Sigma Chi was founded in 1855 at Miami University in Ohio, born out of a deep rift within the Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE) chapter over the election of a poet in the Erodelphian literary society. This division led to the expulsion of six members (James Caldwell, Isaac Jordan, Benjamin Runkle, Franklin Scobey, Daniel Cooper, and Tomas Bell), who later decided to form a new fraternity based on fairness, justice, and honor. They were joined by William Lewis Lockwood, who helped establish the organizational structure of Sigma Chi. The fraternity's ideals of friendship, justice, and learning were shaped by the founders' experiences and aspirations for a more inclusive and principle-driven brotherhood. They created the White Cross badge and formally founded Sigma Chi on June 28, 1855, with a commitment to fostering fellowship, academic excellence, and a spirit of responsibility. Their ethos has endured over the years and remains central to the fraternity’s identity today.