How/Why did your chapter begin?

[PM_Mama00]

I don't think I've ever seen this question asked, but why or how did your individual chapter begin?

My chapter was the first sorority on campus. It was started from 2 Delta Sigma Phi little sisters and a TKE little sister-- or maybe the other way around. Either way they were both little sisters, back when they were allowed.

Forgot to mention, when we first were formed we were Kappa Gamma Beta (KGB lol). I think it was after 2 years that we became Phi Mu. If our chapter website wasn't down for formal recruitment construction, I'd know more but this is all I can remember.

[Kevin]

An alum on our national foundation had a son attending my school, there was no Sigma Nu chapter. I can't speak for everyone else, but I saw it as a heck of an opportunity. My fraternity is probably one of the larger/better ones in the state. The alumni network is unreal. It also offered something that I didn't find in any of the other houses -- they guaranteed no hazing, and unlike the other chapters at the time, the claim was plausible since I'd be initiated and on the same level as the other colony members within 2 weeks or so of joining.

The national programming was excellent (the LEAD program), and the brotherhood was great. It took us 3 years to get our charter (3 years is a long time to basically be a pledge). Completely worth it though. The chapter's doing really well. It just took home Rock Chapter Honorable Mention meaning that we're on track to essentially being a top-10, chapter.

[Mooch279]

We were the first fraternity at UMBC. Young campus, it was only about 12 or 13 years old when we got colonized ('79). At the time our chapter was the fastest to charter in our fraternity history, a year and a week.

[SAEalumnus]

My chapter's founding fathers were actually the second group of men from our university to petition SAE for a charter. The first group was unsuccessful, though a record of their attempt is still filed in our national archives at HQ. Since over half of our chapter's founders were already connected in some way to SAE, they applied, were recognized as a colony of SAE within 6 months of the local founding date, and got the charter about two and a half years later.

[DeltAlum]

My chapter was chartered in 1862.

I forgot to ask and it's too late now.

I think Tom Earp had something to do with it.

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by DeltAlum

My chapter was chartered in 1862.

I forgot to ask and it's too late now.

I think Tom Earp had something to do with it.

Oh DeltAlum!

I did the same as many did.

I knew about all of the GLOs at The Pitt. and didnt feel that I fit with them even though I was a Pledge of one. So, I started one, a local.

We were a bunch of mis-fits as one of Our early members wife stated at His Celebration of life at His Death. Yes We were and damn proud of it, We worked harder as mis-fits to prove them wrong. We did!

We are not all the same and our Chapters or not the same even though we follow (?) the same rules.

That is what makes us different!

Just a thought, was there a Greek Organization that was not a local so to speak and expanded?

Yes there was and I know of only one.

Give me for ifs if You can!!!!

[KatieKate1244]

My school had had local GLOs for a long time, but about the mid-60's they all started becoming national. My chapter was formerly Delta Theta Pi, a local sorority that was founded back in 1926.

I should mention here there is/was an education sorority with the same or similar name, but it wasn't part of it.

[AOIIalum]

http://www.louisville.edu/ur/ucomm/m...reek/greek.htm (our story is toward the middle of the article.)

[aephi alum]

History of my chapter

To make a long story short:

In the spring of 1993, a group of 7 Jewish women approached Panhel about starting a chapter of AEPhi at MIT. Panhel was not prepared to open the campus for expansion at the time (Theta had just colonized a couple of years earlier), but they invited the group to form a local sorority and perhaps petition again at some future date. (I rather suspect the Panhel powers-that-be were hoping they would give up and go away. They didn't know my sisters very well. )

The 7 women proceeded to form a local sorority, Sigma Iota Phi. They held their first recruitment just after formal fall recruitment in 1993; I was a member of that first pledge class.

In 1994 we again petitioned Panhel to become a chapter of an NPC sorority, and this time they allowed us to proceed. We re-approached AEPhi and a match was made. My chapter was chartered in November of 1995.

My chapter filled, and still fills, something of a niche market as an attractive option for female Jewish students - although we are, of course, open to members of all faiths.

[JonInKC]

I don't even remember HOW or WHY, just that my chapter used to be Tri-C (Camden Country Club) until they got chartered from TKE in '49. We were the second fraternity to be chartered on the campus of Missouri State, I believe. KA was there before us.

[adpiucf]

An ADPi from another school came to UCF and founded a local sorority, Delta Pi. At this time, the fraternities still had little sister auxilaries. Most of the Pike little sisters became members of Delta Pi.

Also around this time, Alpha Delta Pi came to UCF and colonized. The effort was supported by the late Mary Esther Van Akin. Mrs. Van Akin stopped a young lady on campus one day and persuaded her that she needed to be a part of ADPi. The student resisted, but Mrs. Van Akin persisted. Zeta Omega of ADPi was chartered in 1982; many of the "Delta Pi" ladies joined. This winter, Zeta Omega chapter celebrates 25 years... and that young lady that adamantly DID NOT want to join a sorority? Mrs. Van Akin must have seen something, because not only did the young woman join, she was elected the first chapter president and was the very first member to be initiated. She has been instrumental on the international level as a vital part of our Housing Corporation Team and is organizing the chapter's quarter century anniversary!

