Our History
National History
Learn more about our national history here.
Chapter History
The founders of the Mu Pi Chapter entered Philadelphia University in 1994 and became friends during the first few months of the fall semester.
Sean Killion, Mike Heyer, Sean Flanagan, Chris Ritchie and Todd Corless (sophomore at this point) desired to join a fraternity and hadn’t been satisfied with the Greek life opportunities and decided to pursue other alternatives. Unfortunately for them, the only national fraternity on campus at the time – Sigma Phi Epsilon – was not the fraternity they wanted to join.
They decided to wait in pledging until they could decide how to pursue becoming Greeks later in the year, pursuing other social activities and meeting other organizations not only Greeks.
After socializing with the Beta Rho chapter at the University of Pennsylvania during the 1994 fall semester, they decided to look into joining Sigma Nu. The brothers from Beta Rho were great guys who seemed passionate about three virtues and the fact that their fraternity promoted anti-hazing methods of educating its members.
In December of 1994, the men decided to call Sigma Nu headquarters and obtain information on starting a chapter at Philadelphia College from Michael Heyer. He was told to call Mike McKensie, the expansion director for the Sigma Nu Fraternity at that time. Sean Killion contacted Mike McKensie and sent the group of men information about Sigma Nu, the Legion of Honor and LEAD. Brother McKensie informed them that it would take several years to become a chapter and many men do not complete that journey. “Only dedicated men who display qualities of love, honor and truth are granted the honor of receiving a Sigma Nu charter.”
Inspired by the challenge of starting a new fraternity and creating that fraternity to be dedicated by principles of honor, the men were determined to see Sigma Nu shine at their school. The group faced many obstacles in organizing, but felt their destiny at this point was to start a new entity at Philadelphia University. Many groups were intimidated and felt that this group shouldn’t be accepted and began putting roadblocks in the way such as gossip, planning ways to tarnish the image of Sigma Nu and other undesirable activities that further strengthened the bond this group had. Through unprofessional and unproductive methods of recruiting members, other groups were planning to lure people away from the chapter’s ideals. However these men were vigilant and dedicated to do their job and wished to continue to be a positive part of their campus community.
During the spring semester of 1995, after preparing a petition for the Sigma Nu High Council, the Executive Council for the National Fraternity, they were informed that they were not approved at this time to be a Sigma Nu chapter, but wished for them to continue their efforts and reapply during the fall 1996 semester. “They had done everything they could to become a Sigma Nu Colony and Chapter. “I knew that if they continued to stay the course, someday they would achieve their goal,” states John P. Blaho, former Educational Field Consultant for the Sigma Nu Fraternity.
Although not being recognized as a colony in their first month seemed like a set-back for the group, they pressed forward. They had organized themselves at Philadelphia University as Sigma Alpha Nu, a Sigma Nu interest group and worked to gather information about the school and their group to the Fraternity to illustrate their groups passion and commitment to Sigma Nu. Many joined other organizations and leadership positions on campus and vowed to do everything in their part to make their goal a reality.
During the semester, they achieved many accomplishments including recognition by the Student Government as an official organization on campus, known on campus for assisting in community service projects, student activities, especially the Freshman Class Talent Show, The Greek Council, Student Government, Homecoming Weekend and the Annual Spring Week Festival. Through the hard work of the original founding members, they were awarded the Best Organization of the Year. Sean Killion was also recognized with the Most Outstanding Contribution to Student Life Award for his work in organizing the Valentine’s Day Talent Show, which won Best Event of the Year at the 1995 SGA Award Banquet. This success helped the chapter in the early weeks of the fall semester, when they had 24 people rush to join their colony’s effort. Everyone liked the idea of becoming part of the founding of Sigma Nu and pledged to join their efforts.
On October 15, 1996, Mike McKensie informed Mike Heyer that the group was approved unanimously by the High Council to become a Sigma Nu colony. This was a great milestone for the chapter and inspired all of them that any dream can come to a reality if you work hard and dedicated yourself. Throughout the year as a colony, each brother assisted the colony to reach its goal of becoming a chapter. Some guys helped by doing their best in academics, while others joined SGA, Greek Council and other campus activities. A few guys even applied to become Resident Assistants and College Ambassadors. Each person played some part in making it a reality. In October of 1996, the High Council received the colony’s petition…shortly thereafter informing them that they had been approved unanimously again by the High Council to become a Sigma Nu fraternity
The 269th active chapter of the Sigma Nu International Fraternity is the Mu Pi chapter at Philadelphia University. Since 1996 the chapter has initiated over 200 brothers and won many awards.
