Sigma Lambda Beta
President: Juan Garcia Email: garcia4552@yahoo.com
SIU Founding Date: November 24, 1996
National Founding Date: April 4, 1986
National Founding Location: University of Iowa
Chapter webpage address: www.sigmalambdabeta.com/nualpha
National webpage address: www.sigmalambdabeta.com
Colors: Purple & white
Slogan: “Opportunity for Wisdom, Wisdom for Culture”
Chapter House Location: N/A
Name of Annual Events: Noche de Gala / Mariachi Poetry Night
Community Service &
Philanthropy: N/A
On the night of January 17, 1996, seven men gathered at a meeting and decided that Southern Illinois University needed an organization that would help and promote Latinos on campus. These seven men decided it should be a latino-based fraternity and had found someone to help them achieve this goal. This was the inspirational Brother named Gabriel Cerda, a transfer student from Beta Chapter, Western Illinois University (Reformistas ‘87).
On the night of February 22, 1996, these seven men were formally inducted to the new membership education process. Brother Gabe Cerda guided these men through their journey of darkness. These seven men were: Federico Medina, Antonio Gutierrez, Juan Manuel Rodriguez, Jason Ayala, Ralph Cortes, Marcos Lopez Jr., and Juan Antonio Ortiz Jr. After due process, on the 24th of November 1996, the Associate Class “Los Patrones,” crossed into the brotherhood of Sigma Lambda Beta . The initiation took place at Northern Illinois University, Eta Chapter. Therefore November 24, 1996 is the day that was marked and was to be acknowledged as the founding date of the Southern Illinois University Colony.
The following semester proved to be one of positive growth as Los Patrones held their first formal informational on Monday, February 3, 1997. It was here that five new men came forward and accepted the challenge
