Sigma Lambda Beta

Sigma Lambda Beta (ΣΛΒ)
Founded	April 4 1986 (1986-04-04) (age 22) The University of Iowa
Type	Social
Scope	International
Motto	Opportunity for Wisdom, Wisdom for Culture
Colors	Royal Purple and Pure White
Symbol	White Stallion Mustang
Flower	Red Carnation
Publication	El Iluminador (Newspaper), REGO (Magazine)
Chapters	85 undergrad, 19 colonies, 17 Alumni Associations
Nickname	Lambda Betas or Betas
Headquarters	900 West Penn Street North Liberty, Iowa, USA
Homepage	Sigma Lambda Beta Website

Sigma Lambda Beta (ΣΛΒ) International Fraternity, (also known as Lambda-Betas or Betas) is the largest historically Latino Greek letter intercollegiate fraternity. Founded on April 4, 1986 at the University of Iowa in Iowa City,[1] [2] [3] the fraternity is a member of the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO),[4] the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC), and the Fraternity Leadership Association. Historically a Latino-based fraternity, Sigma Lambda Beta welcomes men of all cultures into its brotherhood. Its principles are brotherhood, scholarship, community service, and cultural awareness.

History

During the early spring 1986 semester, Baltazar Mendoza-Madrigal along with 17 other men began to explore the idea of establishing a Latino-based fraternity at The University of Iowa. Mendoza-Madrigal is a member of Phi Beta Sigma but wanted to create something that was more suited for Latinos. After months of intensive research, Mendoza-Madrigal began the creation of a new Latino-based fraternity. Mendoza-Madrigal called a special meeting on Monday, March 7, 1986 with some of the Latino students at the Chicano Native American Cultural Center at The University of Iowa to discuss the need and feasibility of creating a new social fraternity with an emphasis on the Latino culture.

At that time, the student body at The University of Iowa was predominantly Caucasian. In addition, the Latino community on campus was divided into different social groups. As a result, the students who attended the first meeting wanted to solidify and unify the Latino and the multicultural community. Furthermore, the students wanted to promote a positive image of Latinos and minorities at the University.

After the first meeting, the enthusiasm in favor of the fraternity was so encouraging that the word spread throughout the University of Iowa. Everyone knew that something special was about to take place. On Friday, April 4, 1986, the members finalized the philosophy of the Organization. Hence, April 4, 1986, is the official founding date of the Sigma Lambda Beta.

The 18 Founding Fathers (15 Latino, one African, and two Asian) established Sigma Lambda Beta with the following principles in mind: Brotherhood, Scholarship, Cultural Awareness, and Community Service.

Founding Fathers

• Baltazar Mendoza-Madrigal
• Mario Buendia
• Enrique Carbajal
• Thomas Carrasquillo
• Manuel Chavarria
• Jose Fong
• Rudolfo Garza
• Luis Jimenez
• Luis Marquez
• Eric Montes
• Kuy Ou
• Olakunle Oyeyemi
• Jaime Ramirez
• Olivera Rivera
• Juan Jose Rojas Cardona
• Eugenio Soria
• Juan Valdez
• Ricardo Zamudio

Sigma Lambda Beta today

Sigma Lambda Beta has grown to 85 chapters and 19 colonies. In addition there are 17 Alumni Chapters. Chapters are found in 24 states and in Puerto Rico.

Sigma Lambda Beta became "Coast to Coast" in the spring of 1992 with the expansion to SUNY-Stony Brook (Pi chapter) and California State University-Dominguez Hills (Tau Chapter). Sigma Lambda Beta now has a presence in every region of the United States.

Sigma Lambda Beta is a leader in diversity and multiculturalism. It has founded the first entity of any Latino-based collegiate Greek-lettered organization at a Historically Black College (Epsilon Gamma Chapter, Prairie View University, founded in 1991). It also has the longest concurrent chapter of a Latino-based Greek-lettered organization at a Historically Black College (Delta Gamma Chapter, Florida A&M University, founded November 19, 2000).

Sigma Lambda Beta is the only US fraternity in the caribbean.

In March 1997, the fraternity was granted 501(c)(7) status by the IRS.

Sigma Lambda Beta is a member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) and the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO).

Sigma Lambda Beta has two national philanthropies: The Victor Correa CPR Awareness Day and the Collegiate Leadership Development Program. There are also many local philanthropies that regional chapters have participated in.

The fraternity also started its own official publication called Rego Magazine which is published quarterly and is distributed to U.S. college campuses.

