In December of 1981, three Sigma Chis who had transferred to St. Louis University began the groundwork for creating a Sigma Chi chapter at Saint Louis University. They were David Reiser, Westminster '83, Jack Carey, Denison '83, and Rus Green, Westminster '80. They were later joined by Michael Gray, Missouri-Columbia '82, and Dave Rootes. Soon posters were going up announcing the first rush party as the enthusiastic Sigs personally invited prospective members to join their fraternity. At the same time, two faculty members of St. Louis University, Dr. William Bethel, Northern Colorado '67, and Dr. John Severson, Washington State '63, actively sough support from the St. Louis Alumni Association of Sigma Chi and the administration of SLU, namely Mary Breummer, Dean of Student Affairs.

Monetary support was received from Sigma Chi alumni to hold two rush parties. In January 1982 bids were given out to ten young men who were not sure what beginning a fraternity entailed, but were determined men nonetheless. Nine of them accepted their bid: James Beese, Paul D'Agrosa, Mark La Rose, Alan Lesko, Marty Lesko, Pete Merzian, Gerry Moran, Joe Patke, and Brent Pawlecki. Dr Bethel became an energetic chapter advisor who petitioned the General Fraternity in Evanston, Illinois for status as a colony of Sigma Chi and on January 26, 1982, Sigma Chi Omega was officially recognized as a colony of Sigma Chi

On February 18, 1982, Sigma Chi Omega was recognized as a chartered fraternal organization on the Campus of Saint Louis University. Twenty-five months later, Sigma Chi Omega became the 184th active chapter of the Sigma Chi Fraternity on March 17, 1984.