Beta Theta Pi Fraternity

Developing Men of Principle for a Principled Life

Mutual Assistance | Intellectual Growth | Trust | Responsible Conduct | Integrity

A Fraternal Experience Grounded in Principled Brotherhood

Founded August 8, 1839, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, Beta Theta Pi is home to nearly 140,000 living alumni and more than 9,000 undergraduates on 141 campuses across the United States and Canada. Best known for its award-winning Men of Principle Initiative, Beta aims to foster an enjoyable fraternal experience centered on brotherhood, personal growth, and creating a sense of home among its members.

Beta Theta Pi Fraternity Spotlight

The Latest Issue of The Beta Theta Pi

Last April, ahead of his hiring as head coach of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, Michigan Head Coach Dusty May, Indiana ’00, stood atop a ladder under the lights of Indianapolis and cut down the net. It wasn’t just a victory, it was a full-circle moment decades in the making. Read more about about his journey to the national title, alongside a qualitative and quantitative review of your alma mater in Chapter Reports.

Read the Full Issue

Beta Foundation's Seventh Giving Day Challenge Sets Records

It was once again a record-breaking year for Giving Day Challenge, as brothers and friends rallied together for 1 day, 8 hours and 39 minutes to support Beta’s commitment to Brotherhood, Personal Growth and Home through the Beta Leadership Fund. Chapters competed in the spirit of brotherly competition, winning like catered meals from Upper Crust and Greek House Chefs as well as chapter apparel credits from Campus Ink.

View the Results

Shop Beta's Official Stores and Partners

Shop the Fraternity’s official online store and home for branded apparel, gifts and more, or get discounts from Beta’s official partners.

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Beta Returns Home For the 187th

Beta is coming home for its annual reunion! Join Beta brothers, Sweethearts and guests at the 187th General Convention on the campus of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Home of the Miami Triad — Beta Theta Pi, Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Chi — and the Alpha chapters of the Delta Zeta and Phi Kappa Tau, Miami is affectionately known as the Mother of Fraternities.

Visit iconic Beta heritage sites across campus, from the Beta Campanile to the Hall of Chapters to the Alpha Chapter house. Take a trip to the grave site of Founder John Reily Knox up the road in Greenville, Ohio. Stand near the spot where the founders changed the course of history some 187 years ago. Mark July 30–August 2, 2026 on your calendar to join attendees from across Beta’s Broad Domain in Oxford.

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Beta Theta Pi is Hiring

The Fraternity is hiring for a variety of staff positions, including chapter development consultants and interns. Visit the careers page for current openings and more information on the perks of working for the Administrative Office.

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“The first mark of a Beta will be his Beta spirit.” – Willis O. Robb, Ohio Wesleyan 1879

Eight Benefits of Joining a Fraternity Like Beta (and Three Cons, too)

Benefit One

Lifelong Friendships

Men of all ages, especially those embarking on their college journey, need connection and a place where they can just be themselves – a family of choice. Individuals from all walks of life find that sense of belonging in Beta because of its focus on developing close, meaningful relationships.

Benefit Two

A More Fulfilling College Experience

Research shows fraternity membership results in higher levels of student engagement, collaborative learning, student-faculty interactions, and involvement in curricular and co-curricular activities. Members report being more satisfied with their college experience overall.

Benefit Three

Community Connection

Community service and philanthropy are a significant part of fraternity life and offer members the opportunity to take part in volunteerism while also spending time with friends. Beta Theta Pi doesn’t have an official philanthropic partner, so members and chapters can choose to give back to causes they are passionate about or where they may have the most significant impact locally.

Benefit Four

Leadership Opportunities

Members often hold significant leadership roles both in and out of the brotherhood. Dozens of Betas are elected as student body or interfraternity council president on their campuses each year. In contrast, many more build new skills (or strengthen existing ones), plan significant events and run the organization’s day-to-day operations.

Benefit Five

An Extensive Network

With 140,000 living alumni, the Beta brotherhood is vast. Members are instantly plugged into this network, which may assist in finding a collegiate mentor, accelerating future career and financial endeavors, or fostering community across the globe. It never hurts to be associated with a group of high achievers.

Benefit Six

Academic Assistance

Most fraternities require you to prioritize academics through a minimum GPA (that’s why you’re in college in the first place, after all). Opportunities for study groups and networking with members who share your major are a plus, too. Studies show fraternities members are 20% more likely to graduate than non-members, in fact!

