Beta Gamma Sigma

Beta Gamma Sigma (ΒΓΣ) is an international business honor society. Founded in 1913 at the University of Wisconsin, University of Illinois and the University of California, it has over 980,000 members, selected from more than 600 collegiate chapters in business schools accredited by AACSB International. It has collegiate chapters in over 190 countries.

History
The Society was founded on 1913-02-26 with the union of three pre-existing local societies for men in commerce and economics. These were: Beta Gamma Sigma (1907) at the University of Wisconsin, the Economics Club (1906) at the University of California, and Delta Kappa Chi (1910) at the University of Illinois. The three are considered co-equal founding institutions.

The mission of Beta Gamma Sigma is to encourage and honor academic achievement in the study of business; cultivate and celebrate leadership and professional excellence and build their professional skills; to foster an enduring commitment to honor and integrity, the pursuit of wisdom, earnestness, and service; and to serve its lifetime members by helping them network and connect.

In 1919, Beta Gamma Sigma was designated by the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) as "the scholarship society" for students in commerce and business administration. Today, only AACSB schools are eligible to host chapters.

On April 29, 1933, Beta Gamma Sigma merged with Gamma Epsilon Pi, a similar organization that had been formed to serve women. Gamma Epsilon Pi had been founded on March 26, 1918, also at the University of Illinois. Beta Gamma Sigma was older, by five years, and the society retained its name.

Governance of the society is by convention, held biennially, with intermediate administration vested in a Board of Governors, these holding staggered, four-year terms. The organization is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies.

In 2020, Beta Gamma Sigma added new societal impact standards and practices, declaring that business can be a force for global good and have committed to incorporating the environmental, social, & governance (ESGs) criteria and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their business operations and programming.

Beta Gamma Sigma members reside in over 190 countries and there are more than fifty alumni chapters and networking groups located in major metropolitan areas and other regions worldwide. Alumni groups provide ongoing educational and networking opportunities for members in person and virtually.

Symbols
The fraternity's badge is a rectangular shield with the Greek letters ΒΓΣ on a diagonal band.

The Society explains its name as Beta (Β) is the initial letter of the Greek word BEBAEOS, which signifies honor, Gamma (Γ) is the initial letter of the Greek word GNOSIS, which means wisdom, and Sigma (Σ) is the initial letter of the Greek word SPOUDE, which means earnestness.

Chapters
Beta Gamma Sigma has chapters across the United States and around the world.

Membership
Membership eligibility requirements include that a student must be in the top 10% of a bachelors business program (top 20% for masters programs, and all doctoral students) Undergraduates are inducted toward the end of their degree program, but no earlier than after completion of 50% of the coursework or the last semester of the 3rd (junior) year for those in 4-year bachelor's degrees. Doctoral students are eligible for membership after having successfully defended their dissertation

Notable members

 * Lowell C. Smith, president of Nichols College
 * Bengt Holmstrom, 2016 Nobel Prize Winner in Economics
 * Ann-Marie Campbell, Executive Vice-president of The Home Depot
 * Marillyn Hewson, President and CEO of Lockheed Martin
 * Ellen Kullman, Former Board Chair & CEO of DuPont
 * Alan Greenspan, Former Chairman of the Federal Reserve
 * Richard Hrabchak, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of Mutual of Omaha
 * Gerek Meinhardt – 2016 Olympian Fencing Team
 * John Hanki – Inventor of Pokémon Go
 * Eugene T. Lee – President of MBK Sports Management