The first fraternity at

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...

(MIT) was

Chi Phi Chi Phi () is considered by some as the oldest American men's college social fraternity that was established as the result of the merger of three separate organizations that were each known as Chi Phi. The earliest of these organizations was forme ...

, established in 1873. In the fall of 2023, 43 percent of MIT's male students belonged to a fraternity, while 23 percent of female students belonged to a sorority. As of 2025, MIT has 23 social fraternities, five gender-inclusive social fraternities, ten social sororities and women's fraternities. It also has nine honor societies and recognition organizations, and one service fraternity, and two professional fraternities. Five Independent Living Groups are grouped into a separate Living Group Council, but otherwise operate similarly to residential fraternities and sororities. These are known collectively as FSILGs. Within this article, the terms "fraternity" and "sorority" are used somewhat interchangeably, with men's and co-ed groups normally using fraternity, and women's groups using either fraternity or sorority. Greek Letter Society is a generic substitute, with he word "Greek" referring to the use of

Greek Letters The Greek alphabet has been used to write the Greek language since the late 9th or early 8th century BC. It was derived from the earlier Phoenician alphabet, and is the earliest known alphabetic script to systematically write vowels as we ...

for each society's name, and not to a Greek ethnicity. For brevity, the sections below make extensive use of

Greek letters The Greek alphabet has been used to write the Greek language since the late 9th or early 8th century BC. It was derived from the earlier Phoenician alphabet, and is the earliest known alphabetic script to systematically write vowels as we ...

, one of the first items in a new member's instruction program. Most fraternities use two or three Greek letters to signify their symbolic or secret names; a few use non-Greek words.

History

The first fraternity at

(MIT) was

, established in March 1873.Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (April 14, 2025)
Institutions - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
.
Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities
'. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed May 23, 2025. However, its charter was withdrawn in 1878. Chapters of

Alpha Tau Omega Alpha Tau Omega (), commonly known as ATO, is an American social Fraternities and sororities, fraternity founded at the Virginia Military Institute in 1865 by Otis Allan Glazebrook. The fraternity has around 250 active and inactive chapters an ...

and

Theta Xi Theta Xi () is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity. It was founded at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1864. Of all the social fraternities today, Theta Xi was the only one founded during the Civil War. Its Grand Lodge is ...

were chartered in 1885. In 1886, there were three fraternities at MIT, with a total membership of 39. In 1886, Sigma Chi became the first MIT fraternity with facilities, renting rooms for its meetings and gatherings. This model was soon followed by the other fraternities. Many MIT fraternities are located in Boston because the institute was originally located in the

Back Bay Back Bay is an officially recognized Neighborhoods in Boston, neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, built on Land reclamation, reclaimed land in the Charles River basin. Construction began in 1859, as the demand for luxury housing exceeded the ...

neighborhood, and had no dormitories to house its students. The fraternities and various dining clubs met a need for room and board that was not provided by the operations of the campus. Fraternity housing has continued to expand, both in terms of the size and quality of the individual buildings as well as the number of chapters. Several of MIT's fraternity buildings are today listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

or are otherwise notable, including former governor's mansions, college deans' mansions, and homes of various early leaders who once resided there. A cursory search of Institute yearbooks will show that dining, and later, fine dining, has remained of particular interest to participants. Many chapters extol the quality of their gourmet or commercial kitchens in their photo tours and rush materials. In 1900, 16.1 percent or 234 students were members of MIT's eight fraternities. Within the next six years,

Delta Psi Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet * D (NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta"), the fourth letter in the Latin alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * Delta Air Lines, a major US carrier ...

had formed from The No. 6 Club (local), the local fraternity Phi Beta Epsilon had formed, and chapters were chartered for the national fraternities

Delta Kappa Epsilon Delta Kappa Epsilon (), commonly known as ''DKE'' or ''Deke'', is one of the oldest Fraternities and sororities, fraternities in the United States, with fifty-six active chapters and five active Colony (fraternity or sorority), colonies across No ...

Delta Tau Delta Delta Tau Delta () is a United States–based international Greek letter college fraternity. Delta Tau Delta was founded at Bethany College, Bethany, Virginia, (now West Virginia) in 1858. The fraternity currently has around 130 collegiate chapt ...

Delta Upsilon Delta Upsilon (), commonly known as DU, is a collegiate men's fraternity founded on November 4, 1834, at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It is the sixth-oldest, all-male, college Greek-letter organization founded in North America ...

