List of Trine University fraternities and sororities

Fraternities and sororities have been a visible presence on the Trine University campus for 100 years. The campus hosts ten honor societies that recognize scholastic achievement, complimenting 13 active undergraduate social fraternities and sororities. Local societies had been predominant during the earlier, non-accredited era of campus growth, but beginning in 1947, national fraternities and then sororities colonized and now make up the majority of chapters. Tri-State's first men's social fraternity, Sigma Mu Sigma formed in 1921, and its first women's social sorority, Sigma Alpha Gamma (local) formed in 1926.[1]

As of 2018, 26% of male and 19% of female undergraduates are involved in these groups. Chapters are listed in order of date established, with active groups in bold and inactive groups in italics.

Fraternities

Fraternities on campus include:

(NIC) indicates members of the North American Interfraternity Conference.
(FFC) indicates members of the Fraternity Forward Coalition.
(PFA) indicates members of the Professional Fraternity Association.

Active Fraternities


Sororities

Sororities on campus include:

(NPC) indicates members of the National Panhellenic Conference.
(local) indicates a chapter unaffiliated with a national organization.

Active sororities

Sororities whose names changed

Honor and professional fraternities

Trine University hosts a number of honor societies. These include:

The school also features a Christian Campus House ministry.[9][10]

Notes
  1. Began as a local fraternity in 1924, which joined Alpha Delta Alpha in 1930 as its Eta chapter, and at that national's demise, joined Alpha Kappa Pi in 1935 as its Alpha Beta chapter. That second, smaller national merged into Alpha Sigma Phi in 1946, becoming its Beta Omicron chapter.
  2. Trine University's first ΤΚΕ chapter was originally the founding chapter of Sigma Mu Sigma fraternity, established on March 25, 1921, which over a decade spread to nine campuses. It was originally limited to Master Masons. With conditions worsening in the Great Depression, its small national organization voted in the Fall of 1934 to merge with ΤΚΕ, but the Tri-State Alpha chapter remained independent, likely due to non-accreditation. In 1936 it became the Psi chapter of Alpha Lambda Tau. That small non-NIC national would itself merge into ΤΚΕ in 1947 in another merger. Following this, the NIC demanded that ΤΚΕ revoke the charter for the group at Tri-State if they wanted to remain in the NIC because Tri-State College was still non-accredited. Hence, ΤΚΕ revoked the charter of its Beta-Epsilon chapter at its next Conclave. The chapter then affiliated with Kappa Sigma Kappa in 1952. When small Kappa Sigma Kappa merged into Theta Xi in 1962, likewise a NIC fraternity, the chapter was again ineligible for the merger due to the accreditation status of Tri-State University. So the chapter petitioned Kappa Sigma and became a chapter of that fraternity in 1966, enduring until the accreditation turmoil had passed. This is the short history of the Trine University Kappa Sigma chapter. Decades after Tri-State University became accredited, ΤΚΕ established a new chapter on the campus in 1989. The new chapter retained the Beta-Epsilon chapter designation and honors the founding date of the original ΤΚΕ chapter, even though that original campus group is now a chapter of Kappa Sigma.
  3. Beta Sigma Tau merged with Pi Lambda Phi in late 1960. The Trine chapter did not follow the merger and reverted into a local called Beta Sigma Chi, which then joined ΤΚΕ in 1966 as a merger into an existing chapter or revival according to the Baird's Manual Online Archive. However, TKE records indicate a re-chartering in 1989, with no detail on the absorption of ΒΣΧ in the two decades prior.
  4. This chapter's history dates to March 25, 1921, as the founding chapter of Sigma Mu Sigma; it severed ties with the resulting small national it had formed as of 1934, and after several stages, eventually found Kappa Sigma.
  5. Trine University's Acacia chapter was originally formed when an alumnus of Sigma Mu Sigma, Clyde E. Shaw who was a faculty member at Tri-State, revived "his" fraternity of ΣΜΣ in 1940. This was four years after his original chapter had merged into Alpha Lambda Tau. This new Alpha chapter changed membership requirements to allow non-Masons to join. Alpha chapter was the only active chapter of ΣΜΣ from 1940–1952. In August 1952, Sigma Mu Sigma made the decision to merge with Sigma Alpha Chi, which was another Masonic fraternity originally known as Square and Compass. The resulting union, called Sigma Mu Sigma – Square and Compass, would eventually form 12 chapters. It dissolved in the 1960s, with the Trine chapter going on to join Acacia Fraternity in 1967. This chapter became dormant in 1980 and re-colonized in 2012.
  6. This chapter originated on December 17, 1927, when it was established as the Delta Epsilon chapter of Phi Sigma Chi. On May 8, 1949, the chapter affiliated with Alpha Gamma Upsilon as ΑΓΥ's Lambda chapter. It became Indiana Theta chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon on May 4, 1968.
  7. Arguably the most prolific chapter of any fraternity, this local chapter birthed three successor chapters on the Trine campus and twice, a surviving, small national fraternity. Originally a Masonic-themed organization, see reference notes for these three resulting campus chapters.
  8. In those pre-accreditation days, was this original chapter a unit of the preparatory school fraternity, Phi Sigma Chi? Or was it a local with the same name?
  9. Baird's Manual Archive Online notes this group formed in 1922. Latter date supported by other sources.
  10. This chapter grew out of the "Club Hispano-Americano," a local chapter founded in 1921 at Tri-State. Joining Phi Lambda Alpha in 1929 and later joined by ΓΗΑ, this chapter continued for an unknown period. The national would soon merge into Phi Iota Alpha, which remains a member of the NALFO and the NIC.
  11. This was the Delta chapter, and only surviving chapter after 1956, of this small national.
  12. Originally ΦΛΤ (local). The Eta chapter of this small national fraternity dissolved in 1934. Successor was ΑΚΠ.
  13. Most chapters of ΑΓΥ were absorbed by ΑΣΦ; a few scattered to other nationals, as did the Tri-State chapter, which became a chapter of ΣΦΕ.
  14. ΚΣΚ was a junior NIC member which merged with Theta Xi national in 1962. Trine's chapter reverted to local status due to the accreditation problem that would persist for another year. Seven chapters of ΚΣΚ formed a schismatic junior-college-focused third reinvention of Kappa Sigma Kappa, which persisted for a few years after the merger, and which claimed the Tri-State chapter, but once the accreditation matter was resolved, in 1966, the Tri-State chapter would petition and join Kappa Sigma. The Baird's Manual Online Archive notes it again using the name ΚΣΚ prior to 1966.
  15. This was the short-lived Kappa chapter of this dormant, small national. Note, this fraternity was founded at Marshall College in West Virginia in 1929, and dissolved in the 1930s. It was distinct from the textiles fraternity of the same name.
  16. This was the last chapter of small national Sigma Delta Rho to form prior to that fraternity's dissolution in 1935.
  17. This organization was formed on February 14, 1995.
  18. Local installation date of the Epsilon Kappa chapter was September 26, 2009.
  19. Originally established as Zeta Theta Epsilon (local) in 1998, this is the Gamma Omega chapter of ΘΦΑ, installed on December 15, 2012.
  20. This was the Zeta Upsilon chapter of ΦΣΣ, reverting to local status on March 17, 1996.
  21. This group had its origin as the little sisters of ΤΚΕ, prior to 1998
  22. It appears the local Trine chapter called Alpha Omega Epsilon was not affiliated with the national professional sorority of the same name, but rather, took the same name by coincidence.
  23. This was the Zeta Theta chapter of ΣΚ.
  24. This was the Alpha Alpha chapter of ΚΒΓ.
  25. This is the Trine chapter of ΧΕ.
  26. This is the Tri-State Delta Delta chapter of ΠΤΣ.
  27. This is the Indiana Epsilon chapter of ΤΒΠ.
  28. This is the Zeta Phi chapter of ΗΚΝ.
  29. This is the Gamma Theta chapter of ΔΜΔ. Baird's says it was formed in 1977, while the school summary page says 2004.
  30. This is the Alpha Nu chapter of ΩΧΕ.
  31. This is the Xi Beta chapter of ΔΜΔ.
  32. This is the Mu Xi chapter of ΠΣΑ.
  33. This is the Trine University chapter of ΦΗΣ.
  34. This is the Alpha Alpha Gamma chapter of ΣΤΔ.<
  35. This is the Phi Lambda chapter of the Order of Omega.
  36. This is the Tau Alpha Omicron chapter of ΛΑΕ.

