Sigma Iota, Established March 12, 1912 was the first Latin American based Greek Lettered inter-collegiate fraternity in the United States.

Origins

Sigma Iota was founded on November 27, 1904 in Louisiana State University as a secret society for Spanish-American students under the name La Colonia Hispano-Americana. Soon after its founding La Colonia Hispano-Americano decided to change its name to Sociedad Hispano-Americana in December 1904.

Founding

On March 12, 1912, recognizing the benefit of the disciplinary background of a Greek system, the society transformed itself into the very first Latino fraternity, Sigma Iota. This name change allowed for the official transformation from a Latin American social club to Latin American Greek Lettered Fraternity.

Expansion

Between 1912 and 1925, Sigma Iota expanded very rapidly in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, Central America

Central America

Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...

, and Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

. As a result of this, Sigma Iota became the first international Latin American based fraternity. By 1928, Sigma Iota had lost many of its chapters and therefore sought to stabilize its operations by consolidating its chapters in the United States with a more stationary and well-rooted organization.

Consolidation

Meanwhile another fraternity Phi Lambda Alpha

Phi Lambda Alpha

Phi Lambda Alpha , established 1919 at the University of California, Berkeley was the first Latin American based Greek Lettered collegiate fraternity on the Western Province of the United States....

, which had been recently founded in 1919 at the University of California, Berkeley was seeking to expand throughout the United States. Sigma Iota Fraternity was in search of revitalizing some of its defunct chapters. Thus both organizations complemented each other and began to work towards the creation of the fraternity now known as Phi Iota Alpha.

On December 26, 1931 Sigma Iota Fraternity merged with Phi Lambda Alpha

Phi Lambda Alpha

Phi Lambda Alpha , established 1919 at the University of California, Berkeley was the first Latin American based Greek Lettered collegiate fraternity on the Western Province of the United States....

 Fraternity to form Phi Iota Alpha

Phi Iota Alpha

Phi Iota Alpha , established December 26, 1931, is the oldest Latino fraternity still in existence, and works to motivate people, develop leaders, and create innovative ways to unite the Latino community. The organization has roots that stem back to the late 19th century to the first Latino...

. Phi Sigma Alpha

Phi Sigma Alpha

Phi Sigma Alpha Fraternity commonly known as La Sigma, is a Puerto Rican fraternity established originally as the Sigma Delta Alpha Fraternity on October 22, 1928 at the University of Puerto Rico by 12 students and a professor...

 Fraternity can also trace its roots back to Sigma Iota.

Former Chapters

Collegiate Institution	Establishment Year	Country
Louisiana State University Louisiana State University Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...	1912	United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Auburn University Auburn University Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...  (formerly Alabama Polytechnic Institute)	1913	United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
University of Geneva University of Geneva The University of Geneva is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland.It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin, as a theological seminary and law school. It remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873, it...	1913	Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...	1913	United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Syracuse University Syracuse University Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...	1913	United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Atlanta Medical School	1914	United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
University of Guatemala	1914	Guatemala Guatemala Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
University of Lejia	1914	Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
University of Louvian	1914	Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
University of Pennsylvania University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...	1915	United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Tulane University Tulane University Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...	1924	United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Loyola University, New Orleans Loyola University New Orleans Loyola University New Orleans is a private, co-educational and Jesuit university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Originally established as Loyola College in 1904, the institution was chartered as a university in 1912. It bears the name of the Jesuit patron, Saint Ignatius of Loyola...	1927	United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
University of Iowa University of Iowa The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...	1928	United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Iowa State University Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...	1928	United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
University of Florida University of Florida The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...	1928	United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

See also

Phi Iota Alpha

Phi Iota Alpha

Phi Iota Alpha , established December 26, 1931, is the oldest Latino fraternity still in existence, and works to motivate people, develop leaders, and create innovative ways to unite the Latino community. The organization has roots that stem back to the late 19th century to the first Latino...

Phi Lambda Alpha

Phi Lambda Alpha

Phi Lambda Alpha , established 1919 at the University of California, Berkeley was the first Latin American based Greek Lettered collegiate fraternity on the Western Province of the United States....

Phi Sigma Alpha

Phi Sigma Alpha

Phi Sigma Alpha Fraternity commonly known as La Sigma, is a Puerto Rican fraternity established originally as the Sigma Delta Alpha Fraternity on October 22, 1928 at the University of Puerto Rico by 12 students and a professor...

Union Latino Americana

Union Latino Americana

Union Latino Americana was the short existing Pan American Governing body of Hispanic fraternities created in the early 20th century. The ULA was established in 1932, during a convention of Phi Iota Alpha in the City of New York....