Sigma Phi Epsilon at the University of Northern Iowa has strived for excellence on campus and within the community since it was founded in 1993. We are a social, non-pledging, non-hazing, fraternity that believes in molding the development of our members around our cardinal principles: Virtue, Diligence, & Brotherly Love. Our organization supports this by creating opportunities for our members to better understand these principles and integrate them into their lives. We produce a culture that is inclusive, creates balanced men, and drives our members toward excellence.
History
Sigma Phi Epsilon at the University of Northern Iowa started on a cold day in January of 1993. The chapter was started by a group of students who wanted a different fraternity experience. This experience started with removing pledging and the idea that members had to earn membership, in its place we implemented the Balanced Man Program which is a 4-year continuous development experience that works in tandem with the university experience.
In 2014, we started our main philanthropy and most important event of the year as a chapter: Sexual Assault Awareness Week (SAAW). During this week, we try to break the stigma that surrounds discussing sexual assault and try to be the students that speak out for the victims and survivors alike. All funds raised go to the Riverview Center, which uses our donations to offer help to anyone affected by sexual assault. In 2016, our chapter was given the special privilege of becoming a Residential Learning Community (RLC), a designation from the national organization that encompasses the top chapters in the country. This program partners with the University to bring in Faculty, Staff, and Volunteers to enhance our members' knowledge and experience both in and outside the chapter.
Continuing to challenge the process our chapter voted in the spring of 2017, two years before the national organization did, to move to a completely substance-free house in order to get alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs out of our living conditions. By removing these substances from our chapter house we are working to create a much smarter and safer value-based experience. By leading the way on many of these issues, we have been awarded countless awards including 8 Buchanan Cup awards, the highest award given out by the national SigEp organization biennially to the top chapters in the nation.
Campus Involvement
Sigma Phi Epsilon at Northern Iowa has a long, rich history of members becoming leaders not just in their chapter, but within their campus community. We have led the campus by having several student body Presidents and Vice Presidents, including most recently Jacob Levang who is serving as Student Body President from 2019-2020. We also have several members involved in Dance Marathon serving on the executive board and as morale captains. A central idea that our members hold is the importance of public service and working to improve the campus community, whether it by working in Northern Iowa Student Government, Dance Marathon, or ensuring that all students feel supported as Resident Assistants, answering the call of service is something we pride ourselves on.
Chapter Accomplishments
- 9 Outstanding Buchanan Chapter Awards
- 4 Tragos Quest to Greece Scholars
- 5 Regional Directors
- 3 Excelsior Awards
- Highest fraternity GPA
- 2 UNI Program of Distinction Awards
SigEp Iowa Theta is located at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. We are committed to keeping a substance-free environment for all of our official facilities. Substances, such as tobacco, alcohol or illicit drugs, are prohibited from being inside the house or on the property of any SigEp facility. We take pride in upholding the saying of our founders, “This fraternity will be different.”
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