, and

Phi Gamma Delta Phi Gamma Delta (), commonly known as Phi Gam and sometimes written as FIJI, is a North American social fraternity with 139 active chapters and 13 colonies across the United States and Canada. It was founded at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania ...

. By 1915, MIT had twenty fraternities with 481 active members or 29 percent of the student body. Around that time, the fraternities organized into the Interfraternity Council (IFC) which coordinated recruitment (rush) and intramural Greek athletics such as baseball and bowling. One early tradition established by the IFC with the support of faculty was a trophy for the best scholarship record; the trophy was a grandfather clock that was passed on to the fraternity with the best overall grade average after each term. MIT moved to its Cambridge campus in 1916, and newer independent living groups have sprouted up or moved in around it. Older organizations are located along Newbury Street, convenient to the old campus. Because of the move, MIT doesn't have a specific Greek Row; instead, chapter houses are scattered on both sides of the

Charles River The Charles River (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ), sometimes called the River Charles or simply the Charles, is an river in eastern Massachusetts. It flows northeast from Hopkinton, Massachusetts, Hopkinton to Boston along a highly me ...

in Boston, Cambridge, and the surrounding towns.
The Technique yearbook
' provides a window to the growth and popularity of MIT's Greek organizations for almost 150 years.

Demographic changes

From the 1860s through

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, MIT students were almost entirely male, thus, the formation of women's fraternities or sororities came much later. By the 2000s, the Institute's undergraduate gender ratio reached near parity. En route to this more balanced, modern phase, a period of demographic and political change in the 1960s and 1970s, following larger national trends, resulted in the conversion of several all-male, nationally affiliated living groups into local co-ed groups and led to the expansion of all-female and co-ed housing options. Most of the resultant fraternities, sororities, and independent living groups are coordinated through the Office of Fraternities, Sororities, and Independent Living Groups (FSILGs), though some independent "MIT-area" chapters do arise from time to time, along with those that serve students from multiple schools in Boston and the surrounding cities.

Recruitment traditions

Traditionally, fraternity and sorority recruitment or rush at MIT occurred during Residence/Orientation (R/O) Week, which was the final week of each summer before the start of the fall semester. All incoming

freshmen A freshman, fresher, first year, or colloquially frosh, is a person in the first year at an educational institution, usually a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of post-secondary school, post-se ...

and transfer students would arrive on campus a week before Registration Day, the official start of the fall semester. During R/O Week, the incoming class would participate in orientation activities, take the so-called writing test to attempt to test out of the MIT Writing Requirement, and participate in residence selection. All students were free to participate in the fraternity, sorority, and independent living group rush. Those students who did not end up in an off-campus living group would also participate in the dorm selection process (see

Housing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), students are housed in eleven undergraduate dormitories and nine graduate dormitories. All undergraduate students are required to live in an MIT residence during their first year of study. Unde ...

). Freshman housing rush was eliminated in an initiative led by MIT president

Charles Vest Charles "Chuck" Marstiller Vest (September 9, 1941 – December 12, 2013) was an American mechanical engineer and academic administrator. He served as president of the National Academy of Engineering from 2007 to 2013, the 15th president of the ...

in the wake of the September 1997 death of

freshman Scott Krueger. Beginning with the 2002–2003 academic year, all freshmen were required to live on campus. The old fraternity rush has been depressurized, with recruiting spread out throughout the first academic year, and less-frantic rush events for prospective new members.

Fraternities

As of the fall of 2023, 43 percent of MIT's male students belong to a fraternity.

Fraternities A fraternity (; whence, " brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club or fraternal order traditionally of men but also women associated together for various religious or secular aims. Fraternity in the Western conce ...

constituting the

Interfraternity Council The North American Interfraternity Conference (or NIC; formerly known as the National Interfraternity Conference) is an association of intercollegiate men's social fraternities that was formally organized in 1910. However, it began at a meeting ...

(IFC) are listed by dates of local founding and noted with national conference membership. These are (with several exceptions) men's organizations, voluntarily coordinating their efforts within the IFC as a self-governing body. As part of IFC or national organization self-governance or University disciplinary action, chapters may be suspended (de-recognized) or closed for a time. In the following lists, if a chapter is closed, it will be grouped under inactive chapters, ''italicized'', while active chapters or those suspended for a brief time are in bold.

