Beta Sigma Phi International

ATTENTION: IMPORTANT

THE INTELLECTUAL AGREEMENT EXISTS BETWEEN ALL ACTIVE MEMBERS AND CHAPTERS. It does not grant these rights or authorities to governing bodies.

I have heard that a group of members is planning to establish an overarching governing body for Beta Sigma Phi. DO NOT DO THIS.

You can have your councils and the area councils that some states have created, but do not establish a group that makes decisions on your behalf. Instead, operate more like Masonic bodies, which govern themselves. The only Masonic organization with an overall governing structure is the Scottish Rite.

You do not want to burden your chapters and councils with a group that claims the authority to decide matters for you. The ability to govern yourselves is your privilege—do not give it away.

The idea may sound appealing at first, but once such a structure is in place, you will likely only support it as long as it agrees with you. Make no mistake: eventually, it will begin telling you what to do.

Each chapter is autonomous, with councils serving only to coordinate plans and activities among groups of chapters. They are not intended to govern individual chapters.

DO NOT SUBJECT YOURSELVES TO OUTSIDE CONTROL OR PRESSURE. You have the right to govern yourselves and determine your own future.

International Gift Items Update

Thank you to everyone who supported our inventory clearance sale! We are pleased to share that ALL INTERNATIONAL GIFT ITEMS HAVE NOW SOLD OUT.

We appreciate your support and are grateful that these items found new homes as we prepare for the closing of the International Office.

Important Announcement: Beta Sigma Phi to Carry On Without the International Office

Sisters, please rest assured that Beta Sigma Phi will continue for as long as you choose to carry forward its traditions and mission. The International Office, however, will be closing. Please see the letter below for complete details.

THIS PAGE WILL NO LONGER BE MONITORED.

For safety reasons, the office will no longer be open to visitors beginning June 2, 2026. If you are picking up a gift order, please call upon arrival and your order will be brought out to you.



Dear Sister,

IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO SHARE WITH ALL MEMBERS PLEASE!

As you all know, the decline in membership has been an ongoing issue for many years and increased dramatically during Covid. I have carefully considered the future of the organization and while we could continue raising fees, I don't want the organization to disappear because people can't afford it. Therefore, I had to consider other options and have chosen, what I believe to be the best one, to give ownership of the official Beta Sigma Phi identity to all current chapters and sisters.

Although the International organization is going away, all existing active chapters of Beta Sigma Phi are encouraged to carry on the practices, traditions, rituals, and purposes of our sorority. To that end, a License Agreement is being emailed to every chapter and will also be available on our website or via email upon request. This License Agreement grants every active chapter a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use The Book of Beta Sigma Phi and all existing formal trademarks of the sorority for those purposes.

The International office will officially close June 29, 2026.

The following will no longer be available after JUNE 29, 2026: INTERNATIONAL WEBSITE, PHONES, STAFF EMAIL ADDRESSES, INTERNATIONAL MAILING ADDRESS, AND ALL FACEBOOK PAGES FOR THE INTERNATIONAL OFFICE WILL BE DISCONTINUED.

Any checks received AFTER June 29, 2026 for Beta Sigma Phi International will be shredded.

During June, gift items will be discounted until gone. THE LAST DAY TO PLACE AN ORDER FOR GIFT ITEMS WILL BE JUNE 26, 2026 – WHILE SUPPLIES LAST.
The BSP Charitable Foundation, excluding scholarships, will be liquidated and divided equally between the current Endowment Funds. Beta Sigma Phi scholarships will be awarded by the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation. To apply email, [email protected] starting December 2026.
All city councils will receive a contact list of all active chapters in their state to use and share as needed.

I suggest you go to our downloads page and download any items you think you might need. Amazon has The Book of Beta Sigma Phi and Invitation to Life in large print that you can purchase from them directly.

We encourage you to get in touch with the other chapters in your town. You can set up social media accounts for your town and state in order to keep in touch, make plans, or announce events like conventions. You can download a convention manual from our website before it closes if you think you might put one on.

You will remain Beta Sigma Phis and be able to continue as you always have. The cost of membership will be your chapter dues only, going forward. We will put any current information or announcements on our website, and you can of course ask questions until the office closes. Since our office staff is limited, if your call is not answered please leave a voicemail with the information you need and your call will be returned as soon as possible. My chapter will continue until the last of us passes and if we add sisters as we go, that could be a very long time.

This is the best option that allows all of you to carry on as Beta Sigma Phis, without International. I will miss being with you and those of you who have become personal friends. I love you all, you are my sisters and always will be.


Your sister in Beta Sigma Phi,

Laura Ross Wingfield
President of Beta Sigma Phi

Check out our latest issue of The Torch!

The February 2026 issue of The Torch is now available online for viewing and download! Be sure to log in and enjoy the latest stories, updates, and sisterhood highlights.

Please note: an email notification will not be sent for this issue.

Sisters, the December 2025 - January 2026 issue of The Torch magazine is available for download. We hope you enjoy this special holiday issue. Please note that an email notification will not be sent for this issue, so we encourage you to share this news with your sisters.