References
  1. William Raimond Baird; Carroll Lurding (eds.). "Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities (Baird's Manual Online Archive), page listing Trine University Greeks". Student Life and Culture Archives. University of Illinois: University of Illinois Archives. Retrieved 26 Jan 2023. The main archive URL is The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
  2. Note, the Baird's Manual Online Archive shows this chapter as forming in 1943 out of a prior local called Alpha Gamma Omega, but the dates appear in error. Perhaps the local was dormant for a time, and then revived? The Phi Kap website clearly says its Indiana Alpha Gamma chapter was installed October 1, 1966.
  3. From ΔΧ's Trine chapter history, accessed 19 Jan 2023.
  4. Noted in the 1956 Modulus yearbook, the Trine chapter of ΑΣΦ emerged out of an original local, then ΑΔΑ, then ΑΚΠ, finally becoming ΑΣΦ.
  5. Kadimah was a Zionist society.
  6. Baird's archive notes this predecessor, but it ought to be traced to understand how it connects with the other fraternities or if the reference is in error. The Trine University listing in the Archive also shows a Tau Kappa Sigma, similarly lasting from 1949–1952, which appears to be a typo. Or was this a one-letter change for a local that stemmed from breaking away from ΤΚΕ?
  7. Formerly a chapter of ΦΛΑ, this chapter continued for an unknown period.
  8. Noted by KPC News.com on 2 Nov 2008, accessed 19 Jan 2023.
  9. "Campus Life | Trine University". www.trine.edu. Retrieved 19 Jan 2023.
  10. "Christian Campus House". cchtrine.org. Retrieved 19 Jan 2023.
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