Sigma Nu

Sigma Nu is a social, values-based fraternity that was founded at the Virginia Military Institute in 1869 and established at Columbia in 1908 as the Delta Gamma chapter. Sigma Nu's brownstone is located at 556 West 113th Street (between Amsterdam and Broadway), close to McBain and across the street from Watt. The chapter boasts a highly diverse returning membership of 50 brothers for fall 2012, and has initiated nearly 1,200 Columbia men throughout its storied history on campus. Fraternity members are involved in a wide variety of academic, extracurricular, pre-professional, and athletic communities at CU, with brothers serving as leaders in dozens of Columbia student groups. Sigma Nu's primary ambition is the expansion of Greek Life's mandate beyond just social and philanthropy events (although the chapter certainly remains committed to both). Towards that end, the fraternity has organized a number of unique initiatives, including partnerships with start-ups interested in launching at CU, the Columbia Sigma Nu Historical Initiative, and cooperative campus programming with student groups such as the Columbia Iranian Students Association, Orchesis, GlobeMed, and Youth for Debate. In addition to its characteristic focus on broadening fraternity activity, Sigma Nu has a rapport for staying true to the core fraternal values of brotherhood and brother development. "We are not a yacht club" is a favorite phrase, and the fraternity supports meaningful brotherhood bonding through activities including camping, sports games attendance, and bowling, as well as the personal growth of its brothers through participation in workshops, study sessions, and professional networking events.

You can find more information at: sigmanucu.com

Awards

Sigma Nu is in an exciting period of success and rapid growth. In recognition of its tremendous progress, Columbia's Sigma Nu chapter was awarded the following awards in the 2011-2012 academic year:

NATIONAL AWARDS

- Excellence in Personal Values & Brotherhood Development - 25% Increase in Manpower - Most Improved Chapter

CAMPUS AWARDS

- Service Award - Philanthropy Award - Campus Involvement Award

Notable Past Awards Most Outstanding Columbia chapter 2009, 2010

Community Service & Programmed Events

Two CEO's Unplugged Event: One of our brothers helped organize a speaking event by two media CEOs, including the CEO of Random House Publishing, so we mobilized all of our brothers to attend the discussion.

Whoot Launch: Our brothers heard a presentation by the founders of the social media start up, Whoot, and helped market their product on campus

Orchesis Night of Dance: We partnered with Orchesis to offer a night of dancing lessons at our brownstone and help raise money for the popular student group.

Participation in Mr. Fraternity and the SDT Talent Show: Our brothers participated in Greek-wide sorority philanthropy events such as Mr. Fraternity and the SDT Talent show

Persian Culture Night: We teamed up with CU Belly Dance and the Columbia Iranian Student Association to offer a Persian Culture Night at our brownstone in order to help CISA raise money.

Pencils of Promise Campus Campaign: Pencils of Promise is a non-profit dedicated to expanding access of education resources in the developing world. They are interested in building awareness of their organization on college campuses, so we launched a marketing campaign for them at Columbia.

Take Back the Night: Sigma Nu showed its support for Take Back the Night, a women's abuse awareness event, by making a banner with Sigma Delta Tau to be displayed outside of our brownstone during the march.

Youth for Debate Karaoke Night: Our brothers opened our brownstone to Youth for Debate—a student group that teaches public speaking at disadvantaged middle and high schools throughout the city—and helped host a karaoke night for the Columbia community. Through good times and bad singing, we raised several hundred dollars for YFD

GlobeMed Trivia Night: We hosted a fun fundraiser trivia night for GlobeMed at our brownstone. GlobeMed enhances accessibility to much-needed medical supplies and services across the world.

McNally Plaza Park Clean Up: Our brothers helped clean up a park near McNally Plaza in the Bronx

Safe Horizon Anti-Domestic Violence Bracelet Sale: We partnered with Safe Horizon, a domestic abuse prevention organization, to sell bracelets on campus and raise money for their program

Day of Service (Gandhi Day): Our brothers participated in a day of service organized by the Hindu Student Organization by helping clean up a blighted area of Morningside Park.

Columbia World Cup: Several brothers participated in a campus-wide soccer tournament organized by brother Richard Fineman through the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. The event was a charitable fundraiser.

Columbia Community Outreach: Through CCO, a Columbia-wide day of charitable work, Sigma Nu helped clean up a dilapidated park in the Bronx in order to make it safer and more appealing for local residents.

Project HAPPY Fundraiser and Coaching: For several years, our brothers have contributed mentors to the Hunter Activity Program for Parents and Youth, an athletic coaching project for autistic children. Each week we send several brothers to work with children of a variety of ages. This year, we facilitated the program’s second SWIMATHON, a fundraising project that netted several thousands dollars for Project HAPPY’s awesome mission.

American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life: Our brothers fielded a Relay team and helped fundraise for the American Cancer Society.

Awards

In 2009, Sigma Nu was named the Most Outstanding Chapter in the Columbia Fraternal system. In 2009, Sigma Nu also earned several awards for the outstanding size of their recruiting class. In 2010, Sigma Nu again was named Most Outstanding Chapter.

Trivia

• It is widely rumored that Julia Stiles once spent the night in Room 33.
• The goal post from the streak-snapping Columbia-Princeton football game, from 1987, where the Columbia Lions came out victorious over the Princeton Tigers 17-14, resides in the backyard.
• The Members Room was completed in 2009, the most recent of several upgrades to the House.
• In the 80s and earlier the poorly insulated kitchen was actually a poorly insulated single - for this reason it was known as the "cheese locker".
• In 1984, when Bozo the Clown pretended to run for president to raise opposition to the incumbent Reagan he gave a well received speech at Columbia University. His 'Body Guards' were all Sigma Nu brothers (dressed in suits, sun glasses, and round red noses), as some brothers at the time were members of a band called 'The Nasty Bozos'.