The roots of the Sigma Phi Epsilon at Chapel Hill stretch back to 1920 when a local fraternity was founded named Theta Sigma Phi. With Theta Sigma Phi already established on campus, they were absorbed by Sigma Phi Epsilon on February 26, 1921, and became the North Carolina Delta Chapter. They would be the fifty-ninth chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon. Success was evident early on, with the Sigma Phi Epsilon Journal reporting in 1922, “With the opening of the school year, North Carolina Delta faces a most prosperous year. With a chapter roll of fifteen, the prospects are very bright.

The Founding Fathers returned for the 1922 school year. They were Hearns Swink, Bill Hannah, Charles Perry, Buck Martin, George Grantham, S.A. Johnson, John McElroy, William Hester, J.H. Miller, June Martin, Joseph Sevier, Talbot Parker, and Herb Fields. They were recruited and joined the organization because of their common interest in community responsibility, intellectual pursuit, and the lasting bond of brotherhood. These industrious young students composed a Chapter of men representative of the state who were eager to work in expanding the influence of Sigma Phi Epsilon.

The early NC Delta initiates moved Sigma Phi Epsilon into the forefront of the social fraternities on the Chapel Hill campus, even though the size of the Chapter was smaller at the time. During the first years many brothers won scholarship honors, played on the football and/or baseball teams, served on University publications, and became class officers, orators, and presidents of various campus organizations. Thus Sigma Phi Epsilon established an early leadership role at UNC that it has maintained since.

But in the 1930s the Chapter, along with other fraternities on campus, was closed for not conforming to certain University regulations. In 1947, when many returning veterans resumed their educations, NC Delta has its charter reinstated.  NC Delta continued to pledge impressive numbers and the Chapter’s presence grew on campus.