Greek Life at SU

Found this on Lamda Chi's website and thought it was interesting...

History of Greek Life at Shippensburg University
Early in 1959, when Shippensburg University was named Shippensburg State College (SSC), our first Greek organization was born. It was a National Fraternity named Phi Sigma Epsilon. Later that year, two more National Fraternities were founded, Sigma Tau Gamma and Tau Kappa Epsilon. Also in that same year, the first sorority was founded, the local organization Alpha Sigma. In 1960, another Men's Fraternity, Sigma Pi, officially became a part of SSC's Greek Community.

Not until five years later did SSC welcome its second and third sororities. Both Theta Kappa and Zeta Beta were local women's organizations that became part of SSC in 1965. The very next year, 1966, SSC welcomed its fourth National Men's Fraternity, Acacia. In 1968, as Theta Chi began at SSC, so did two other local women's organizations Delta Rho and Sigma Delta. The last organization to become a part of the SSC Greek Community in the 1960's was Kappa Sigma, a National Men's Fraternity.

The next decade saw much growth in the Greek Community as it welcomed 7 more organizations to Shippensburg's campus. In 1971, Shippensburg's first National Sorority, Alpha Sigma Tau, was founded. Also in 1971, another local sorority, Lambda Tau was founded. In 1972, Delta Zeta came to Shippensburg as the second National Sorority. In 1973, the first historically African-American men's organization was found here at Shippensburg in the local group of Alpha Beta Omega. In 1976, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, INC. was founded, and in 1977, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, INC. began. Both groups are historically African-American women's organizations. In 1977 another first happened on campus, two organizations merged to make one. Zeta Beta and Lambda Tau merged to make one local group and renamed themselves Lambda Zeta Pi.

The 1980's began by recognizing the first national historically African-American men's organization, Kappa Alpha Psi, which was founded at Shippensburg in 1981. In 1982 Lambda Chi Alpha, a National Fraternity, was founded. In 1984, Shippensburg State College became Shippensburg University, and it welcomed two more national organizations as the members of Lambda Zeta Pi helped form Alpha Omicron Pi, a National Women's Fraternity, and Pi Lambda Phi, a National Fraternity, found a home here as well. In 1985 Phi Sigma Epsilon underwent a national merger with another National Fraternity, Phi Sigma Kappa. All Chapters of Phi Sigma Epsilon took the name of Phi Sigma Kappa including, the chapter here at Shippensburg. In 1986, three more organizations were founded on this campus; Pi Kappa Phi, a National Fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma, an historically African-American Fraternity, and Kappa Tau Epsilon, a local women's organization. In 1987, the National Women's Fraternity Phi Sigma Sigma began its chapter here. Theta Chi also closed it's doors in the 80's.

The 1990's did not see as much growth as the other decades; however, six organizations were founded during this time. In 1991, Alpha Chi Rho, a National Men's Fraternity was founded, and Chi Gamma Iota began as a local men's organization. For the second time in Shippensburg's Greek Community, 1991 saw two local organizations merge to form a third, Alpha Phi, a National Women's Fraternity. In 1995, Delta Upsilon was founded, followed in 1997 by Alpha Phi Alpha, a historically African-American Fraternity. The last addition to our campus was Phi Delta Theta, in 1999. The nineties also saw the closing of Sigma Tau Gamma, Phi Sigma Kappa, Chi Gamma Iota, Tau Kappa Epsilon and Kappa Sigma. The fraternities that began the next decade strong were Lambda Chi Alpha, ACACIA, Phi Delt, and Pi Kappa Phi. These four were aided by superior housing and strong membership.

2004 saw the return of Sigma Tau Gamma as well as Kappa Sigma to campus, but the real change occurred when Lambda Chi Alpha along with their national fraternity purchases the Acacia House at 101 Brookside Avenue. This marked a huge change in the Greek system at the college.

Between 2005 and 2006, Pi Kappa Phi permanently closed their doors as well as Delta Upsilon and Alpha Chi Rho "Crow". At the end of 2006 the fraternites recognized by the IFC were Lambda Chi Alpha, TKE, Sigma Tau Gamma, Pi Lambda Phi, Kappa Sigma and Phi Delta Theta.

2009 marked the 50th anniversary of Greek Life at Shippensburg University