Beta Sigma Psi
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Beta Sigma Psi National Lutheran Fraternity (), commonly known as Beta Sig, is a United States social organization for
Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...
college men. Founded at the
University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, U of I, Illinois, or University of Illinois) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area, Illinois, United ...
in 1925, the fraternity has more than 7,500 initiated members. It has twelve chapters, primarily in the mid-west, and over 300 undergraduate members.


Purpose

Beta Sigma Psi's purpose is to create an environment where the Lutheran college man can grow spiritually, scholastically, and socially. The fraternity undertakes programs designed to develop leaders, along with character, intellectual awareness, social responsibility, spiritual welfare, brotherhood, integrity, friendship, and justice.


History


Founding

In 1911, Rev. Frederick William Gustav Stiegemeyer accepted a position at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Champaign, Illinois Champaign ( ) is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 88,302 at the 2020 census. It is the List of municipalities in Illinois, tenth-most populous municipality in Illinois and the fourth most populous city in ...
. As part of his ministry, he was to serve the students at the University of Illinois. In the fall of 1919, Stiegemeyer organized the Lutheran Illini League with ten students. The Lutheran Illini League met weekly for religious instructions and discussions on contemporary issues. In the fall of 1920, the group had twenty members and rented a house. In early 1921, it reorganized as the Concordia Club. By 1923, the Concordia Club was active on campus and adopted the name Concordia Fraternity. Its members planned to expand into a new national Greek letter fraternity. Beta Sigma Psi filed Incorporation papers on , in
Springfield, Illinois Springfield is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Illinois. Its population was 114,394 at the 2020 United States census, which makes it the state's List of cities in Illinois, seventh-most populous cit ...
. Its founders were:


Expansion

The Concordia Fraternity at Champaign corresponded with the Rev. Paul Schmidt, who had formed a similar organization at
Purdue University Purdue University is a Public university#United States, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded ...
for students. In May 1925, ''Alpha chapter'' members drove to Purdue to help organize the ''Beta chapter''. Within months, the first National Council of Beta Sigma Psi was elected. ''Gamma chapter'' formed at the
University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...
(1928) and ''Delta chapter'' at the
University of Nebraska A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...
(1929). By this time, the ''Alpha chapter'' was building a new house. When the depression of the 1930s hit, fraternity financing became very difficult. The ''Gamma chapter'' closed in 1933, and the ''Alpha chapter'' closed in 1940. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Beta Sigma Psi had only two active chapters, ''Beta'' and ''Delta'', with a combined membership of fourteen men. An undergraduate member from the ''Delta chapter'', Delmar Lienemann, was elected secretary-treasurer of the national fraternity, serving for 22 years. The fraternity's named its highest honor for Lienemann. In 1949, the ''Epsilon chapter'' formed at
Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricult ...
. Expansion continued over the next few years as the ''Zeta chapter'' organized at
Kansas State University Kansas State University (KSU, Kansas State, or K-State) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, United States. It was opened as the state's land-grant coll ...
in 1951, and the ''Eta chapter'' followed at the University of Missouri–Rolla in 1952. That year at the National Council meeting in
Ames, Iowa Ames () is a city in Story County, Iowa, United States, located approximately north of Des Moines, Iowa, Des Moines in central Iowa. It is the home of Iowa State University (ISU). According to the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Ames ha ...
, John Hingst, an alumnus of the ''Beta chapter'', was elected national president and served for fourteen years in that position. In 1955, the ''Alpha chapter'' was reactivated. In 1962, the ''Iota chapter'' formed at the
University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou or MU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri, United States. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Univers ...
. In the 1960s, chapters formed at
Western Michigan University Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a Public university, public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. B ...
,
Eastern Illinois University Eastern Illinois University (EIU) is a public university in Charleston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1895 as the Eastern Illinois State Normal School, a teacher's college offering a two-year degree, Eastern Illinois University gradual ...
, and the
University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...
. Dick Weiss, an alumnus of the ''Epsilon chapter,'' became the fraternity's first salaried secretary-treasurer. The national headquarters moved from
Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...
to St. Louis, Missouri. In 1969, Beta Sigma Psi became a full member of the
National Interfraternity Conference The North American Interfraternity Conference (or NIC; formerly known as the National Interfraternity Conference) is an association of intercollegiate men's social fraternities that was formally organized in 1910. However, it began at a meetin ...
(NIC), the first "niche" fraternity to be recognized as a full member of NIC. Walter E. Rose, the campus pastor at
Eastern Illinois University Eastern Illinois University (EIU) is a public university in Charleston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1895 as the Eastern Illinois State Normal School, a teacher's college offering a two-year degree, Eastern Illinois University gradual ...
and pastoral adviser to the ''Mu chapter'', moved to St. Louis in 1971 to succeed Dick Weiss as executive director. Rose helped to form Phi Beta Chi Lutheran sorority at the University of Illinois and served as the executive director of both organizations.


