Sigma Phi Epsilon National History

On November 1st, 1901, 12 men formed an organization based on the principles of Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love. This organization came to be known as the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. Today, Sig Ep is one of the nation's leading fraternities both in quanity and quality. Since 1985, more men have joined Sig Ep than any other fraternity in history, making it the strongest men's social organization today.

With over 14,000 undergraduate men in over 240 chartered chapters, Sig Ep has become the number one chosen fraternity in America and shows no signs of slowing. Sigma Phi Epsilon strives to develop each member into becoming a Balanced Man through personal development as a scholar, athlete, leader, and gentleman.

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HISTORY OF THE TENNESSEE ETA CHAPTER

“Twenty Years.” That is what Sigma Phi Epsilon’s National Headquarters told Brother Graham Watts in 1976 when SigEp closed the Austin Peay State University chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon. The Tennessee Eta Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon, founded at Austin Peay State University in 1973, had been thriving for its first three years of existence but a sudden series of events caused SigEp Nationals to revoke the chapter’s charter. At the time he received the bad news, Brother Watts was the last brother to be initiated by the young chapter and had just begun his Journey of Brotherhood. In hopes of continuing his Journey, he asked the fraternity’s national representative, “Will SigEp ever re-charter at Austin Peay?” The representative responded, “We will re-charter here in twenty years.”

Who could predict what would happen in twenty years? The 1970’s were hard on college fraternities nationwide. “Strong, established” chapters were closing their doors all over America, many to never reopen. So to say that SigEp would re-charter at Austin Peay in twenty years seemed more than just a random afterthought; it seemed highly unlikely.

If it seemed unlikely in 1976, it certainly seemed unlikely in 1995. That year, as SigEp established a new colony at Austin Peay, many felt that the school had “too many” fraternities. Furthermore, Sigma Phi Epsilon’s National Headquarters had adopted a chartering policy that was the strictest in the fraternal world. But in 1996, despite ever surmounting odds, SigEp fulfilled its destiny. Tennessee Eta became the fastest SigEp colony ever to complete the new chartering process and once again became a chartered chapter of America’s largest national fraternity. That record, one of many to follow, still stands today. After twenty years, Brother Watts was there to see the prophecy fulfilled.

As the "new kids on the block," the chapter would undergo many tests from the student body and especially other fraternities. The first test for the new chapter was the "Greek Week" competition in which SigEp finished ahead of all other APSU fraternities. The other fraternities called it a “fluke” and dismissed the victory. SigEp’s next chance to show that the chapter was here to stay came in Fall of 1995 with the APSU Homecoming Float competition. SigEp took first place, dominating the field. Since that time, no other APSU fraternity or sorority has ever beaten SigEp in a float competition as SigEp has won the last nine years straight. The true test of the new chapter would come at the annual APSU Greek Awards. At the awards banquet, the chapter's domination continued as SigEp was awarded with the Award of Excellence (which it has won every year since), the President’s Cup for highest grade point average among fraternities (which it has won 7 of the past 8 years), and the coveted Outstanding IFC Chapter of the Year (which it won three years consecutively and five of the past eight years).

SigEp has continued to set the standard both at APSU and Nationally. Tennessee Eta became the first APSU fraternity to establish a scholarship program to award non-members. Additionally, Tennessee Eta has received numerous awards from its national headquarters in areas such as academics, best housing facility, and others. In 2003, Tennessee Eta was one of 35 of the fraternity's 260 chapters to win the Phi Beta Kappa Wheelhouse academic achievement award upon achieving a 3.15 chapter grade point average. Tennessee Eta is now in the process of becoming one of only a few fraternity chapters nationwide to receive accreditation as a Residential Learning Community (RLC).

Today, Tennessee Eta continues to build balanced leaders for the World’s communities. Upon graduation, brothers from the chapter have gone on to become successful doctors, attorneys, engineers, teachers, business owners, executives, bankers, college professors, and Peace corps volunteers. They have served the Student Government Association as President (twice since 1996), Vice-President, and as senators; Interfraternity Council; Student Organization Council (Inaugural President); and numerous brothers have been accepted into the elite Presidents of Emerging Leaders Program. Four of the last eight years, it has been a SigEp that the university has chosen as Mr. Governor, the highest award given to an undergraduate male at APSU. Two brothers from Tennessee Eta currently serve on the Austin Peay State University Board of Directors. Tennessee Eta brothers can be found living around the world in countries such as Australia, England, Mexico, and Sweden. Despite being spread all over the world, the men of Tennessee Eta remain closely connected with TNEta Talk, a professionally managed listserv where brothers, old and new, discuss everything from fraternity, classes, sports, and life in general. Despite its relative youth, the history of Tennessee Eta is rich, and it will continue to be so as the chapter continues to build new traditions – not rest on old ones.

By Chris Clark, '98

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Other Tennessee Eta Facts:

- First Chapter to be installed by ABC News Correspondent (retired) and SigEp brother Gary Shepard.

- Brother Billy Warden was pledging SigEp when the original chapter was shut down in 1976. When he received word that Tennessee Eta had been re-charted in 1996, he contacted the chapter and asked to be initiated. He was found to be in good standing and to have completed the pledging process (which he had done in 1976). He was initiated by the new Balanced Man Chapter after being a "pledge" for over twenty years.

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Parent or Volunteer, Greek Sorority Sister, Greek Fraternity Brother