Beta Theta Pi
| Beta Theta Pi | |
|---|---|
| ΒΘΠ | |
 |
|
| Founded | August 8, 1839 Miami University, (Oxford, Ohio), United States |
| Type | Social |
| Scope | International |
| Mission statement | Beta Theta Pi is dedicated to developing men of principle for a principled life. |
| Colors | Delicate shades of light pink and light blue |
| Symbol | Dragon, Star, Diamond |
| Flower | Roses of the "June" or "Queen of the Prairie" variety |
| Publication | The Beta Theta Pi |
| Chapters | 136 |
| Members | 10,000 collegiate 300,000 lifetime |
| Nickname | Beta |
| Headquarters |
5134 Bonham Road Oxford, Ohio United States |
| Homepage | beta |
Beta Theta Pi (ΒΘΠ also "Beta") is a North American social fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. One of North America's oldest, the fraternity currently consists of 110 active chapters and 26 colonies in the United States and Canada. More than 300,000 members have been initiated worldwide and there are currently around 10,000 undergraduate members. Beta Theta Pi is the oldest of the three fraternities that formed the Miami Triad along with Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Chi.
Students at Miami University at the time of Beta's founding had previously formed two rival literary societies: The Erodelphian and Union Literary Society. A student of the school, John Reily Knox began to gather members of both the Erodelphian and Union Literary Societies with the goal of creating a new fraternity. In a letter that he wrote four years after the founding of the Alpha chapter, Knox said that other fraternities being formed possessed "many objectionable features which rendered them liable to be used as engines of evil as well as instruments of good." Beta Theta Pi was founded at 9:00 pm on Thursday, August 8, 1839, by eight students at Miami University. The group held its first regular meeting in the Hall of the Union Literary Society, an upper room of the campus building known as Old Main.
The eight founders, in the order their names appear in the minutes, were:
The five core values espoused by Beta Theta Pi are cultivation of intellect, responsible conduct, mutual assistance, integrity and trust. These are the underpinnings for their mission statement to "develop men of principle for a principled life." In 1879, Beta Theta Pi became the first college fraternity to publish its constitution. The fraternity continues to guard certain secrets about membership. Similar to other fraternities, Beta Theta Pi's code emphasizes international fellowship, cultural development and cooperation .
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