Sigma Theta Epsilon

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Sigma Theta Epsilon
ΣΘΕ
Founded	November 30, 1941; 83 years ago (November 30, 1941)
Type	Christian
Affiliation	Independent
Status	Defunct
Defunct date	November 19, 2022
Scope	National
Motto	Συνεργοι Θεου Εσμεν "Fellow Workers with God"
Colors	Purple,   Old Gold, and   White
Chapters	47
Headquarters	, Ohio United States

Sigma Theta Epsilon (ΣΘΕ) was an American interdenominational national Christian fraternal organization that operated from 1941 to 2022. It had 47 chapters across the United States.

Methodist students at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, South Dakota, 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 on February 6–7, 1925, to discuss forming a national fraternity.^[1] 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.^[1]

On October 8, 1936, Methodist students at Indiana University established Sigma Epsilon Theta.^[1] Edwin Green, a student pastor at the Wesley Foundation was its first president.^[2] Other founding members included Edward Dodd, Montford Mead, F. Jay Nimitz, and Robert E. Schalliol.^[3][4] Sigma Epsilon Theta became a regional fraternity with three chapters.^[5]

In 1939, Phi Tau Theta approached Sigma Epsilon Theta about merging.^[1] On November 30, 1941, at a meeting in Cedar Falls, Iowa held during Thanksgiving break 1941, the two fraternities merged into Delta Sigma Theta.^[6][7] It had the common mission as a fraternity for Methodist men.^[7] However, a national sorority with prior usage of the Delta Sigma Theta name, threatened suit against the new fraternity.^[1] The fraternity's members selected the new name, Sigma Theta Epsilon, during Easter break 1949.^[1]

The purpose of Sigma Theta Epsilon was four-fold:^[8]

1. "To extend our service projects through programs of action to meet unfilled human needs.
2. To attempt with the guidance of God to live Christian lives of faith and service.
3. To provide social activities through service and Brotherhood.
4. 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.^[9]

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.^[1] The committee suggested changing the emphasis on Methodist men to Christian men.^[1] However, this change increased the loss of members because of less support from campus the Wesley Foundations.^[1] In 1972, the fraternity changed purpose to be religious, service, and social; however, this was reversed in 1975.^[1]

In 1975, Alpha Gamma at West Virginia Wesleyan College and the Epsilon at Ohio Northern University were the only active chapters.^[10][11] The addition of a chapter at Mount Union College in April 1980 stimulated optimism for the fraternity.^[12][1] However, by 1988 Delta chapter nearly closed and Alpha Gamma's membership was declining.^[12][1] That year, Beta Alpha chapter formed in Oklahoma City University.^[1] 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.^[1]

In March 1993, the Beta Beta chapter at Miami University of Ohio was formed.^[13] In the fall of 1993, Delta chapter at University of Mount Union was reviving from nearly closing and initiated its first pledge class in almost five years.^[1][12] In 1998, the Beta Gamma chapter was installed at the University of Cincinnati.^[14] The Beta Delta chapter was formed in 1999 at Our Lady of the Lake University.^[15] Beta Epsilon chapter from Bradley University was chartered in 2000.^[16] This was followed by Beta Zeta chapter at Oklahoma City University in 2002 and Beta Eta chapter at West Virginia University and Beta Theta at Ohio University in 2003.^[17][18][19] The addition of the Beta Kappa chapter in 2006 brought the number of active chapters to eleven, the highest number seen since the 1960s.^[20][1]

However, growth ceased, and in August 2022 there was only one active chapter, Our Lady of the Lake University. On November 19, 2022, Sigma Theta Epsilon officially closed. There are no remaining active chapters and all fraternal operations have ceased.

The Greek letters Sigma Theta Epsilon were selected to represent the Greek words Sunergoi Theou Esman, meaning "Fellow Workers with God".^[8] This is taken from I Corinthians 3:9 and was also the group's motto.^[8] The fraternity's insignia included badge, pledge pin, recognition pin, and alumni key.^[21] The fraternity's colors were purple, old gold, and white.^[21] Its flag consisted of vertical stripes of purple, white, and gold with the Greek letters ΣΘΕ and the fraternity's crest in the middle stripe.^[21]

Chapters of Sigma Theta Epsilon included the following, with inactive chapters and institutions noted in italics.^[5] A state naming system was adopted briefly when there were few chapters still active.