Sigma Phi
Encyclopedia
The Sigma Phi Society was founded on 4 March 1827, on the campus of Union College
as a part of the Union Triad in Schenectady, New York
.
It is the second oldest Greek
fraternal organization
in the United States
, and the oldest in continuous existence. The Sigma Phi Society was the first Greek organization to establish a chapter at another college, which occurred with the founding of the Beta of New York at Hamilton College in 1831, thus making it the first National Greek Organization. The practices and rituals of The Sigma Phi Society are still relatively unknown due to its establishment, and continued consideration, as a secret society.
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
as a part of the Union Triad in Schenectady, New York
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
.
It is the second oldest Greek
Greek alphabet
The Greek alphabet is the script that has been used to write the Greek language since at least 730 BC . The alphabet in its classical and modern form consists of 24 letters ordered in sequence from alpha to omega...
fraternal organization
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and the oldest in continuous existence. The Sigma Phi Society was the first Greek organization to establish a chapter at another college, which occurred with the founding of the Beta of New York at Hamilton College in 1831, thus making it the first National Greek Organization. The practices and rituals of The Sigma Phi Society are still relatively unknown due to its establishment, and continued consideration, as a secret society.
Notable alumni
- Thomas Fielder BowieThomas Fielder BowieThomas Fielder Bowie was an American politician.Born in Nottingham, Maryland near Queen Anne, in Prince George's County, Maryland Bowie attended Charlotte Hall Academy in St. Mary's County, Maryland and Princeton College. In 1826, Bowie was elected to the New York Alpha of Phi Beta Kappa...
- One of the founding members of Sigma Phi and member of the thirty fourth and thirty fifth Congress of the United States. - Sen. Elihu RootElihu RootElihu Root was an American lawyer and statesman and the 1912 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He was the prototype of the 20th century "wise man", who shuttled between high-level government positions in Washington, D.C...
- U.S. Secretary of WarUnited States Secretary of WarThe Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
and U.S. Secretary of StateUnited States Secretary of StateThe United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
in the administration of Theodore RooseveltTheodore RooseveltTheodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
. Root was a Nobel Peace PrizeNobel Peace PrizeThe Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
Winner, and U.S. SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. - Earl WarrenEarl WarrenEarl Warren was the 14th Chief Justice of the United States.He is known for the sweeping decisions of the Warren Court, which ended school segregation and transformed many areas of American law, especially regarding the rights of the accused, ending public-school-sponsored prayer, and requiring...
- Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme CourtSupreme Court of the United StatesThe Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
, GovernorGovernorA governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. - James Schoolcraft Sherman - Vice PresidentVice President of the United StatesThe Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
under William Howard TaftWilliam Howard TaftWilliam Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
. - Arthur C. Nielsen Jr., son of Arthur C. Nielsen creator of Nielsen ratingsNielsen RatingsNielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
(both were Sigma Phi members). - Henry RathboneHenry RathboneHenry Reed Rathbone was a United States military officer and diplomat who was present at the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Rathbone was sitting with his fiancée, Clara Harris, next to the President and his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, when John Wilkes Booth entered the president's box at...
, major in the U.S. army during the Civil War and present in Lincoln's booth at Ford's TheatreFord's TheatreFord's Theatre is a historic theater in Washington, D.C., used for various stage performances beginning in the 1860s. It is also the site of the assassination of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865...
; was stabbed tackling John Wilkes BoothJohn Wilkes BoothJohn Wilkes Booth was an American stage actor who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre, in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865. Booth was a member of the prominent 19th century Booth theatrical family from Maryland and, by the 1860s, was a well-known actor...
. - Hon. Ken DrydenKen DrydenKenneth Wayne Dryden, PC, is a Canadian politician, lawyer, businessman, author, and former NHL goaltender. Dryden is married with two children and four grandchildren and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame...