Active fraternity chapters

Following are the active fraternities at MIT. * -

, 1873–1878, 1890 (NIC) * -

Sigma Chi Sigma Chi () International Fraternity is one of the largest North American social Fraternities and sororities, fraternities. The fraternity has 244 active undergraduate chapters and 152 alumni chapters across the United States and Canada and has ...

, 1882 (NIC) * -

, 1885–1897, 1901 (NIC) * -

St. Anthony Hall St. Anthony Hall or the Fraternity of Delta Psi is an American fraternity and literary society. Its first chapter was founded at Columbia University on , the feast day of Saint Anthony the Great. The fraternity is a non–religious, nonsectar ...

, aka Delta Psi and No. Six Club, 1889 (NIC), co-ed * -

, 1889 (NIC) * -

Theta Delta Chi Theta Delta Chi () is a social fraternity that was founded in 1847 at Union College, New York, United States. While nicknames differ from institution to institution, the most common nicknames for the fraternity are TDX, TDC, Thete, Theta Delt, an ...

, 1890–1892, 1906 (NIC), co-ed * - Phi Beta Epsilon (local), 1890 * -

, 1890 (NIC) * -

Sigma Alpha Epsilon Sigma Alpha Epsilon () is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity. It was founded at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on March 9, 1856.Baird, William Raimond, ed. (1905).Baird's Manual of American College Fratern ...

, 1892–1999, 2009 (NIC) * -

Pi Lambda Phi Pi Lambda Phi (), commonly known as Pi Lam, is a social fraternity with 145 chapters (44 active chapters/colonies). The fraternity was founded in 1895 at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. History Very little is known about the early ...

, 1897–1901, 1920 (NIC) * -

Phi Sigma Kappa Phi Sigma Kappa (), colloquially known as Phi Sig or PSK, is a men's social and academic Fraternities and sororities, fraternity with approximately 74 List of Phi Sigma Kappa chapters#Chapters, active chapters and provisional chapters in North Am ...

, 1902 (NIC) * -

Theta Chi Theta Chi () is an international men's college fraternity. It was founded on April 10, 1856, at Norwich University then-located in Norwich, Vermont. It has initiated more than 215,000 members and has over 8,900 collegiate members across North A ...

, 1902 (NIC) * -

Phi Kappa Sigma Phi Kappa Sigma (), also known as Phi Kap, Skulls, Skullhouse, or PKS, is an international all-male college secret society and social fraternity. Commonly known as “Skulls”, the name is inspired by the skull and crossbones on the fraternity ...

, 1903 (NIC) * -

Zeta Beta Tau Zeta Beta Tau () is a Greek-letter social fraternity based in North America. It was founded in 1898 at City College of New York. Originally a Zionist youth society, its purpose changed in 1954 when the fraternity became non-sectarian and open to n ...

, 1911–22, 1961 (NIC) * -

Beta Theta Pi Beta Theta Pi (), commonly known as Beta, is a North American social Fraternities and sororities in North America, fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. One of North America's oldest fraternities, , it consist ...

, 1913–2011, 2013 (NIC) * -

Kappa Sigma Kappa Sigma (), commonly known as Kappa Sig or KSig, is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at the University of Virginia in 1869. Kappa Sigma is one of the five largest international Fraternities and sororities in North America, fr ...

, 1914 * -

Phi Kappa Theta Phi Kappa Theta (), commonly known as Phi Kap, is a national social fraternity that has over 35 active chapters and colonies at universities across 21 U.S. states. The fraternity was founded on April 29, 1959, at Ohio State University in Columb ...

, 1918 (NIC) * -

Sigma Nu Sigma Nu () is an undergraduate Fraternities and sororities in North America, college fraternity founded at the Virginia Military Institute in 1869. Since its founding, Sigma Nu has chartered more than 279 chapters across the United States and Ca ...

, 1922–1974, 1995 (NIC) * -

Phi Delta Theta Phi Delta Theta (), commonly known as Phi Delt, is an international secret and social Fraternities and sororities in North America, fraternity founded in 1848, and currently headquartered, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, alo ...

, 1932 * -

Kappa Alpha Psi Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, fraternity. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911, at Indiana University Bloomington, it has n ...

