The Fraternity

History

Sigma Alpha Epsilon was founded March 9, 1856, at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa. Its founders were Noble Leslie DeVotie, John Barratt Rudulph, Nathan Elams Cockrell, John Webb Kerr, Wade Foster, Samuel Marion Dennis, Abner Edwin Patton and Thomas Chappell Cook. Their leader was DeVotie, who had written the Ritual, devised the grip, and chosen the name. Rudulph designed the badge. Of all existing fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is the only one founded in the South before the Civil War. The miracle in the history of Sigma Alpha Epsilon is that it survived that great sectional conflict. When the smoke of the battle had cleared, only one chapter at tiny Columbian College in Washington, D.C., survived, but it died soon thereafter. Since World War II, the fraternity has grown much larger, and it has changed in a number of ways, some quite obvious and others quite subtle. Its growth in chapters and membership has been quite spectacular, and its total number of initiates continues to be the highest in the fraternity world. Sigma Alpha Epsilon looks to a future full of promise while it instills values in young men across North America. SAE is, without a doubt, North America’s largest social fraternity with more than 260,000 initiated members. As the biggest and one of the best, Sigma Alpha Epsilon has the strength necessary to provide its members with a wealth of benefits and resources. Sigma Alpha Epsilon was the first fraternity to establish a national headquarters (1929), a national Leadership School (1935), a national Men’s Health Issues Committee (1980), and a career-development program entitled the Leading Edge (1990).

Mission Statement

The mission of Sigma Alpha Epsilon is to promote the highest standards of friendship, scholarship, and service for our members based upon the ideals set forth by our Founders and as specifically enunciated in our creed.

Membership

The Fraternity resides on college and university campuses, as a guest of the host institution. The current structure includes more than 8,200 undergraduates at more than 200 chapters in 48 states and Canada. Alumni are active in more than 75 alumni associations.

Prominent Alumni

William McKinley, Elliot Ness, David Spade, Phil Jackson, Dennis Erickson, William Faulkner, Joe Foss, Bob Ballard, General Richard Myers, Ernie Harwell, Tony Boselli, Bo Schembechler, Nick Lachey, Fred Savage, and Joe Walt.

Nationals and Other Chapters

Nationals Website

Indiana Sigma: Indiana State University

Indiana Delta: Depauw University

Indiana Epsilon: University of Evansville

Kentucky Epsilon: University of Kentucky

Ohio Theta: Ohio State University

Ohio Gamma: Ohio University

Illinois Beta: University of Illinois

Tennessee Nu: Vanderbilt University

©2008 Sigma Alpha Epsilon: Indiana Beta Chapter