpha
Phi Sigma Alpha
Union Latino Americana
Footnotes
edit- ^ Brown, James T. (1920). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. New York, New York: College Fraternities Pub. p. 346. OCLC 15604776.
- ^ Anson, Jack L.; Robert F. Marchesani Jr (1991). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. Menasha, Wisconsin: Banta Publishing Company. p. VIII-22. ISBN 0-9637159-0-9.
- ^ Nitzsche, George E. (1918). University of Pennsylvania : its history, traditions, buildings and memorials : also a brief guide to Philadelphia. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: International Printing Company. p. 242. OCLC 65488397.