Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS)

Mission Statement

The Mission of the International Honor Society Beta Gamma Sigma is to encourage and honor academic achievement in the study of business, to foster personal and professional excellence, to advance the values of the society, and to serve its lifelong members.

Goals of Organization

Beta Gamma Sigma is a well-known and highly respected national honorary society for students of achievement in business and management. Beta Gamma Sigma is the honor society that recognizes the best business students in the best business schools, only those that are accredited by the Association to Advance Colleges and Schools of Business (AACSB).

Key Dates in Beta Gamma Sigma History

• 1913: Beta Gamma Sigma founded
• 1919: Beta Gamma Sigma becomes the honor society recognized by AACSB
• 1933: First women inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma
• 1989: The first BGS chapter outside the U.S. was installed at the University of Calgary
• 2003: BGS inducts its 500,000th member
• 2005: Beta Gamma Sigma surpasses $1 Million in Scholarship Awards

Membership Requirements and Obligations

By invitation only. Undergraduate third-year business students with grade point averages within top seven percent, fourth-year students with grade points within top ten percent, and MBA students with grade points within top twenty percent of their classes are invited to induction. 

Recognizing Business Excellence

Beta Gamma Sigma provides benefits to four significant groups: society, the corporate community, the chapter and university, and the individual members. Each of these groups is enriched by the presence of Beta Gamma Sigma.

Beta Gamma Sigma provides a lifetime of service to its membership. In addition to the 540,000+ business professionals, BGS members include:

• Outstanding business school students
• Business school Deans
• Business school faculty
• Honorary Members

The Best In Business

"Beta Gamma Sigma and AACSB International are linked through history, tradition, and service to business schools and their students. It was in 1919 that AACSB accredited its first business schools and that same year began a long, fruitful relationship with Beta Gamma Sigma. Since then the histories of our respective organizations have been on parallel paths, and we continue to work together to advance the cause of management education and recognize top students for their outstanding achievements."

John J. Fernandes
President, AACS International

The International Honor Society

With collegiate chapters in 16 countries and territories, Beta Gamma Sigma is the highest recognition a business student anywhere in the world can receive a business program accredited by AACSB International.

Contact Information
Faculty Advisor

• Dr. Janet Papiernik, 260-481-6477

"Success is not to be measured by income but by influence, not by power but by personality, not by capital but by character."

Professor S.W. Gilman
University of Wisconsin
One of the founding professors of
Beta Gamma Sigma