Sigma Iota Rho, the Honor Society for International Studies, was founded on May 9, 1984 on the initiative of scholars and practitioners who sought a national platform to recognize excellence in international affairs and foster values in the field. Aptly, the Greek letters representative of the society is: sigma (Σ) denotes synesis, meaning "prudence"; iota (Ι) for ideodoi, "ideals"; and rho (Ρ) for rhomi, "power."

Its vision statement is:

To promote and reward scholarship and service among students and practitioners of international affairs and global studies so as to foster integrity and creative performance in the conduct of international relations.^[1]

Among the founders of ΣΙΡ was the late-Dr. William C. Olson, Ph.D., then-dean of the School of International Service at American University, who served as its first president. Also among the group was Theodore Couloumbis, Ph.D., who determined the society's Greek letters and identity.

Currently, the president and national director of SIR are Dr Frank Plantan, Ph.D., co-director of the University of Pennsylvania's International Relations Program.

While not a member of the ACHS, Sigma Iota Rho is an honor society.

Members of Sigma Iota Rho take part in advancing the honor society's cause for furthering study and awareness of international affairs. To this end, they collaborate yearly to produce the Journal of International Relations, the leading undergraduate periodical in its field. Additionally, the national office of the honor society administers an award scheme that funds worthy research projects by fellow members. At the local level, ΣΙΡ's chapters routinely host extracurricular events in enriching local campus and communities. Typically these include hosting speaker events, networking events, and fundraising drives for a particular global issue or cause.

Induction is based on standards similar to those of Phi Beta Kappa. Students with outstanding academic credentials in international relations, global affairs, and other majors in the domain of international studies are nominated by their local chapters for induction into Sigma Iota Rho. Generally, they undergraduates who are in the top percentiles of their classes and areas of study.

Nominees are submitted to the national office of the honor society for verification and approval. Upon induction, students have issued a certificate confirming membership, regalia for graduation ceremonies, and invited to participate in the organization's national networking group on LinkedIn.

In effort to distinguish the efforts of those whom serve as models of the honor society, the national office announced in summer 2012 national commendations, the "Faculty Advisor" and "Featured Chapter" Awards. The first recipient of the faculty distinction was Francine D'Amico, Ph.D., advisor of Syracuse University's chapter, Alpha Chi—housed in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs—which won the Featured Chapter Award.

The premier undergraduate peer-reviewed periodical for international affairs, the Journal of International Relations (ISSN 2159-1741) has a physical circulation of over 3,000 copies to over 150 institutions affiliated with Sigma Iota Rho and the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs. Each edition features a special article by a leading voice in international relations. This year’s edition is marked by Pascal Lamy, Director-General of the World Trade Organization. Past contributors include Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations and Robert Zoellick, president of the World Bank.

Born in 1998 as an in-house journal for the University of Pennsylvania's International Relations Program—under the direction of Frank Plantan, Ph.D. and Bruce Newsome, Ph.D. -- it became a national publication in 2004. Current and back editions are found digitally, through Sigma Iota Rho's website, and in the Library of Congress.

• Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs

• Sigma Iota Rho's official website
• Journal of International Relations website