The Start of Siblinghood
Sigma Epsilon Omega was founded on February 22, 2007 by Travis Garcia and a group of young leaders at the University of California, Berkeley, who later formed the Alpha class. Motivated by the idea of fusing the Greek and Queer communities on campus, Garcia's meetings attracted reporters and news crews, and established the foundation of the siblinghood we all enjoy today. The Alpha class established our core values: Strength, Equality, and Opportunity.
Building upon these values, we uphold the four Pillars of Greek life:
Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Siblinghood.
- Academic excellence: Encouraged through our study sessions and guidance from other Siblings and Alumni.
- Leadership: In addition to opportunities provided by the officer positions, our siblings take active roles in various organizations on campus.
- Active Service: Sustained each semester and is expected from all siblings. We have worked with various LGBTQ+ organizations in the Bay Area such as the DreamCatcher shelter in Oakland and Openhouse in the Castro District as well as in local community service events such as the Berkeley Project, and we aim to expand these efforts further
- Siblinghood: A commitment to a lifelong friendship and family. Siblinghood enhances the college experience by providing a home away from home, mentorship, career networking and a sense of community across campuses in the nation
“Our mission is to maintain a safe and empowering social space that promotes lifelong bonds through scholarship, community service, leadership, and engagement in both the Queer/Trans and Greek communities on campus for students with a diverse range of sexual orientations, gender identities, races, socioeconomic backgrounds.”
Since our formation, SEO has continued to grow as one of the only Gay & Queer Social Fraternities in existence. Navigating this unique intersection between the Greek and Queer/Trans communities, we pride ourselves on a completely open and haze-free induction process that builds strong siblinghood bonds and fosters personal growth while educating potential siblings about the queer hxstory and culture that unite us.
Offering a progressive perspective within the Greek community, our siblings advocate for a shared culture of consent, acceptance, and respect.
Our Fraternity crest consisting of our mascot; the loyal wolf our Fraternity colors of blue and silver, our motto and important Fraternity symbols
“Vires Per Adversum”
Strength Through Adversity
Strength Through Adversity