Wikipedia

Sigma Phi Sigma (professional)

This article is about the professional funeral service practitioners fraternity. For the dormant national social fraternity with the same letter name, see Sigma Phi Sigma.

Sigma Phi Sigma (ΣΦΣ) is an American professional and service coed fraternity for college students studying to be funeral service practitioners.

Sigma Phi Sigma
ΣΦΣ
FoundedOctober 1965; 58 years ago (1965-10)
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
TypeProfessional
AffiliationIndependent
EmphasisMortuary science
ScopeNational
Chapters18
Headquarters
United States

History edit

Sigma Phi Sigma was formed in the fall of 1965 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.[1] Its mission is to promote continuing education, professionalism, and a sense of social responsibility amongst college students studying to be licensed funeral directors throughout the United States.

Membership edit

Membership in Sigma Phi Sigma is limited to college students studying funeral services.[2] The fraternity does not hold a rush for membership.[3] It is coed.[4] The fraternity admits chapters at four-year schools as well as community colleges that offer funerary service and mortuary science programs.

Activities edit

The fraternity sponsors service projects such as cleaning headstones in local cemeteries.[5][6] Its members have also supported charities by participating in food drives and blood drives; holding fundraisers such as bake sales, haunted houses, and golf tournaments; and volunteering.[5][2][7][3][8] They also create educational displays for professional conventions.[3] The Gamma chapter at the University of Central Oklahoma has a restored horse-drawn hearse that is used in the university's homecoming parade.[3][9] Gamma also provides two scholarships to funeral service majors each year.[3]

Chapters edit

There are eighteen chapters of Sigma Phi Sigma.[10] Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters and institutions are in italics.

Chapter Charter Date University Location Status Reference
Alpha 1965 Southern Illinois University Carbondale Carbondate, Illinois Active [1][11]
Beta ? c. 1965-1966 Kentucky School of Mortuary Science Louisville, Kentucky Inactive [12][13][a]
Gamma October 22, 1970 University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, Oklahoma Active [1][3]
Delta 19xx ?–19xx ?; 2014 John A. Gupton College Nashville, Tennessee [14]
Bef. 1970 Mt. Hood Community College Gresham, Oregon Active [15][16]
Bef. 1979 Vincennes University Vincennes, Indiana Inactive [17]
Bef. 1981 McNeese State University Lake Charles, Louisiana Inactive [18]
Bef. 1988 Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee, Wisconsin [19]
Bef. 1998 Simmons Institute of Funeral Service Syracuse, New York Inactive [20][21][b]
Iota 2019 Mercer County Community College Mercer County, New Jersey Active [2][22]
Lambda Kansas City Kansas Community College Kansas City, Kansas Active [4]
Mu East Mississippi Community College Scooba, Mississippi Active [23]
Xi Jefferson State Community College Birmingham, Alabama Active [24]
Omicron c. 2008 Holmes Community College Ridgeland, Mississippi Active [25][26][c]
Pi March 10, 2005 Amarillo College Amarillo, Texas Active [10]
2019 Cypress College Cypress, California Active [27]
Carl Sandburg College Galesburg, Illinois Active [28]
Lake Washington Institute of Technology Kirkland, Washington Active [7]
Phi Northampton Community College Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Active [29]

Notes edit

  1. ^ The chapter name and charter date are approximated from a 1966 graduate of the Kentucky School of Mortuary Science who was a member of Sigma Phi Sigma. The school closed in September 1980.
  2. ^ The school closed in 2013.
  3. ^ The chapter's charter date is approximated. It is in the 2008 yearbook but not the 2007 yearbook.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Sigma Phi Sigma". University of Central Oklahoma. Retrieved 2023-12-03.
  2. ^ a b c "Sigma Phi Sigma". Mercer County Community College. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "CSU Funeral-Service Group Not the Average Fraternity". The Oklahoman. July 11, 1990. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Clubs, Organizations, and Special Interest Groups". Kansas City Kansas Community College. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Rosenbery, Pete (November 1, 2019). "SIU Carbondale mortuary science students beautify Galatia cemetery". Carbondale Times. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  6. ^ Thompson, Jasmine (November 8, 2023). "Dealing with the dead: A day in the life of a mortuary science student". The Daily Egyptian. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Join A Club". Lake Washington Institute of Technology. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  8. ^ "Frat to Donate Trophy for Blood". The Vista. Edmond, Oklahoma. 1977-10-27. p. 6. Retrieved 2023-12-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Boord, Juandra (1977-10-20). "Laughter Mixed With Memories". The Vista. Edmond, Oklahoma. p. 5. Retrieved 2023-12-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ a b "Sigma Phi Sigma Mortuary Science Fraternity". Sigma Phi Sigma Mortuary Science Fraternity Amarillo College. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  11. ^ "Clubs And Organizations". Southern Illinois University Carbondale, College of Health and Human Services. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  12. ^ "Obituary for Eugene "Gene" Lecerf". Murman & Wilson Funeral Home. Retrieved 2023-12-03.
  13. ^ "History". Mid-America College. Retrieved 2023-12-03.
  14. ^ "New Academic Fraternity" (PDF). The Ligature (Summer). Alumni Association, John A. Gupton College. 2014.
  15. ^ Lucas, Thelma M. (January 15, 2010). "Club fair culminates with pie-in-the-face for Sygielski". The Advocate. 45 (13): 1 – via Mt. Hood Community College.
  16. ^ "Completes Course". Idaho State Journal. Pocatello, Idaho. 1970-08-30. p. 25. Retrieved 2023-12-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Pfrang-Arvin". The Times-Mail. Bedford, Indiana. 1980-11-02. p. 33. Retrieved 2023-12-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Davis Joines Buckner-Jones Staff". St. Mary and Franklin Banner-Tribune. Franklin, Louisiana. 1981-12-04. p. 2. Retrieved 2023-12-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Schauer & Schumacher Funeral Homes, Inc., is proud to announce that Jeane M. Smits has joined their staff as an associate". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Green Bay, Wisconsin. 1988-05-23. p. 4. Retrieved 2023-12-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Man Passes National Test". The Times-Tribune. Scranton, Pennsylvania. 1998-06-21. p. 23. Retrieved 2023-12-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ Mulcahy, Matt (2013-10-31). "Century old Syracuse mortuary school closing in wake of allegations". WSTM. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  22. ^ "Local Resources". Camino del Sol Funeral Home. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  23. ^ "Get Involved". East Mississippi Community College. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  24. ^ "Sigma Phi Sigma". Jefferson State Community College. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  25. ^ "Clubs and Organizations" (PDF). Bulletin Holmes Community College. 92 (1): 125. 2020.
  26. ^ "Holmes alumnus gives back to the Surgical Tech Program". The Growl. Vol. 87, no. 9.
  27. ^ "Clubs". Cypress College. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  28. ^ "Student organizations". Carl Sandburg College. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  29. ^ "Student Clubs and Organizations". Northampton Community College. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
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