- NHL Hall of Fame Goaltender and Canadian Member of ParliamentMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. - Rep. Hastings KeithHastings KeithHastings Keith was a United States Representative from Massachusetts. Keith was born in Brockton, Massachusetts on November 22, 1915. He graduated from Brockton High School, Deerfield Academy, and the University of Vermont at Burlington in 1938. He performed graduate work at Harvard University...
- United States Congressman from MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. - Rep. John Cochrane - United States Congressman, Attorney General of New York, and Brigadier GeneralBrigadier GeneralBrigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
in the Civil War. - Philip Will, JrPhilip Will, JrPhilip Will, Jr was co-founder of one of the nation's top architectural firms.Will graduated with an Architecture degree from Cornell University in 1928. He was a member of the Sigma Phi fraternity....
, co-founder of architecture firm Perkins+Will and President of the American Institute of ArchitectsAmerican Institute of ArchitectsThe American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
. - Ward WettlauferWard WettlauferH. Ward Wettlaufer is an American amateur golfer with numerous titles to his name, including the Eastern Amateur, two Porter Cup championships, North and South Amateur, and the Walker Cup as a member of the 1959 U.S...
, amateur golfer. - Daniel ButterfieldDaniel ButterfieldDaniel Adams Butterfield was a New York businessman, a Union General in the American Civil War, and Assistant U.S. Treasurer in New York. He is credited with composing the bugle call Taps and was involved in the Black Friday gold scandal in the Grant administration...
, American Civil War hero, composer of TapsTaps"Taps" is a musical piece sounded by the U.S. military nightly to indicate that it is "lights out". The tune is also sometimes known as "Butterfields Lullaby", or by the lyrics of its second verse, "Day is Done". It is also played during flag ceremonies and funerals, generally on bugle or trumpet...
bugle call - Jay WalkerJay WalkerJay Scott Walker is an American inventor, entrepreneur and chairman of Walker Digital, a privately held research and development lab focused on using digital networks to create new business systems...
, founder of Priceline.comPriceline.comPriceline.com is a company and a commercial website that helps users obtain discount rates for travel-related purchases such as airline tickets and hotel stays. The company is not a direct supplier of these services; instead it facilitates the provision of travel services by its suppliers to its... - Larry TanenbaumLarry TanenbaumLawrence "Larry" Tanenbaum is a Canadian businessman who is chairman of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment...
, Chairman of MLSE, owner of the Toronto Raptors and Toronto Maple Leafs - John BigelowJohn BigelowJohn Bigelow was an American lawyer and statesman.-Life:Born in Malden-on-Hudson, New York, John Bigelow, Sr.graduated from Union College in 1835 where he was a member of the Sigma Phi Society and the Philomathean Society, and was admitted to the bar in 1838...
, US diplomat to France under Lincoln, NY Secretary of State, published The Autobiography of Benjamin FranklinThe Autobiography of Benjamin FranklinThe Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is the traditional name for the unfinished record of his own life written by Benjamin Franklin from 1771 to 1790; however, Franklin himself appears to have called the work his Memoirs...
, helped found the New York Public LibraryNew York Public LibraryThe New York Public Library is the largest public library in North America and is one of the United States' most significant research libraries... - Tully Banta-CainTully Banta-CainTully Banta-Cain is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at California.Banta-Cain earned two Super Bowl rings during his first stint with the Patriots...
, American FootballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebackerLinebackerA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the New England PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... - Robert S. Harrison, Rhodes Scholar, retired partner at Goldman SachsGoldman SachsThe Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is an American multinational bulge bracket investment banking and securities firm that engages in global investment banking, securities, investment management, and other financial services primarily with institutional clients...
, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Cornell UniversityCornell UniversityCornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, CEO of the Clinton Global Initiative - Seth FlowermanSeth FlowermanSeth Flowerman is an entrepreneur who has been recognized for his business success while a student in high school and college.-Early life and education:...
, Entrepreneur, CEO of Career Explorations