Delta Tau Delta Fraternity

A brief history

Delta Tau Delta is a North American social fraternity with a rich history dating back to its founding in 1858 at Bethany College in West Virginia. The fraternity was founded by eight men, who sought to create an organization that valued excellence in academics, leadership, and character. Today, Delta Tau Delta has over 140 active chapters across the United States and Canada, with a membership of over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate members.

The Eight Founding Men

In 1868, William Randolph Cunningham, Alexander Campbell Earle, Richard Havener Alfred, Henry King Bell, John Calhoun Johnson, Jacob Snedeker Lowe, Eugene Tarr, and John Lucius Newton Hunt founded Delta Tau Delta.

To learn more about Delts history, visit www.delts.org/history.

Delt Priciples

Truth is vital in the relationship between an organization and the outside world. If an organization cannot be trusted, it will perish. Truth begins within the organization. To truly become brothers, men must be truthful to themselves and to one another. They must hold one another accountable.

Courage takes heart. Those who are courageous thrive. As you navigate through life, you will be confronted with many difficult decisions. Courage helps a leader understand the best option and take it, regardless of the popularity of that choice. Courage has a distinct relationship with truth. One must know the truth to stand for it.

Faith is belief. Faith grows, develops and changes. It means trusting yourself and believing your actions are appropriate. Faith will help you trust decisions you make and believe that given information is correct. A lack of faith drives a wedge through an organization and friendships.

Power begins as inner strength. Power is a combination of talents and inherent abilities and wisdom. Through united individuals, we can do so much more as a brotherhood than we can alone. The power of an organization, when combined with courage, faith, and truth, leads us into the future and ensures success.

Value Statements

  • Integrity is Essential: Integrity means doing what you say you will do. Integrity establishes credibility for yourself and the Fraternity and having it means others can trust you, believe you, and count on you.
  • Accountability is Fundamental to all Commitments: Accountability means holding to your promises, making you responsible for both your words and your actions.
  • Lifelong Learning and Growth are Vital: There is no status quo in the pursuit of excellence – you are either moving ahead through continuous growth and learning or going backward and slowly narrowing your choices and opportunities in life. There is no point in today’s world where one can afford to stop learning and growing.
  • Strengthening Community is Essential to our Vitality: The pursuit of a life of excellence must occur through constant interaction with many different communities. Therefore, a strong community is vital for your future, as well as the Fraternity’s.
  • Brotherhood Sustains Us: Delta Tau Delta is an organization that relies on Brotherhood to hold us together. Brotherhood involves individual responsibility to one’s self and to others.

The Delt Creed

I believe in Delta Tau Delta for the education of youth and the inspiration of maturity so that I may better learn and live the truth.
I believe in Delta Tau Delta as a shrine of international brotherhood: her cornerstone friendship, her foundation conscience, her columns aspiration, her girders self-restraint, her doorway opportunity, her windows understanding, her buttresses loyalty, her strength the everlasting arms.
I believe in Delta Tau Delta as an abiding influence to help me do my work, fulfill my obligations, maintain my self-respect, and bring about that happy life wherein I may more truly love my fellow men, serve my country, and obey my God.