Kappa Sigma

Chapter Biography

Soon after the Phoenix Alumni Chapter of Kappa Sigma was chartered on July 14, 1960, it sets its sights on forming a Kappa Sigma chapter at Arizona State University, then a college of 11,000 undergraduates. It received permission from the Supreme Executive Committee to allow the formation of a colony at ASU. Paul Fannin (Gamma-Rho and Kappa Sigma “Man of the Year” in 1962), then governor of Arizona, and Dr. John Ryan (Delta-Sigma), Vice-president of Academic Affairs at ASU, helped obtain the permission of the ASU administration for the new colony. Doctor Ryan later was Kappa Sigma “Man of the Year” in 1975 and served as Kappa Sigma’s Worthy Grand Master from 1985 to 1987.

The alumni chapter recruited five active brothers, initiated at other colleges, but attending ASU, to assist with the colony. They were Archer Shelton (Epsilon-Sigma), Jimmy Morris (Epsilon-Psi), Jerry Wilson (Gamma-Lambda), Bill West (Gamma-Alpha) and Dick Anderson (Beta-Tau)

The first rush event was held on March 17, 1963 at the Memorial Union. Featured guests were Governor Fannin, Susan Bergstrom, then Miss Arizona and 4^th runner-up at the recent Miss America Pageant, and Kappa Sigma brother Larry Ward (Gamma-Xi), star of the popular television western series, “The Dakotas.”

Nine men agreed to pledge Kappa Sigma and on April 10, 1963, the SEC gave permission for the Kappa Sigma Colony at ASU.

The new Rho Chapter grew quickly, initiating another seven brothers on September 12, 1964, and 14 additional brothers on February 8, 1965. Rho initiated its 200^th member on May 6, 1974, its 500^th member on January 13, 1991 and its 1000^th member on January 23, 2012.

For the first 18 months, the chapter used members’ apartments and houses as temporary gathering places while conducting chapter meetings at the Memorial Union. In the fall of 1964, a fraternity house at 602 Adelphi Drive became available and the chapter used it until 2005 when the university razed it for other uses. Over 1000 Rho brothers were initiated at that house.

The Rho Chapter of Kappa Sigma at Arizona State University celebrated its 50^thAnniversary in December of 2013. Those fifty years have seen progress from a small group of dedicated brothers to a chapter with over 125 current active undergraduate members and almost 1200 alumni. Over the years each brother has added to its history and each brother has gained much from its five pillars of Brotherhood, Fellowship, Leadership, Scholarship, and Service.