, 1975 (NPHC) and (NIC) * -

Alpha Delta Phi Alpha Delta Phi (; commonly known as Alpha Delt, AD, ADPhi, A-Delt, or ADP) is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity. Alpha Delta Phi was originally founded as a literary society by Samuel Eells in 1832 at Hamilton College in ...

, 1976 (NIC) * - Nu Delta (local), 1977 * -

Zeta Psi Zeta Psi () is an international collegiate fraternity. It was founded in 1847 at New York University. The fraternity has over 100 chapters, with roughly 50,000 members. Zeta Psi was a founding member of the North American Interfraternity Confer ...

, 1979 (NIC) * -

Alpha Phi Alpha Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. () is the oldest intercollegiate List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, fraternity. It was initially a literary and social studies club organized in the ...

, 1989 (NPHC) and (NIC) * Xi Fellowship - Xi Fellowship (local), 2015 co-ed

Fraternity chapters with name changes

Following are former names of fraternities at MIT. *''Navajo Club (local) -'' 1878–1890, an interim group that became *''Number 6 Club (local) -''1887–1889, became * - ''Alpha Epsilon (local),'' 1902–1906, became * - ''Lambda Phi (local),'' 1906–1925, inspired * - ''Kappa Theta (local),'' 1908–1913, became * - ''Delta Kappa Phi (local),'' 1912–1914, became * - ''

Sigma Alpha Mu Sigma Alpha Mu (), commonly known as Sammy, is a college fraternity founded at the City College of New York in 1909. Though initially founded as a Jewish organization, the fraternity dropped its religious affiliation and became open to men of a ...

,'' 1917–1973 (NIC), became Fenway House, an Independent Living Group * - '' Phi Kappa,'' 1918–1959, became * - ''

Tau Epsilon Phi Tau Epsilon Phi (), commonly known as TEP or T E Phi, is an American collegiate social Fraternities and sororities in North America, fraternity that was founded at Columbia University in 1910. Since its establishment, the fraternity has chartered ...

,'' 1919–1930, 1957–2023 (NIC), co-ed, became Xi Fellowship * - '' Phi Beta Delta,'' 1920–1941, Jewish, (see ) * - ''

Phi Sigma Delta Phi Sigma Delta (), colloquially known as Phi Sig, was an American collegiate fraternity established in 1909 with a predominantly Jewish membership at Columbia University. It eventually opened at least more than sixty chapters. Phi Sigma Delta mer ...

,'' 1921–1927, Jewish, (see ) *''Sigma Nu Club (local) -'' 1921–1922, became * - ''

Phi Mu Delta Phi Mu Delta () is a national fraternity founded on March 1, 1918, at the Universities of Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The fraternity is focused on the ideals of democracy, service, and brotherhood. History Phi Mu Delta was origina ...

'',1922–1977, became * - ''Psi Delta (local)'', 1922–1932, (NIC), became * - ''

Sigma Omega Psi Sigma Omega Psi (ΣΩΨ) was a historically Jewish Fraternity founded in 1914 and which merged into Alpha Epsilon Pi (ΑΕΠ) in 1940. History Sigma Omega Psi was founded in 1914 at College of the City of New York. Its purpose was as Greek lett ...

,'' 1922–1935?, Jewish, became *''Alpha Club (local) -'' 1929–1929, became ΑΚΠ (see ΑΣΦ) * - '' Alpha Kappa Pi -'' 1929–1940, became ΑΣΦ *''Pegis Club (local) -'' 1948–1952, became *''Dover Club (local) -'' 1956–1961, became * - ''

Pi Kappa Alpha Pi Kappa Alpha (), commonly known as Pike is a college fraternity founded at the University of Virginia in 1868. The fraternity has over 225 chapters and provisional chapters across the United States and abroad with over 15,500 undergraduate mem ...

,'' 1970–1981, 2010-11 (NIC), became pika, an Independent Living Group * - ''Delta Pi (local),'' 1990–1995, became

Inactive fraternity chapters

Following are the inactive fraternities at MIT. * - ''

,'' 1885–1887, 1905–2009 (NIC) * - ''

,'' 1889–1894, 1899–1998 (NIC) * - ''

,'' 1891–2014 (NIC) * - ''Delta Sigma (local),'' 1894–1898 * - ''

Delta Sigma Phi Delta Sigma Phi (), commonly known as Delta Sig, is a fraternities and sororities, fraternity established in 1899 at City College of New York, The City College of New York (CCNY). It was the first fraternity to be founded based on religious and e ...

