Sigma Phi Delta
Sigma Phi Delta (ΣΦΔ) is an international professional-social fraternity of engineers. As "The Premier International Fraternity of Engineers", the organization is the only fraternity of its kind that draws its membership exclusively from male engineering students at ABET-accredited colleges and universities, as other similar organizations are co-ed or admit students not strictly in traditional engineering programs (such as architecture or technical sciences).
| Sigma Phi Delta | |
|---|---|
| ΣΦΔ | |
 | |
| Founded | April 11, 1924 University of Southern California |
| Type | Professional, Social |
| Emphasis | Engineering |
| Scope | International United States Canada |
| Motto | Pro Bono Professionis For the Good of the Profession |
| Colors | Red and Black |
| Symbol | Castle |
| Flower | American Beauty Rose |
| Chapters | 25 active, 15 inactive |
| Headquarters | Plano, Texas United States |
| Website | http://www.sigmaphidelta.org |
History
Sigma Phi Delta was founded at University of Southern California on April 11, 1924 and currently has 25 active chapters.
Chapters
Alpha chapter – University of Southern California
The Alpha chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on April 11, 1924 in the third attempt to establish an engineering fraternity at the University, the other two having been terminated into general fraternities. Unlike many fraternities at USC, the Alpha chapter owns its historic house. The chapter house originally served as a foreign government consulate.
Delta chapter – University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
The Delta chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on January 25, 1928 by a group of students that included a brother of an Alpha chapter Founder and an Alpha chapter Alumnus in graduate school. Delta chapter has produced 5 Grand Presidents who have guided the fraternity 46 of its 80+ years of existence. The only two members who have been named Grand Old Men of Sigma Phi Delta Fraternity were Delta Alumni.
Epsilon chapter – North Dakota State University
The Epsilon chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on May 21, 1928. They have the annual Peddle-for-Pets Philanthropy in the fall semester. They are also involved in a local initiative called "Tech Boyz" that hosts weekly Engineering related information based session for different age groups, depending on grade.
Eta chapter – Marquette University
The Eta chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on May 23, 1931 when a local Marquette Engineering Fraternity, Omega Sigma Phi, merged with the National Fraternity. Eta chapter has the largest number of registered alumni in the entire Sigma Phi Delta Organization, with over 900 living alumni worldwide, and is Marquette University's oldest active fraternity.
Theta chapter – University of British Columbia
The Theta chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on April 24, 1932. Once under the IFC, it is now under the EUS of UBC's Engineering Department.
Kappa chapter – Trine University
The Kappa chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on May 25, 1947. The Kappa chapter is located at Trine University located in Angola, Indiana. This chapter was established during an engineering undergraduate boom at Tri-State College (former name) following WWII and the G.I. Bill.
Rho chapter – Bradley University
The Rho chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on Dec 18, 1965. After deactivating, the Rho chapter was rechartered on April 18, 2015.
Phi chapter – South Dakota State University
The Phi chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on May 4, 1991.
Psi chapter – University of Delaware
The Psi chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on April 11, 1999. Psi chapter is located at the University of Delaware in Newark. Psi chapter has been active in helping start new chapters on the east coast, including Omega (Rutgers University), Beta-Iota (University of Maryland), and Beta-Kappa (Lehigh University).
Beta-Gamma chapter – Lamar University
The Beta-Gamma chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on May 17, 2003.
Beta-Delta chapter – Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
The Beta-Delta chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on December 3, 2005. Beta-Delta has been involved in Lego League and the Virginia Tech wide service projects known as Big Event and Relay for Life, and participate in philanthropies such as Cinco de Chi-O and their own Engineering Games, whose proceeds benefit FIRST Robotics.
Beta-Epsilon chapter – University of British Columbia Okanagan
The Beta-Epsilon chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on March 28, 2009.
Beta-Zeta chapter – Wright State University
The Beta-Zeta chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on August 14, 2010.
Beta-Eta chapter – Stony Brook University
The Beta-Eta chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on February 4, 2012.
Beta-Theta chapter – James Madison University
The Beta-Theta chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on February 11, 2012.
