Delta Phi Epsilon - Epsilon Tau

On March 17, 1917, five women at New York University Law School took an oath of sisterhood and loyalty and so founded the Alpha Chapter of Delta Phi Epsilon, one of the first non-sectarian, social sororities and the only founded at a professional school. Five years later on March 17, 1922 Delta Phi Epsilon was formally incorporated under laws of the State of New York. On December 5, 1922, stretching out to international boundries, the first Canadian chapter was installed at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. Growth has been steady but expansion in numbers has never been favored over stregthening within. From this small group making up the first chapter, there are now more than 45,000 members with chapters throughout the United States and Canada. Our chapters, both undergraduate and alumnae, enjoy a distinguished reputation for scholarship, service, and leadership.

During the spring of 1987 our founding President, Stephanie Forte, and founding Vice President, Maryellen Horan attended sorority recruitment events. Disappointed with what they found, they did not enter into sorority life. Over the course of that semester, their sophomore year, Stephanie contacted a friend at Brandeis University who founded Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity, and another friend at George Washington University, who founded Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority, to find out what beginning a new chapter entailed. The answer was much hard work and dedication.

During the summer of 1987, Stephanie contacted twenty of the twenty-six National Sororities expressing their interest in beginning a chapter at Bentley College. At the same time, letters were sent to approximately twenty-five girls about her idea, and requesting support.

On September 21, 1987 Lina Blockus, the Advisor to New Chapters and Colonies of Delta Phi Epsilon, met with the girls to present them with the sorority's history, ideals and values. At that point the girls knew they would look no further, Delta Phi Epsilon was the sorority for them. Esse Quam Videri, "to be rather than seem to be" was what the girls were striving for.

On November 4, 1987, after weeks of hard planning and preparation, ten chosen delegates from the group of girls appeared in front of the members of the Inter-Fraternity Sorority Council. There they presented their ideas and thoughts about what the new sorority could bring to Greek life at Bentley. On Wednesday November 11, they received 3/4 vote of the IFSC and were allowed to begin a new chapter at Bentley College.

Sunday, November 22, 1987, the young women were colonized as the Epsilon Tau colony of Delta Phi Epsilon.

The Epsilon Tau chapter was officially chartered on September 18, 1988 at the Sheraton Tara in Framington, Massachusetts.

Definitions

Colony: a group, all of which are new members, prior to initiation and installation of a chapter

Chapter: a member group of a national or international organization (i.e. we refer to our sorority as the Epsilon Tau chapter of Delta Phi Epsilon)

Local: is found on one campus only, and does not have ties to any national or international organization

National: a democratically governed fraternity or sorority with more than one collegiate chapter on capmuses throughout the United States

International: an equivalent of a National, but with collegiate chapters extending beyond the United States (Delta Phi Epsilon is an international sorority with chapters in Canada)