Firsts
Beta Theta Pi was the first fraternity to:
- Be founded west of the Allegheny Mountains (1839)
- Have the oldest continuously published college fraternity magazine (1872)
- Publish an open constitution for public inspection (1879)
- open the first fraternity chapter in 13 states
- be the first chapter on 35 campuses - more than any other organization
- Establish a chapter west of the Mississippi (1866)
- Organize into districts for administrative purposes (1873)
- Have General Officers (1872)
- Create Alumni chapters (1867)
- Have a General Convention and one of the few to have annual Conventions
- Adopt a minimum 2.5 GPA for chapters to be in good standing (1984)
- Adopt a minimum 2.5 GPA for members to be in good standing.(1997)
Facts
Beta has:
- More members listed in Who's Who in America and Candian Who's Who than any other fraternity.
- 85 Rhodes Scholars, most of any fraternity
- More than 197 members have been members of the US House or Senate, most of any fraternity.
- 23 States have had a Beta as Governor
- More Olypmic medalists than any other fraternity.