National History

Founded in 1839 by “eight earnest young men,” Beta Theta Pi is one of the oldest fraternities in North America.

Since it’s founding 175 years ago at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, Beta’s storied heritage has blazed the trail for a promising destiny. Our tradition is embodied today in over 150,000 active brothers across the country at over 120 universities. Our eight founders could never have foreseen the growth of our great and good fraternity, but they managed to create a ritual that has stood the test of time, binding all brothers to “be urbane in his manners, mild in his expressions, steadfast in his friendship.”

The spirit fostered by our founders has pushed Beta to become a beacon of leadership in the fraternity movement in North America. That leadership has yielded a number of milestones and coveted “Beta Firsts,” including:

• Being the first to publish an open constitution for public distribution in 1879.

• The adoption of a minimum 2.5 GPA for chapters in 1984 and a 2.5 minimum for each member in 1997 (both of which have since been increased to a 2.7).

•  The creation of The Beta Theta Pi magazine, the oldest continuously published publication of any fraternity or sorority in the Greek world (1872-present).

•  Going international in 1906, with the founding of the Theta Zeta chapter at the University of Toronto.

Beta Theta Pi would not have been the leader it was to the outside world if not for the leadership from within.

• From 1877 to 1975, at least one member of the Supreme Court of the United States of America was a brother of Beta Theta Pi.

• More than 80 Betas are Rhodes Scholars, most of any fraternity.

• More than 197 Betas have served our country in Congress.

• Six have been awarded the U.S. Medal of Honor.

Betas aren’t always the first, we aren’t always the best, but we believe that our brotherhood founded on the principles of friendship, scholarship, and leadership, provides a foundation for success in any endeavor after collegiate life.