Sigma Lambda Beta

Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity, Incorporated ( ) is a multicultural fraternity with historically-Latino roots. It was founded in 1986¹ at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.

Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity, Incorporated ( ) is a multicultural fraternity with historically-Latino roots. It was founded in 1986 at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. ==History== Sigma Lambda Beta fraternity was founded at the University of Iowa on April 4, 1986. Its founder was Baltazar Mendoza-Madrigal, along with seventeen other men. Mendoza-Madrigal, a member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, was inspired by the significant contributions of his fraternity to the African American community and recognized a similar need within the Latino community. The founding meeting, held on March 7, 1986, at the Chicano Native American Cultural Center (now the Latino Native American Cultural Center), brought together diverse students from different cultural backgrounds to discuss the feasibility of the new fraternity. The overwhelming support and collective enthusiasm at the meeting led to the formal establishment of the fraternity, with its ideology and philosophy solidified on its founding date. The list of the Founding Fathers of the Fraternity are the following: Bro. Mario Buendia Bro. Enrique Carbajal Bro. Thomas Carrasquillo Bro. Manuel Chavarria Bro. Jose Fong Bro. Rodolfo Garza Bro. Luis Jimenez Bro. Luis Marquez Bro. Baltazar Mendoza-Madrigal Bro. Eric Montes Bro. Kuy Ou Bro. Olakunle Oyeyemi Bro. Jaime Ramirez Bro. Olivero Rivera Juan Jose Rojas-Cardona (Disaffiliated) Bro. Eugenio Soria Bro. Juan Valdez Bro. Ricardo Zamudio In early 1990, former founding Brother Juan Jose Rojas-Cardona was expelled from the fraternity after him and five other members of the University of Iowa's student government were found guilty of embezzling nearly $2,000 in funds. That same year Sigma Lambda Beta assisted with the establishment of Sigma Lambda Gamma sorority. Soon after the creation of the sorority, Sigma Lambda Beta, along with Phi Beta Sigma, Zeta Phi Beta sorority, and Sigma Lambda Gamma, formed the First Inter-Racially Mixed (F.I.R.M) Family network. F.I.R.M. was created to embody a shared commitment to unity and mutual support across the four different Greek letter organizations. In the 21st century, Sigma Lambda Beta's membership grew beyond its Hispanic-Latino origins. The organization eventually withdrew from the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO) due to its increasingly multicultural membership and focus, which no longer aligned with the regulations required of NALFO's membership criteria. In 2025, the fraternity had 777 active collegiate members and 14,000 total initiates. Its national headquarters is in North Liberty, Iowa. ==Chapter misconduct== The Sigma Lambda Beta chapter at the University of California, Davis, was placed on revocation of registration until at least spring 2025 due to hazing-related incidents. ==See also== List of social fraternities and sororities ==References== ==External links== Sigma Lambda Beta National Website Sigma Lambda Beta Educational Foundation

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