All's well that ends well. Zeta Omega broke ground on its chapter house in 1989, and has consistently held the #1 GPA among sorororities, including last spring when it was the largest chapter on campus (nearly 150 members!).

[MikeBFiji]

The Beta Sigma Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta at Ball State University, better known as FIJI, was founded on May 1, 1998. A local group of graduates spearheaded by Jon Scott and Edmund Ball (one of Ball brothers for which Ball State is named) orginally attempted to start a chapter in the 1950s, but the the national fraternity did not think Ball State Teachers College was the right place to expand and the request was declined. Then in 1997 Ball State was looking to expand upon its greek system and Phi Gamma Delta was one of several fraternities Ball State was hoping to attract. Headquarters' staff along with local graduates including Edmund Ball and the son of Jon Scott, Jack Scott, started recruiting members in the Spring of 1998. On May 1, 1998, 150 years after its founding, Phi Gamma Delta pinned 20 pledges to start the colony at Ball State. The chapter went on to become the first to put together an electronic petition for chartering, and was granted its charter on February 24, 2001. The next big step for Beta Sigma FIJI was announced at the five year anniversary dinner. Beta Sigma FIJI will be moving into a new house on fraternity row formally occupied by Beta Theta Pi and built in 1995.

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by MikeBFiji

The Beta Sigma Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta at Ball State University, better known as FIJI, was founded on May 1, 1998. A local group of graduates spearheaded by Jon Scott and Edmund Ball (one of Ball brothers for which Ball State is named) orginally attempted to start a chapter in the 1950s, but the the national fraternity did not think Ball State Teachers College was the right place to expand and the request was declined. Then in 1997 Ball State was looking to expand upon its greek system and Phi Gamma Delta was one of several fraternities Ball State was hoping to attract. Headquarters' staff along with local graduates including Edmund Ball and the son of Jon Scott, Jack Scott, started recruiting members in the Spring of 1998. On May 1, 1998, 150 years after its founding, Phi Gamma Delta pinned 20 pledges to start the colony at Ball State. The chapter went on to become the first to put together an electronic petition for chartering, and was granted its charter on February 24, 2001. The next big step for Beta Sigma FIJI was announced at the five year anniversary dinner. Beta Sigma FIJI will be moving into a new house on fraternity row formally occupied by Beta Theta Pi and built in 1995.

Wow, what a history time line!

It is a very neat insight into Fiji History at Ball State!

1998 is sounding so old now isnt it?

[Firehouse]

I always thought this as a good story. How Pi Kappa Alpha came to the University of Florida in 1904:

"On a clear, cool November night a week before Thanksgiving in 1904, the new Head Football Coach at the University of Florida surrounded himself with a carefully selected assembly of young men. They gathered on the second floor of the old Blue Goose Inn in Lake City for the purpose of founding a chapter of Coach Marvin O. Bridges's college fraternity: Pi Kappa Alpha. Bridges, an initiate of Rho Chapter at Cumberland University , is the father of modern football at the University. That night of November 17th, 1904, Coach Bridges organized and inspired the eleven undergraduates who were to form the core of Alpha Eta Chapter. The fellowship included Bridges's two younger brothers Bernard ‘04 and Benjamin '04. Bernard was Captain of Florida's football team."

[jadis96]

Originally Posted by MikeBFiji

The Beta Sigma Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta at Ball State University, better known as FIJI, was founded on May 1, 1998. A local group of graduates spearheaded by Jon Scott and Edmund Ball (one of Ball brothers for which Ball State is named) orginally attempted to start a chapter in the 1950s, but the the national fraternity did not think Ball State Teachers College was the right place to expand and the request was declined. Then in 1997 Ball State was looking to expand upon its greek system and Phi Gamma Delta was one of several fraternities Ball State was hoping to attract. Headquarters' staff along with local graduates including Edmund Ball and the son of Jon Scott, Jack Scott, started recruiting members in the Spring of 1998. On May 1, 1998, 150 years after its founding, Phi Gamma Delta pinned 20 pledges to start the colony at Ball State. The chapter went on to become the first to put together an electronic petition for chartering, and was granted its charter on February 24, 2001. The next big step for Beta Sigma FIJI was announced at the five year anniversary dinner. Beta Sigma FIJI will be moving into a new house on fraternity row formally occupied by Beta Theta Pi and built in 1995.

I was at BSU during this time period, but I think one fact might be a bit off, Edmund Ball's father and brothers are who BSU was named for http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_Brothers. The elder Edmund Ball passed away in 1925. I had the pleasure of knowing the younger Mr. Ball from my time at BSU when he would come into the YMCA I worked at to swim every afternoon well into his 80's and 90's. He always took time out of his day to speak to everyone he encountered. He learned to fly planes and climbs mountains during his later life and never knew a stranger. He was a true gentleman and one whom I know I, personally, greatly miss.