History of Sigma Nu
Sigma Nu was founded during the Reconstruction period after the Civil War when a Confederate veteran from Arkansas, James Frank Hopkins, enrolled at the now Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. When Hopkins enrolled, the Confederate South was in a state of turmoil and just beginning to recover from the devastating military defeat it had suffered. VMI was highly recognized for its civil engineering program and the South badly needed to repair its bridges and railroads. The cadets suffered, not only from the ravages of war and disrupted home-lives, but of the system of physical harassment imposed on lower classmen by their fellow upperclassmen. As a military veteran, Hopkins accepted a tolerable amount of structure and subservience, however, he found the hazing at VMI unacceptable and was doggedly adamant about eradicating the system of mistreatment.
Two compatriots soon joined Hopkins: Greenfield Quarles, born in Kentucky, and James McIlvaine Riley from St. Louis, Missouri. They both shared the same vision of eliminating hazing at VMI. These three men began a movement, and their efforts culminated one October night in 1868. Following a Bible study at the Superintendent's home, the three met at a limestone outcropping on the edge of the VMI parade ground. Hopkins, Quarles, and Riley clasped hands on the Bible and gave their solemn pledge to form a new society of brotherhood they called the Legion of Honor.
Fast forward to today. Over the past 150 years, Sigma Nu has grown into one of the largest fraternal organizations in the world. Over 230,000 men have been initiated into Sigma Nu from over 275 chapters all over the United States and Canada.
Sigma Nu - Theta Sigma
Sigma Nu – Theta Sigma was founded at Missouri State University on December 3rd, 1972 and remained a strong force on campus for 30 years. However, in 2003 the chapter was closed for straying away from their core values. But, with the support of the University, alumni, and students on campus, Sigma Nu is back here at Missouri State with an entirely different group of individuals who have an amazing opportunity to build the fraternity from the ground up. On April 28th, 2012, the Theta Sigma chapter was reorganized as a Sigma Nu chapter. After being on campus for less than a year, we had already won 1st place in Greek Jam and 3rd overall in Greek Week Spring 2010, showing that we were still a force on campus proving we’re here to stay. In addition, we have just recently placed 1st in Greek Jam and 1st overall in Greek Week Spring 2019, along with 3rd in Homecoming Fall 2022 and 1st in Greek Week Fall 2023. Since coming back on campus Sigma Nu Theta Sigma have won 3 Rock Chapters, along with Awards in LEAD excellence in phase 1 and all chapter.
Sigma Nu is an international fraternity, with hundreds of chapters across the U.S. and Canada and hundreds of thousands of brothers throughout the world who continue to strive to live up to the intentions of our founding fathers. The Fraternity’s values are summarized as an adherence to the principles of brotherly Love, Honor, and Truth. Also, Sigma Nu is the only Greek organization to implement the LEAD program to assist our members in both gaining knowledge and developing the skills and abilities needed to be an effective and ethical leader on campus and throughout their lives. An acronym for Leadership, Ethics, Achievement, and Development, the LEAD Program is a comprehensive, ethical leadership development program designed to ensure participants “learn by doing.” Above all, Sigma Nu is a brotherhood, and the bonds and memories formed between us will last a lifetime. For us, Fraternity is all about supporting one another, and working together to build a far richer college experience than any would have otherwise.
"To believe in the Life of Love,
To walk in the Way of Honor,
To serve in the Light of Truth -
This is the Life, the Way, and the Light of Sigma Nu -
this is the Creed of our Fraternity."