November first is Sigma Phi Epsilon’s Founders’ Day. Twelve young men at the University of Richmond, one of whom, Carter Ashton Jenkins, was a Chi Phi member from Rutgers University, founded the fraternity in 1901. Jenkins first sought a charter from his fraternity, but the request was declined because the Baptist school was considered too small.
Instead Jenkins found 11 other congenial men who were also eager to share a brotherhood built upon “the love of God and the principle of peace through brotherhood.” They named the organization Sigma Phi unaware that there was already a men’s fraternity by that name. The group then took the name Sigma Phi Epsilon.
One of the fraternity’s traditions began at Syracuse University. New York Alpha was the organization’s 18th chapter; it was founded on the campus in 1905. The chapter currently resides at 721 Comstock Avenue. The first red door made its appearance in 1928 at the chapter’s former home on Walnut Place; that building is now the Slutzker International Center.
The Slutzker International Center at Syracuse University, the former home of Sigma Phi Epsilon on Walnut Place. The red door tradition began at this house.
In 1928, a few of the brothers painted the front door red, one the fraternity’s colors. The “welcome to all” tradition caught on quickly and red doors became a mainstay of Sig Ep chapters nationwide.
And here’s a shout out to my Sig Ep husband Dan, a member of the Virginia Epsilon chapter at Washington and Lee University. It was he who bought me this web-site and encouraged me to write about these topics that I find so fascinating.
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