,'' 1904–1908 (NIC) * - ''

Theta Nu Epsilon Theta Nu Epsilon (, commonly known as T.N.E.) was an American sophomore class collegiate society that later became a traditional social fraternity. Founded at Wesleyan University in 1870 as a chapter of Skull and Bones, the society expanded into a ...

,'' 1904–1916 (NIC)1911 ''MIT Technique'' yearbook, pp.232-233Baird's 19th, ΘΝΕ website, and a note about Theta Nu Epsilon in ΦΣΚ's Rand History, in a reference cited under that other fraternity, p.190. * - ''

Lambda Chi Alpha Lambda Chi Alpha (), commonly referred to as Lambda Chi, is a fraternities and sororities, collegiate fraternity in North America. With over 300,000 initiates as of 2024, it is the third-largest social fraternity in the world by number of initia ...

,'' 1912–2014 * - '' Tau Delta Phi,'' 1919–1929, 194x ? –1991+/- (NIC), Jewish * - '' Alpha Mu Sigma,'' 1921–1926, Jewish * - ''

Alpha Phi Delta Alpha Phi Delta (), commonly referred to as APD, is an American collegiate fraternity. Alpha Phi Delta was established at Syracuse University in 1914 as an Italian-heritage fraternity. History In 1913, Syracuse University student Nicholas Frunzi ...

,'' 1928–37, 1939–43, 1948–53 (NIC), Italian-American * - ''

Alpha Sigma Phi Alpha Sigma Phi (), commonly known as Alpha Sig, is an intercollegiate men's social Fraternities and sororities, fraternity. Founded in 1845 at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, it is the tenth oldest social fraternity in the United Sta ...

,'' 1929–1940, 2012–2014 (NIC) * - ''

Alpha Epsilon Pi Alpha Epsilon Pi (), commonly known as AEPi, is a college Fraternities and sororities, fraternity founded at New York University in 1913. The fraternity has more than 150 active chapters across the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Israel ...

,'' 1951–1990, 1990–202x ? (NIC) * - ''

Sigma Phi Epsilon Sigma Phi Epsilon (), commonly known as SigEp, is a social college Fraternities and sororities, fraternity for male college students in the United States. It was founded on November 1, 1901, at Richmond College, which is now the University of ...

,'' 1952–2019 *KKK - '' Kappa Kappa Kappa (local)'', circa 1919–20xx ?

Gallery of fraternity chapter houses

Many MIT-affiliated fraternities and sororities own private buildings in the

and

Fenway–Kenmore Fenway–Kenmore is an officially recognized neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It is considered one neighborhood for administrative purposes, but it is composed of numerous distinct sections (East Fenway/Symphony, West Fenway, Audubon Circl ...

neighborhoods in Boston. File:ADP-MIT.jpg, Alpha Delta Phi's ''Lambda Phi chapter'' house at MIT, 2017 Image:alphathetasigmachihouse.jpg, Sigma Chi's ''Alpha Theta chapter'' house at MIT, 2004 File:No6Club House.jpg, "Number Six Club" (

''Tau chapter)'' at MIT, 2004 Image:ThetaChiBetaHouse.jpg, Theta Chi's ''Beta chapter'' house at MIT, 2008 File:Omicron_Chapter_of_Phi_Sigma_Kappa,_at_MIT,_1940s.jpg, Phi Sigma Kappa's ''Omicron'' chapter house at MIT, circa 1940s

Sororities

As of the fall of 2023, 23 percent of MIT's female students belong to a sorority.The

sororities In North America, fraternities and sororities ( and ) are social clubs at colleges and universities. They are sometimes collectively referred to as Greek life or Greek-letter organizations, as well as collegiate fraternities or collegiate sorori ...

, listed below with dates of local founding and national conference membership, are women's organizations that voluntarily coordinate their efforts within MIT's Panhellenic Association (PHA). For convenience, the term "sorority" is used throughout, though some of these organizations are "women's fraternities," and were so named before the popularization of the term sorority. The terms are synonymous. AxoHouse

Sorority properties are generally owned or leased by a chapter's alumni club, though some chapters do not have housing. As part of PHA or national organization self-governance, or University disciplinary action, chapters may be suspended (de-recognized) or closed for a time. If a chapter is closed and/or forfeits its housing, it will be listed as a dormant chapter. In the following lists, if a chapter is closed, it will be grouped under inactive chapters, ''italicized'', while active chapters or those suspended for a brief time are in bold. Following are the sororities and women's fraternities at MIT, with

National Panhellenic Conference The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) is an umbrella or trade association for 26 national and international women's sororities throughout the United States and Canada. '' Panhellenic'' () refers to the group's members being autonomous social ...

indicated by NPC.