Challenge and resolve

From the 1970s through the early 1990s, around two-thirds of its chapters closed, including the ''Delta chapter'' which had the most initiated members of any Beta Sig chapter. Craig Varner of the ''Iota chapter'' was elected national president in 1996. Under his leadership, the fraternity created an annual membership education forum and revived its leadership academy. The expansion focus shifted from large universities to smaller colleges. With these changes, Beta Sigma Psi led all national fraternities in 1999 with a 97% increase in associate members from the previous academic year. During the first part of the 21st century, Beta Sigma Psi has continued to grow and the ''Delta chapter'' was rechartered in 2006.


Symbols

Luther's Emblem or seal consists of a black cross inside of a red heart inside of a rose and represents the Lutheran faith. It is incorporated into the coat of arms and the badge. The badge consists of a black cross inside a heart superimposed on top of a golden rose (Luther's Emblem). The emblem is placed on a shield with the Greek letters in an arc above the rose. The variation of the badge includes eighteen pearls bordering the shield. The badge is worn by activated members. The fraternity's flag consists of a coat of arms on a field of cardinal red and white with letters in the upper left quadrant. The banner has the coat of arms on a cardinal red and white field. The gold rose is the fraternity's official flower. The fraternity's publication and yearly national formal are also named after the flower. Its virtues or pillars are Faith, Loyalty, Brotherhood, Service.


Chapters

There are eleven active chapters, indicated in bold; inactive chapters are in ''italics''. The main archive URL i
The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage


Graduate organizations

Beta Sigma Psi consists of three separate alumni corporations, each with a specific mission, purpose, and board of directors. The three corporations are the National Fraternity, the Education Foundation, and the Housing Foundation.


Notable members

* Norbert T. Tiemann, ''Delta chapter'' –
Governor of Nebraska The governor of Nebraska is the head of government of the U.S. state of Nebraska as provided by the fourth article of the Constitution of Nebraska. The officeholder is elected to a four-year term, with elections held two years after presidential ...
* Lloyd Karmeier, ''Alpha chapter'' – justice,
Supreme Court of Illinois The Supreme Court of Illinois is the state supreme court, the highest court of the judiciary of Illinois. The court's authority is granted in Article VI of the current Illinois Constitution, which provides for seven justices elected from the ...
* Brian Bosma, ''Beta chapter'' – speaker,
Indiana House of Representatives The Indiana House of Representatives is the lower house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The House is composed of 100 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. House mem ...
*Edward Mueller, ''Eta chapter'' – chairman and CEO, Qwest * Mitch Holthus, ''Zeta Chapter'' - announcer,
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. Established in 1959 ...


See also

*
List of social fraternities Social, collegiate, or general fraternities in the North American fraternity system are those that do not promote a particular profession, as professional fraternities do, or discipline, such as service fraternities. Instead, their primary purp ...
* Christian fraternities


References

{{Christian fraternity Christian organizations established in 1925 Student organizations established in 1925 Lutheran organizations North American Interfraternity Conference University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Belleville, Illinois 1925 establishments in Illinois