SFE
EDUCATION

National Founders Date:
November 1, 1901 (Richmond, VA)

FRESNO STATE - California Phi - Charter Date:
May 13, 1995

GREEK APLHABET:                

FOUNDING FATHERS: 

Founding Fathers:   The Fraternity was founded by Carter Ashton Jenkins.  Jenkins was originally a member of Chi Phi at Rutgers University.  Upon transferring to Richmond University in the fall of 1900, Jenkins found five quality men and applied for Chi Phi charter at Richmond, Jenkins was turned down. The reason was Richmonds student population was to small for Chi Phi’s tastes.  Jenkins and his friends decided to found their own fraternity which is today Sigma Phi Epsilon.

Symbols:

The Badge: The original badge designed by the founders had the "E" added below the skull and bones after the badges were made. On subsequent badges the "E" was brought above the skull and bones to join the SF. This design, in a slightly smaller size and with twenty pearls bordering the black heart, remains the official badge today. At the 1973 Grand Chapter Conclave in Denver, Colorado, an additional official badge was authorized. This badge is of the same size and shape as the original founders badge and is bordered by a band of gold.

The Coat of Arms: Nearly all fraternities, even the smallest locals in the smallest colleges, boast a coat of arms. A heritage from the old days of feudalism and knighthood, it is an emblem which can become almost as precious to the SigEp who has the right to wear it as his heart-shaped badge. For a long time, however, Sigma Phi Epsilon displayed a coat of arms which was not heraldically correct. The original design was adopted in 1908 at the Chicago Conclave. Frederick M. Cutler, Massachusetts Alpha '30 (University of Massachusetts), called attention to the old emblem's inaccuracies. In 1933, Mark D. Wilkins, then a field secretary for the Fraternity, consulted Arthur E. DuBois, in charge of the heraldic work for the United States Government, and the new and revised coat of arms was subsequently accepted. The badge and coat of arms are the official insignia of the Fraternity; their esoteric meaning is contained in the Ritual of the Fraternity.

The Flag: The Fraternity flag has a background of purple with a red bar extending diagonally from the upper left corner to the lower right corner, this bar fimbriated by a narrow band of gold from the purple background. In the center of the flag, mounted upon a red bar, appears a gold star of five points. The 1955 Conclave authorized an alternative form for the official flag. In this form the Greek letters SFE are placed in the upper right corner of the regulation flag while the chapter designation is placed in the lower left corner. The purpose is for plainer identification of the flag when it is used for display. The flag with letters is commonly called the "display flag" and the plain flag the "ritual flag." Every chapter should have a display flag and a ritual flag.

The Pledge Badge: The pledge badge is a gold rectangular shield of equal sides. Along the diagonal of the rectangle appears in gold the Greek word "eggua," above this a crown and below a five pointed star, also in gold. The background is red enamel.  NOTE*  Since Cal Phi is a Balanced Man Chapter and do not have pledges, the pledge badge is not used.  Instead we give our New Members a Balanced Man Pin*

The Balanced Man Pin: Concurrent with the Fraternity's development of a strategy in 1989, the Balanced Man symbol was created as an expression of the values of our Greek-letter heritage, "Spirit Healthy, Body Healthy." The Balanced Man symbol was created by the international advertising firm, TBWA, whose chief executive and chairman is Sigma Phi Epsilon Brother William G. Tragos, Washington University (Missouri Beta) '56. The Balanced Man Symbol is representative of the goals of each SigEp and each of our chapters.

The Alumni Recognition Pin: This "Ducal Crown" (from the coat of arms) is worn as a lapel pin. In recent years this has been recognized as the alumni pin and chapters present them to graduating seniors at the annual senior banquet.

Fraternity Colors and Flowers: The Fraternity colors are purple and red. The flowers are the violet and the dark red rose.

Fraternity Whistle: The Fraternity whistle, as adopted at the 1912 Conclave, is an adaptation of the first two lines of "The Letter Song" (Nadina), from "The Chocolate Soldier," by Oscar A. Straus, an Austrian composer.

The Red Door: The tradition of the red door on Sigma Phi Epsilon Chapter houses began at Syracuse University (New York Alpha) in the 1920s. This has become a strong tradition and as you travel to other college campuses you will look for the "red door" of Sigma Phi Epsilon where you know you will be welcome.

The Heart Symbol: Designed in 1974 by Bruce N. Blackburn, Cincinnati '61, award-winning designer of the American Revolution Bicentennial symbol and NASA logo, the Fraternity's heart symbol is derived from the shape of the SigEp badge and incorporates the Greek letters SFE. But, when printed in a color other than a screen (which appears gray - never print in black), the color "warm red" is used to denote the feeling of brotherhood which it symbolizes.