The Zeta Psi Fraternity of North America Inc. was founded in 1847 as a social college fraternity. The organization now comprises about fifty active chapters and twenty-five inactive chapters, encompassing roughly twenty thousand brothers, and is accredited by the North American Inter-Fraternity Conference. It has historically been selective about the campuses at which it establishes chapters, focusing on forging new territory and maintaining a presence at prestigious institutions: it was the first fraternity on the West Coast in 1870, the first fraternity in Canada in 1879, and the only fraternity to have chapters simultaneously at all eight Ivy League schools with the chartering of Eta at Yale University in 1889 (although the Brown University chapter has been inactive since 1986, when it seceded to form a coed fraternity, Zeta Delta Xi). Founded in 1855, the Kappa Chapter of Zeta Psi holds the distinction of being the first Greek organization at Tufts University. One of the oldest buildings on campus, the Kappa Chapter house holds an important place in Tufts history. Today's Zetes continue to act as leaders in the Tufts student body and are very active in philanthropic activities. | Download The Story of the Kappa Chapter
from The Story of Zeta Psi by Howard Bement and Douglas Bement |
Notable Kappa Zetes
Seldon Connor - Class of 1859
Former Governer of Maine
Colonel of the 7th Main Regiment
Born January 25th, 1839
Died July 9th, 1917
Thomas O. Seaver - Class of 1859
Colonel 3rd Vermont Infantry
Medal of Honor Receipient
Born December 23rd 1833
Died July 11th 1912
Austin Barclay Fletcher - Class of 1876
President of the Board of Trustees Tufts University 1913-1923
Benefactor of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
Member Phi Beta Kappa
Member of the Templar Knights
Born March 13th, 1852
Died July 5th, 1923
Louis Peterson Davis - Class of 1874
The man for whom Davis Square is named.
His ten acre estate use to reside in the square's present day location.
Born 1819
Died 1894
Jarvis Sherman Wight, MD - Class of 1859
Inventor of artery forceps, the self-threading needle,
a knife for opening blood vessels, and numerous other surgical appliances
Charles Henry Eaton - Class of 1874
After whom Eaton Hall is named.
Eldridge Hazen Dearborn - Class of 1862
After whom Dearborn St. is named.
Alston William Dana class of 1884
After whom Dana Laboratories is named.
Son of Hosea Ballou II, after whom Ballou Hall is named.