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Kappa Sigma

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Kappa Sigma
ΚΣ
File:KsCrest.gif
FoundedDecember 10, 1869
University of Virginia
TypeSocial fraternity
MottoBononia Docet
Bologna Teaches
ColorsScarlet, White, and Emerald Green
SymbolStar and Crescent
FlowerLily of the Valley
Chapters234
NicknameKappa Sigs
HeadquartersCharlottesville, Virginia
USA
Websitehttp://www.kappasigma.org/

ΚΣ (Kappa Sigma) is an international fraternity with currently over 200 chapters and colonies in North America. Kappa Sigma was founded in Bologna, Italy in 1400 and was established in America in 1869 at the University of Virginia.

History

Kappa Sigma was founded in America on December 10, 1869 by five students (William Grigsby McCormick, George Miles Arnold, John Covert Boyd, Edmund Law Rogers, and Frank Courtney Nicodemus) attending the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. The five founders, called "The Five Friends and Brothers," gathered in McCormick's room at 46 East Lawn and laid the foundations for the fraternity. From this first meeting, Kappa Sigma was given a Constitution and an Oath from which are taken the principles and ideals of all Kappa Sigmas. Kappa Sigma was the first "Southern" fraternity to establish a chapter in the North, at Lake Forest College, Illinois. Its unofficial sister sorority is Chi Omega whose founders include an initiate of Kappa Sigma, Dr. Charles Richardson. Kappa Sigma is alternately referred to as Kappa Sig.

Legend

Kappa Sigma's legendary founding draws on historical events that occurred in the city of Bologna, Italy, in 1400 A.D. Manuel Chrysoloras, a Greek emissary teaching at the University of Bologna, formed with some of his students a society to protect one another against the unscrupulous governor of the city, a former pirate named Baldassarre Cossa. Cossa was infamous for sending robbers to attack and steal from foreigners — in this case, non-city residents. (Cossa, after leaving Bologna, later usurped the Papacy as an antipope under the name John XXIII.) The knowledge has been passed along and incorporated into the American ritual, which is a well-guarded secret; no insight into the original order's rituals remains.

Philosophy

File:Ksstarandcrescent.gif
The Star and Crescent

Kappa Sigma's ideals are centered around four pillars: Leadership, Fellowship, Scholarship, and Service.

Kappa Sigmas are taught to live their lives by the Star and Crescent, which are the symbols of the Fraternity that make up the official badge."The Star and Crescent shall not be worn by every man, but only by him who is worthy to wear it. He must be a gentleman...a man of honor and courage...a man of zeal, yet humble...an intelligent man...a man of truth... one who tempers action with wisdom and, above all else, one who walks in the light of God."

Recent history

The fraternity is currently building a new headquarters after losing the title to a Charlottesville, VA mansion known as 'Colridge' in a long-running court battle. In 2002, along with Phi Sigma Kappa and Phi Delta Theta, Kappa Sigma dropped its long-time membership in the North-American Interfraternity Conference because of philosophical differences.

Since the 2003-2004 academic year, Kappa Sigma has been the most-preferred men's college fraternity, pledging more new members than any other organization. It has set and broken its own all-time pledging and intiiation records in each of the last 4 academic years.[citation needed]

Notable Kappa Sigs

Kappa Sigma has produced two Nobel laureates, an astronaut, four senators, eight congressmen, seven governors, a deputy prime minister, the only american born F1 racing champion, and many successful businessmen. Some of Kappa Sigma's notable alumni include:

Jimmy Buffett
Bob Dole

Chapter list

Alumni Chapter list

Template:Fraternity Leadership Association 08:22, 18 November 2006 (UTC)08:22, 18 November 2006 (UTC)~~ California State University San Diego- Epsilon Iota

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