Dr. James Naismith was an inventor… he was a coach… and, before that – he was a minister. While at KU, being deeply religious, he often visited Baker University, a Methodist University in nearby Baldwin City, Kansas. At Baker, he heard great things about the local SigEp Chapter on campus. Dr Naismith decided that KU should have its own SigEp Chapter, and he led the effort to make that happen.
In 1923, Dr. Naismith efforts came to fruition, with the founding the Sigma Phi Epsilon Chapter at the University of Kansas (“KU SigEp”). Dr. Naismith was a significant force in the Chapter’s development, serving as Chapter Counselor and mentor/advisor for sixteen years, from 1923 until his death in 1939. Shortly prior to his death, he married SigEp’s Housemother, Florence Kincaid.