On the campus of Wichita State University in 1965, Capt. John Ellison was an instructor in the ROTC department. Ellison attended college in Washington State, where the Washington Beta chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon initiated him.

In early September, one of Ellison’s students wore a jacket to class – a jacket bearing the Greek letters SAE. This being a cool September day, the student, Mark Anderson, had borrowed a jacket from his friend, T.R. Lindsey. Lindsey had pledged the Fraternity at SAE’s chapter in Beloit, Wisconsin, but had transferred to Wichita State before he could be initiated.

Ellison took the time to discuss the Fraternity and its ideals with Anderson, and shared his desire of starting a local Fraternity chapter. Their first step would be to recruit men of the highest character into a local Fraternity, with the eventual goal being membership in Sigma Alpha Epsilon.

Interest began to grow. Together, Ellison and Anderson found a few other SAEs attending Wichita State. They held a meeting on October 9, 1965, calling the group the Phi Alpha local fraternity.

The local organization continued for two years, building membership and recognition on the Wichita State campus. In May 1967, the group formally petitioned Sigma Alpha Epsilon, requesting a charter to operate a Wichita State chapter, dubbed, Kansas Gamma.

At the Fraternity’s National Convention (June 1967), the vote passed to grant a charter to the Wichita State group – the National President of the Fraternity (Eminent Supreme Archon), Roy Miller, officially welcomed Wichita State into the Realm of Sigma Alpha Epsilon on October 7, 1967.