The Roots of Zeta Tau
in Delta Beta Pi

The Zeta Tau Chapter of Beta Theta Pi has its roots in the local fraternity, Delta Beta Pi. On the evening of October 17, 1983 a group of three earnest young men met in the college dorm room #223 on the second floor of Mercury Hall on the campus of Parks College of Saint Louis University. Fourteen men soon joined the three, and a fraternity was born.

Over the years Delta was a very successful chapter at the engineering school. In 1997 Parks College moved from Cahokia, Illinois to the Frost Campus of Saint Louis University in mid-town St. Louis. At this time, University officials requested that Delta Beta Pi disband or associate themselves with a national fraternity. Several fraternities were considered, but only one was chosen. Delta Beta Pi became the newest colony of Beta Theta Pi. A new initiative had just begun in Beta, The Men of Principle Initiative, and its goals and standards fit well with those of Delta Beta Pi. This attracted the men to the great and good fraternity of Beta Theta Pi. On May 8th, 1999 the first students of Saint Louis University were initiated into Beta Theta Pi. Their names and roll numbers are:

Timothy Herning #1
Brian Waltersdorf #2
Jesse Higer #3
Jeremy York #4
Daniel Lambert #5
Neil Paris #6

The following fall, 7 other men joined with the original Deltas and became the Founding Father class. These 14 men led the Saint Louis University chapter of Beta Theta Pi to new heights, eventually being chartered in the summer of 2002. They become the Zeta Tau chapter of Beta Theta Pi.

This is a brief summary of the history of Beta Theta Pi and Delta Beta Pi, if you would like a more detailed history, contact the chapter historian, Chris Viehman. cviehma1@slu.edu