Beta-Iota chapter – University of Maryland, College Park
The Beta-Iota chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded at the University of Maryland on February 25, 2012. Its country committee, the first of any fraternity nationwide, was founded on May 2, 2018 on US Route 158, slightly South of the Virginia-North Carolina border by brothers Anthony Mahshigian and Thomas Casey.
Beta-Kappa chapter – Lehigh University
The Beta-Kappa chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on March 23, 2013. Based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Beta-Lambda chapter – San Diego State University
San Diego State University's chapter, founded April 20, 2012.
Beta-Mu chapter – Milwaukee School of Engineering
The Beta-Mu chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on October 19, 2013.
Beta-Nu chapter – California Polytechnic State University
The Beta-Nu chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on April 19, 2014.
Beta-Xi – West Virginia University
The Beta-Xi chapter of the Sigma Phi Delta Fraternity was founded on December 6, 2014 in Morgantown, West Virginia.
Beta-Omicron chapter – University of Missouri
The Beta Omicron chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on December 13, 2014 in Columbia, Missouri with a Charter Class of 30 members.
Beta-Pi chapter – Texas Tech University
The Beta-Pi chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on May 2, 2015.
Beta-Rho chapter – University of Florida
The Beta-Rho chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on April 9, 2016.
Beta-Sigma chapter – Howard University
The Beta-Sigma chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was founded on May 17, 2018 in Washington D.C. The Beta-Sigma chapter has been recognized as being the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) chapter of the Fraternity.
Symbols
Blazon for the Sigma Phi Delta Coat of Arms
Gules, a pall or, between, in chief two retorts crossed argent, in dexter base a quill sable surmounting a key in saltire, of the third, in sinister base a hammer fesswise of the fourth debruising a compass, points downward, of the third; over all the escutcheon of pretense, azure, charged with a castle or, masoned sable, with a bordure argent.
Crest, over a duke's helmet and a torse of the colors, a dexter cubit arm, proper, grasping a thunderbolt, winged or
Mantling: Gules doubled, or
Supporters: Two lions, rampant, proper
Motto: Sigma Phi Delta, in upper and lower case Greek letters
Insignia
The Name of the Fraternity is represented by the capital form of the Greek letters Sigma (Σ), Phi (Φ), Delta (Δ) which stand for Science, Friendship and Duty.
Pledge Pin
The Pledge Pin is described as: "A red triangular background on which is a black Castle, the whole bordered in gold".
Membership Badge
The Membership Badge is described as: "A triangle having concave corners on which are superimposed three smaller triangles having concave sides and having their vertices at the center of the badge on which is placed a ruby. The smaller triangles, which contain the letters Sigma, Phi and Delta, are black, the background between them being white. A gold star is located near each of the vertices of the large triangle. The border may be engraved gold or may be jeweled. The crown pearl badge has four pearls on each side of the badge. The ruby point badge has two rubies and two pearls on each side, the pearls being in the middle and the rubies at the outside".
Fraternity flag
The fraternity flag is 4' × 6' cotton bunting or nylon. The design is black letters, bordered with white and a gold Castle on a red field. This is a standard flag, that is, read correctly from left to right on one side and in reverse on the other.
Strategic partnerships
In 2015, Sigma Phi Delta and Alpha Omega Epsilon joined together to form a strategic partnership with the FIRST Robotics Competition in order to fulfill their respective mission to further Engineering Education. Together, they plan to advocate and promote career opportunities in STEM, within grades K–12 as well as higher education, build on existing STEM related programs, and seek ways to engage their memberships in FIRST Mentor/Coach opportunities as a means of workforce development, increased community involvement and/or encourage employees to give back to the communities where they live/work. Most Sigma Phi Delta chapters were already involved with their respective communities FIRST teams, but this further cements Sigma Phi Delta's object of further Engineering as a whole.
Sigma Phi Delta notable alumni
- Eric Newell (Theta chapter) – Former Chairman and CEO of the oil company Syncrude. Chancellor of the University of Alberta.
References
- Anson, Jack L.; Marchesani, Robert F. (1991). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. pp. V 56–57. ISBN 0-9637159-0-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)