Active sorority chapters

* -

Alpha Phi Alpha Phi International Women's Fraternity (, also known as APhi) is an international Fraternities and sororities in North America, sorority with 175 active chapters and over 270,000 initiated members. Founded at Syracuse University in Syracuse, ...

, 1984 (NPC) * -

Alpha Chi Omega Alpha Chi Omega (, also known as Alpha Chi or A Chi O) is a national women's fraternity founded at DePauw University in 1885. As of 2023, it has more than 140 active collegiate and 170 active alumnae chapters in the United States and has initiat ...

, 1986 (NPC) * -

Sigma Kappa Sigma Kappa (, also known as SK or Sig Kap) is a sorority founded on November 9, 1874 at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. The sorority has initiated 226,000 members, has 119 collegiate chapters, and has over 98 alumnae chapters. It is offic ...

, 1989 (NPC) * -

Kappa Alpha Theta Kappa Alpha Theta (), commonly referred to simply as Theta, is an international Fraternities and sororities, sorority founded on January 27, 1870, at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. It was the first Greek-letter fraternity established ...

, 1991 (NPC) * -

Pi Beta Phi Pi Beta Phi (), often known simply as Pi Phi, is an international Fraternities and sororities in North America, women's fraternity founded at Monmouth College, in Monmouth, Illinois on April 28, 1867, as I. C. Sorosis, the first national secret c ...

, 2008 (NPC) * - Chi Lambda Mu, aka Clam, 2014 co-ed * - Delta Phi Epsilon, 2015 (NPC)

Sororities chapters with name changes

* - ''Eta Sigma Mu (local),'' 1890–1895, became The Cleofan. *''Bon 3 Club (local),'' 1968–2014, became *''Club Amherst (local),'' 1981–1984, became *''The Thalians (local),'' 1985–1986, became * - ''Sigma Iota Phi (local)'', 1992–1995, became

Inactive sorority chapters

Following are the inactive sororities and women's fraternities at MIT. * - ''

Alpha Epsilon Phi Alpha Epsilon Phi ( or AEPhi) is an American sorority and a member of the National Panhellenic Conference. It was the second Jewish sorority formed in the United States. History Alpha Epsilon Phi was established at Barnard College in New Yo ...

'', 1995–2022 (NPC)

Multicultural Greek Council

Originally ethnic or language-affiliated, these organizations are now fully integrated, as are MIT's general Greek letter organizations and ILGs. They make up the fourth Greek Council within FSILG. Their historical affiliation may be reviewed by reading their local or national histories. Some of the men's groups also participate in IFC events, and the women's groups in PHA events. Multicultural Greek Council (MGC) chapters are non-residential and often serve several schools in the Boston area. Additional schools are listed in the references for each group. They may or may not be under the authority of the Office of FSILG. Further, the historically Black Greek associations (NPHC and NPC) have adopted a heightened focus on alumni and adult programming, usually with distinct alumni chapters that also exist locally. On the MIT campus, the inter-Greek councils will, as needed, cooperate on programs and policies, as do individual chapters from among the several Greek councils. Following are the active MGC fraternities and sororities at MIT, listed by date of local founding and national conference membership, these are either men's or women's organizations, voluntarily coordinating their efforts within the larger Multicultural Greek Council (MGC). In the following lists, if a chapter is closed, it will be grouped under inactive chapters, ''italicized'', while active chapters or those suspended for a brief time are in bold.

Active cultural fraternity chapters

* -

Omega Psi Phi Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African-American Fraternities and sororities, fraternity. It was founded on November 17, 1911 at Howard University. Omega Psi Phi is a founding member of ...

, 1916 (NPHC), African American * -

, 1975 (NPHC) and (NIC) * -

, 1989 (NPHC) and (NIC) * -

Lambda Upsilon Lambda La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc. ( or LUL) is a Latino and multicultural interest collegiate fraternity. It was founded at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York on February 19, 1982, and has 81 active undergraduate chapt ...