Chapters

Main article: List of Sigma Lambda Beta Chapters

National events

Every year there are several annual national events, the majority of which change location year to year.

• Founders: An annual social which varies year to year, usually celebrated within a week or two of the anniversary of the founding of the fraternity.
• Festival Del Sol - An annual social held in Tampa, Florida on Labor Day weekend of every year.
• Convention: Takes place every other summer. At Convention, delegates from every chapter vote on bylaws of the fraternity and discuss various topics of interest.
• Retreat: An event that takes place every other summer, in years between Convention. At Retreat there are two delegates from every chapter, who take part in workshops, bonding exercises, and network with other chapters around the nation.
• Homecoming: A semi-national event taking place at the University of Arizona every year around the beginning of November, hosted by the Kappa Alpha Chapter.
• Spanish Fly: An annual social held in Tallahassee, Florida on Martin Luther King weekend of every year.

Alumni

Sigma Lambda Beta has a very young alumni network, but it is quickly growing. Many alumni are professionals including doctors, lawyers, architects, police, and law enforcement. Many alumni also pursue higher education beyond their undergraduate degree. There are 17 Alumni Associations of Sigma Lambda Beta, as well as 3 alumni interest groups who are seeking to establish permanent alumni associations in their respective area.

Sigma Lambda Beta considers all brothers at any stage of life, active and life long brothers. as such, many brothers are still involved with the fraternity even years after graduating. A recent accomplishment of alumni in 2008 is the hosting of Founders in Phoenix, Arizona by the Arizona Alumni Association.

Notable alumni

Academics

• Murali Balaji - Journalist and author of The Professor and the Pupil: The Politics and Friendship of W.E.B. Du Bois and Paul Robeson (Nation Books).
• Michael Benitez Jr. is a scholar, activist, public speaker, and spoken word artist and co-editor of Crash Course: Reflections on the Film Crash for Critical Dialogues About Race, Power and Privilege.

Entertainment

• Avian Carrasquillo - Newspaper reporter for The Daily Herald (third largest newspaper in Illinois)
• Delane Cleveland - Fox 11 Reporter in Tucson, Arizona. Delane is a 2004 graduate of the University of Minnesota's School of Journalism, and decided to pursue a career in news after covering a story in college that earned him an award from the Northwest Broadcast News Association.
• Henry Guerrero - Emmy award winner and executive producer for La Vida, ABC WFAA-TV Dallas/Fort Worth
• Peter Mellado- Editor & Chief of REGO Magazine/Mellcom Inc.San Jose State University Founding Brother (1996).Contributed to the design of the fraternities mascot (2008).
• Roger Payano- Actor, Model & Personality. Founding brother of the Delta Gamma Chapter at FAMU (2000). Received a Bachelors of Science in mechanical engineering & Masters of Science in industrial engineering (2002). Before acting he worked as an engineer for an un-named government funded defense contracting firm.
• Alex Perez - Award-winning television reporter for NBC WMAQ-TV Chicago

Government/Law

• Miguel Ayala- Currently the Communications Director for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in Washington DC. Before working with the Caucus he served with the Office of Congresswomen Barbara Lee as a Legislative Aid. Ayala received his degree in Political Science from Depaul University (2002) & a degree in educational leadership from George Washington University (2008). Concurrently, Ayala has also been a representative for Apple.
• Edward Casso - Colorado State Representative, House District 32
• Andrew Velázquez III - Current director of the State of Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), former director, Office of Emergency Management & Communications Chicago, Illinois
• Baltazar Mendoza- One of the original 18 Founding Fathers of SLB (1986). Earned a BA in Political Science from the University of Iowa & a J.D from the John Marshall School of Law. Mendoza is an attorney and runs his own firm, Baltazar Mendoza & Associates. Mendoza has been inducted into the SLB Salon de Hermanda.

