Beta Epsilon Gamma Gamma Alpha Rho Sigma

  Gold
  Navy Blue
  WhiteSymbolTriangle, circle, flashFlowerWhite carnationChapters1NicknameBeggarsHeadquartersNew Orleans, Louisiana
United StatesWebsitewww.loyno.edu/~beggars/

Beta Epsilon Gamma Gamma Alpha Rho Sigma (ΒΕΓΓΑΡΣ), established December 20, 1923, is the oldest Jesuit fraternity in the United States.^[1] The Beggars Fraternity of Loyola University New Orleans is the first social fraternity at a Jesuit university.

History

On December 22, 1923, during the Christmas holidays, Gardere Moore invited several Loyola students to his home to begin a fraternal organization. The new organization took the name "Beggars" in order not to be classified as a Greek letter fraternity. Beggers is "dedicated to promoting brotherhood among its members as well as their spiritual, academic, and social betterment, and also that of the entire Loyola community." After the ban on fraternities was lifted, this name was transliterated into Greek, Beta Epsilon Gamma Gamma Alpha Rho Sigma.

Symbols

The fraternity's name, Beta Epsilon Gamma Gamma Alpha Rho Sigma, was selected to spell the word Beggers. The fraternity's colors are gold, navy blue, and white. Its flower is the white carnation. Its symbols are the triangle, circle, and flash.

Activities

The Men of Beggars have been a part of the campus since its founding as the first fraternity in 1923. Both the school's newspaper and the Student Government Association were started by members of Beggars.^[2] The fraternity and its alumni association donated the flagpole in front of Biever Hall, the stained glass window in Marquette Hall, and the tile mosaic on the library to the university.^[2] Beggars host Loyola's oldest party, Beggars Blast, and the Halloween party, Dark Carnival.^[2]

Membership

Members in Beggars is by invitation, requiring unanimous approval by the entire fraternity, and therefore does not operate on quotas.^[3]

Misconduct

The university suspended Beggers for the fall 2009 semester, through December 21, 2009, for having "dirty" pledge classes.^[4] "Dirty" pledges do not have the grade point average required by the university before joining a Greek letter organization.^[4]

See also

• List of social fraternities and sororities

References