Beta Gamma Sigma

The Society was founded on February 19, 1913 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. 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. It joined the Association of College Honor Societies in 1937 and, after leaving, was readmitted in 1990. By 2012, it had 505 active chapters, 24 alumni clubs, 24,552 active members, and 677,352 total members. 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. Its national headquarters are in St. Louis, Missouri. == Symbols ==

Beta Gamma Sigma explains its name as Beta (') is the initial letter of the Greek word , which signifies honor, Gamma () is the initial letter of the Greek word , which means wisdom, and Sigma (') is the initial letter of the Greek word, which means earnestness. The society's badge is a rectangular shield with the Greek letters '''''' on a diagonal band. The society's colors are royal blue and gold. Its publication is BGS News. == Chapters ==

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

Membership is by invitation only. To be eligible for membership, undergraduate students must be in the top ten percent of a bachelors business program after completing half of the coursework for a degree. Graduate students must be the top twenty percent for masters programs. Doctoral students are eligible for membership after having successfully defended their dissertation. ==Governance==

Governance of the society is by convention, held biennially, with intermediate administration vested in a Board of Governors, these holding staggered, four-year terms. ==Notable members==