Science

• Anthony Ochoa- Engineer for the Boeing Company. Earned a BS in systems engineering from the University of Arizona, a BS in engineering management from Washington State University and an MBA from Seattle University. Ochoa is one of the Founding Brothers for the Kappa Alpha Chapter at the University of Arizona and maintains/created the SLB National Website. He has also served on the National executive board and is an inducted member of the Salon de Hermandad.
• John Jacob Rodriguez, Ph.D. - Earned his doctorate in 2007 from Prairie View A&M Univ. / Department of Juvenile Justice & Psychology. Dr. Rodriguez is the first Latino in the country to receive a Ph.D. in Juvenile Justice. He is currently an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Arlington where he teaches criminology and criminal justice. His research includes Disproportianate Minority Confinement, Gangs, Transnational & International Crimes. He has also published numerous book chapters, journal articles, and book reviews.
• Louis Valente, Ph.D. - Earned his doctorate in 2003 from the Rutgers Univ. / UMDNJ Joint Molecular BioSciences Ph.D. program. Today, Dr. Valente, is a post-doctoral scientist with the Gene Expression & Regulation Program at the Wistar Institute (Univ. of Pennsylvania). His research includes proteins that bind RNA for the regulation of gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and he has been published in many international scientific journals

Sports

• Francisco “El Tigre” Arreola - Professional boxer (29-3-2, 8 KO)
• Luis Hernandez Jr. - Marquette University (1996-2000); Director of Public Relations, Chicago White Sox
• Mark Slessinger - Northwestern State assistant basketball coach

Other

• Ricardo Zamudio- One of the original 18 Founding Fathers of SLB (1986). BBA in finance and a minor in computer science (University of Iowa`89). Manager within the systems department of State Farm Insurance (Bloomington, Illinois) Established the Sigma Lambda Beta Educational Foundation (2001) for the purpose of funding educational and leadership development programs for Sigma Lambda Beta Fraternity, as well as direct financial assistance for undergraduate and graduate student members. Zamudio has been inducted into the SLB Salon de Hermanda, one of the highest awards a brother can receive.
• Ian Bautista- Non-Profit Executive with United Neighborhoods of America in Wisconsin. Earned a BA in Spanish, BA in political science & a Masters in Regional/ Community Planning from Kansas State University. Followed by an E.M.B.A from Rockhurst University. Bautista has been inducted into the SLB Salon de Hermanda.

External links

• Sigma Lambda Beta website

v • d • e North-American Interfraternity Conference

Acacia • Alpha Gamma Rho • Alpha Gamma Sigma • Alpha Delta Gamma • Alpha Delta Phi • Alpha Epsilon Pi • Alpha Kappa Lambda • Alpha Sigma Phi • Alpha Tau Omega • Alpha Phi Alpha • Alpha Phi Delta • Alpha Chi Rho • Beta Sigma Psi • Beta Theta Pi • Beta Chi Theta • Delta Kappa Epsilon • Delta Sigma Phi • Delta Tau Delta • Delta Upsilon • Delta Phi • Delta Chi • Delta Psi • FarmHouse • Zeta Beta Tau • Zeta Psi • Theta Delta Chi • Theta Xi • Theta Chi • Iota Nu Delta • Iota Phi Theta • Kappa Alpha Order • Kappa Alpha Psi • Kappa Alpha Society • Kappa Delta Rho • Kappa Delta Phi • Lambda Theta Phi • Lambda Sigma Upsilon • Lambda Phi Epsilon • Lambda Chi Alpha • Pi Kappa Alpha • Pi Kappa Phi • Pi Lambda Phi • Sigma Alpha Epsilon • Sigma Alpha Mu • Sigma Lambda Beta • Sigma Nu • Sigma Pi • Sigma Tau Gamma • Sigma Phi Delta • Sigma Phi Epsilon • Sigma Phi Society • Sigma Chi • Tau Delta Phi • Tau Epsilon Phi • Tau Kappa Epsilon • Triangle • Phi Gamma Delta • Phi Iota Alpha • Phi Kappa Theta • Phi Kappa Sigma • Phi Kappa Tau • Phi Kappa Psi • Phi Lambda Chi • Phi Mu Delta • Phi Sigma Kappa • Phi Sigma Phi • Chi Phi • Chi Psi • Psi Upsilon

v • d • e National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations

Alpha Pi Sigma • Alpha Psi Lambda • Chi Upsilon Sigma • Gamma Alpha Omega • Gamma Zeta Alpha • Gamma Phi Omega • Kappa Delta Chi • Lambda Alpha Upsilon • Lambda Pi Chi • Lambda Pi Upsilon • Lambda Sigma Upsilon • Lambda Theta Alpha • Lambda Theta Phi • Lambda Theta Nu • Lambda Upsilon Lambda • Nu Alpha Kappa • Omega Delta Phi • Omega Phi Beta • Phi Iota Alpha • Sigma Iota Alpha • Sigma Lambda Beta • Sigma Lambda Gamma • Sigma Lambda Upsilon

Categories:

1986 establishments

International student societies

National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations

United States student societies

Latino organizations

History

View article history