Benefit Seven

Sense of Belonging

Adapting to college life is challenging as it’s nearly everyone’s first experience away from home. It is easy to feel lost or lonely in that type of situation. Fraternities provide an extra sense of comfort with their built-in social networks and focus on developing relationships.

Benefit Eight

Build Your Resume

Not only might your resume catch the eye of a prospective employer who is also a member, but the skills you build throughout your time in a fraternity – teamwork, time management, conflict resolution and event planning, to name a few – are unmatched elsewhere on a college campus.

Con One

Stigma

Some people refuse to see the value of fraternities and see them as nothing more than buying your friends. To them, the experience is about nothing more than Animal House antics. Sometimes they’re right, especially if a group abuses substances or hazes. It’s up to leading fraternities like Beta to prove them wrong.

Con Two

Time Commitment

There’s no doubt about it: Fraternities can be time-consuming. They involve weekly meetings, frequent social events, seasonal intramurals, ongoing service projects, and more. Most Beta chapters will say, “You can be as involved as you want to be.” That’s true, but even a minimum commitment can feel like a real investment to some.

Con Three

Costs

While dues vary among chapters, it’s common for annual fraternity dues to exceed $500. If this is a concern for you, talk it over with the local chapter president. Some groups, like Beta, offer need-based or merit tuition scholarships to help make the experience more affordable.

Beta Theta Pi Foundation Awards Nearly $400,000 in Scholarships

Each year, the Men of Principle Scholarship Program helps individual chapters recognize unaffiliated (non-member) male students who are devoted to the Fraternity’s core values of mutual assistance, intellectual growth, trust, integrity, and responsible conduct – with no obligation to join. Additionally, the Beta Foundation funds need-based relief scholarships to assist members facing financial hardship and ensure the fraternity experience is financially viable for all. Finally, roughly 100 tuition-based merit scholarships are awarded to Betas (undergraduate and graduate) or their sons and daughters each year.

Men of Principle Scholarship Grants Merit Scholarships

“

"Beta has given me a group of men who I can call my brothers and have no trouble confiding in or having fun with. Being a transfer student, I thought it would be tough to find a good group of people I identified with, but as soon as I found Beta, I found a group of people who gave me a home."
Bryan Golombik, Colorado ’21

“

"I am proud to be a Beta because I believe the legacy I have left and the brotherhood I have created are not bound to now but will be with my brothers and me throughout and even after my lifetime. Beta was a place I could call home when I felt like I was far away from home because I had found a group of brothers who excelled in pursuing their life goals, being leaders, playing an active role in their community, bettering themselves every day, and having a great time while doing it."
Rajay Dockery, South Florida ’21

“

“I am proud to be a Beta because we exist with purpose. As Betas, we add meaningful action to our values and vision. When I helped found Beta at James Madison, I wanted to change Greek life and create a new space. Before fall 2018, there was no space at JMU for men to find brotherhood grounded in authenticity. A space where men are built rather than taken down, where brothers find fraternity invulnerability rather than hazing, where grades are held high, and values held close. I’m proud to be a Beta because the brotherhood I helped create was the home many men at JMU finally found that they identified with...”
John Maiorana, James Madison ’21

Famous Betas

John Wooden, Purdue ’32

UCLA Basketball Coaching Legend

Sam Walton, Missouri ’40

Founder and Chairman, Walmart

Richard Lugar, Denison ’54

U.S. Senator, Indiana

Stephen Sondheim, Williams ’50

Broadway Composer

John Turner, British Columbia ’49

Prime Minister of Canada

Shahid Khan, Illinois ’70

Owner, NFL Jacksonville Jaguars

Bill Bowerman, Oregon ’65

Co-founder, Nike

Bruce Nordstrom, Washington ’55

CEO, Nordstrom

Ray Mabus, Mississippi ’69

U.S. Navy Secretary; Amb. to Saudi Arabia

Bill Nelson, Florida/Yale ’65

U.S. Senator, Florida; Astronaut

Neil Everett, Oregon ’84

Broadcaster, ESPN’s Sportscenter

William “Adam West” Anderson, Whitman ’51

“Batman”

Mike Schmidt, Ohio ’71

MLB Hall of Famer

Brian White, Dartmouth ’95

“Moesha,” “Stomp the Yard,” “CSI: Miami,” “Tyler Perry’s For Better or Worse”

Jimmy Yen, Yale 1918

Humanitarian and Worldwide Educator

Beta Theta Pi At-A-Glance

141

Chapters

Average Chapter Size

9,561

Collegians

142,118

Living Alumni

223,638

Lifetime Members