, 1994 (NALFO), Latino

Active cultural sorority chapters

* -

Alpha Kappa Alpha Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. () is an List of African American fraternities, historically African-American Fraternities and sororities, sorority. The sorority was founded in 1908 at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. Alpha Kappa Alpha ...

, 1977 (NPC) * -

Delta Sigma Theta Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, sorority. The organization was founded by college-educated women dedicated to public service with an emp ...

, 1980 (NPC)

Inactive historically cultural fraternity chapters

* - ''

Psi Alpha Kappa Psi Alpha Kappa () was an American fraternity started by international Latin American students at Lehigh University in October of 1900. It has the distinction of being the first inter-collegiate Latin American fraternity in the United States and t ...

,'' 1901–1904, Latin American * - ''Pi Delta Phi (local),'' 1916–1921, Latin-American, became ΦΛΑ (see ΦΙΑ) * - ''

Phi Lambda Alpha Phi Lambda Alpha () was the first Latin American–based Greek lettered collegiate fraternity in the Western United States. It was established on November 26, 1920. It merged to form Phi Iota Alpha in 1931. History Phi Lambda Alpha was a local ...

,'' 1921-1931?, Latin-American, became ΦΙΑ

Professional fraternities and sororities

Professional societies A professional association (also called a professional body, professional organization, or professional society) is a group that usually seeks to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals and organisations engaged in that prof ...

emphasize developing skills in a specific major or field of study over social life. Membership includes both students and faculty of a specific field.

Professional Fraternity Association The Professional Fraternity Association (PFA) is an American association of national, college, collegiate, professional fraternities and sororities that was formed in . Since PFA groups are discipline-specific, members join while pursuing gradua ...

members are indicated by PFA.

Active professional fraternity chapters

* -

Theta Tau Theta Tau () is a professional collegiate engineering fraternity. The fraternity has programs to promote the social, academic, and professional development of its members. Theta Tau is the oldest and largest professional engineering fraternity ...

, 1912–1930, 2016 (PFA), engineering * -

Phi Sigma Rho Phi Sigma Rho (; also known as Phi Rho or PSR) is a social sorority for individuals who identify as female or non-binary in engineering and technology. The sorority was founded in 1984 at Purdue University. It has since expanded to more than 40 ...

, 2021 women's engineering

Inactive professional fraternity chapters

The following professional fraternities formerly operated at MIT. *'' -

Alpha Chi Sigma Alpha Chi Sigma () is a professional fraternity specializing in the fields of the chemical sciences. It has both collegiate and professional chapters throughout the United States consisting of both men and women and numbering more than 78,000 m ...

,'' 1919–1954, 19??–2009 (PFA), chemistry *'' Scarab,'' 1921–?, architecture, national disbanded''.'' *'' -

Kappa Eta Kappa Kappa Eta Kappa () is an American co-educational professional fraternity for electrical engineering and computer engineering. It was founded in 1923 at the University of Iowa. History Kappa Eta Kappa was founded on February 10, 1923 at the Unive ...

,'' 1924–1944 (PFA), electrical engineering, computer engineering or computer science

Honor and recognition fraternities

Honor societies In the United States, an honor society is an organization that recognizes individuals who rank above a set standard in various domains such as academics, leadership, and other personal achievements, not all of which are based on ranking systems. ...

recognize students who excel academically or as leaders among their peers, usually within a specific academic discipline. In the following lists, if a chapter is closed, it will be grouped under inactive chapters, ''italicized'', while active chapters or those suspended for a brief time are in bold. Following are the honor societies at MIT, with members of the

Association of College Honor Societies The Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) is a voluntary association of national collegiate and post-graduate honor societies. It was established on December 30, 1925 by six organizations: Alpha Omega Alpha, the Order of the Coif, Phi B ...

indicated by ACHS.

Active honor society chapters

* -

Tau Beta Pi The Tau Beta Pi Association (commonly Tau Beta Pi, , or TBP) is the oldest engineering honor society and the second oldest collegiate honor society in the United States. It honors engineering students in American universities who have shown a ...

, 1922 (ACHS), engineering honors * -

Chi Epsilon Chi Epsilon () is an American collegiate civil engineering honor society. It honors engineering students who have exemplified the "principles of scholarship, character, practicality, and sociability...in the civil engineering profession.""The ...

, 1928 (ACHS), civil engineering honors * -

Sigma Xi Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society () is an international non-profit honor society for scientists and engineers. Sigma Xi was founded at Cornell University by a faculty member and graduate students in 1886 and is one of the oldest ...

, 1934, graduate science and engineering honors * -

Eta Kappa Nu Eta Kappa Nu () or IEEE-HKN is the international honor society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Joining HKN is by invitation only. Membership is a lifelong designation for individuals who have distinguished them ...

1939, IEEE affiliation, electrical engineering, computer engineering honors * -

Pi Tau Sigma Pi Tau Sigma () is an international honor society in the field of mechanical engineering. The society was established in 1915 at the University of Illinois. It has 182 chapters. History Pi Tau Sigma was established on March 16, 1915, at the Un ...

, 1947 (ACHS), mechanical engineering honors * -

Phi Lambda Upsilon Phi Lambda Upsilon National Honorary Chemical Society () was founded in 1899 at the Noyes Laboratory of the University of Illinois. Phi Lambda Upsilon was the first honor society dedicated to scholarship in a single discipline, chemistry. Objec ...

, 1955 (ACHS), chemistry honors * -

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States. It was founded in 1776 at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, ...

, 1971, academic honors * -

Alpha Nu Sigma Alpha Nu Sigma () is an American nuclear engineering honor society affiliated with the American Nuclear Society. It has chartered more than 25 chapters at universities in the United States. History Alpha Nu Sigma National Honor Society was esta ...

, 1980?, nuclear energy honors * -

Sigma Pi Sigma Sigma Pi Sigma () is an American honor society for physics and astronomy. It was founded at Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina on December 11, 1921. It is the oldest and only American honor society for physics and astronomy. It is an or ...

, 1983 (ACHS), physics honors * National fraternity key societies - There are dozens of these, scholarship honors

Inactive honor society chapters

*'' - Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha'', 1956, forensics honors *'' - Pi Delta Epsilon'', 1910–1927+, journalism honors (see the Society for Collegiate Journalists) *''Triglyph,'' 1921-1927+, architectural honors *'' - Sigma Alpha Beta (local)'', 1923–19xx ?, military honors *'' - Alpha Sigma Delta,'' 1924–1927+, radio communication honors *'' -

Delta Omega Delta Omega Society () is an international honorary society for studies in public health. It was founded in 1924 at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. The society has chartered 122 chapters ...

,'' 1924–1944, public health honors *''

Scabbard and Blade Scabbard and Blade (S&B) is an American collegiate military honor society founded at the University of Wisconsin in 1904. It was founded as a men's organization and later became a co-educational society. Membership is for Reserve Officers' Traini ...

'', 1924–20xx ? (ACHS), military honors *''Mortar and Ball,'' 1925–1933+, Coast Artillery honors *''

Angel Flight Angel Flight is the name used by a number of groups whose members provide free air transportation for passengers in need of medical treatment far from home and perform other missions of community service. Such a non-profit organization may be l ...

,'' 19xx ?–19xx ?, auxiliary to Arnold Air Society, became Silver Wings *''

Arnold Air Society The Arnold Air Society (AAS) is a professional, honorary, service organization. AAS is open to officer candidates in Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) and at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), and is formally affiliated ...

(A-1)'', 19xx ?–20xx ?, Air Force cadet honors *'' - Sigma Delta Psi'', 1966–xxxx ?, disbanded national athletics honorary *''

Order of Omega The Order of Omega is an undergraduate Greek society recognizing "fraternity men and women who have attained a high standard of leadership in inter-fraternity activities." It functions as an adjunct to traditional fraternal organizations rather ...

'', 1992–201x ?, Greek Life leadership honors

Service fraternities

Service fraternities were formed with the intent of providing campus and community service. These organizations are self-governed. Following are the service fraternities at MIT. PFA indicates current or past membership in the Professional Fraternity Association. * -

Alpha Phi Omega Alpha Phi Omega (), commonly known as APO, but also A-Phi-O and A-Phi-Q, is a national Mixed-sex education, coeducational Service fraternities and sororities, service Fraternities and sororities, fraternity. It is the largest College fraterniti ...

, 1936, co-ed (PFA)

Notes

References

External links

Map of MIT Fraternities, Sororities and ILGs

MIT's Office for Fraternity, Sorority and Independent Living Groups
{{DEFAULTSORT:Massachusetts Institute of Technology fraternities and sororities Massachusetts Institute of Technology student life