Facts and History of Lambda Chi Alpha
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Founded at Boston University in 1909 - youngest among
the 20 largest fraternities.
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Third largest fraternity with more than 225 chapters and
colonies in 45 states and 3 Canadian provinces.
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More than 225,000 members - 3rd among all fraternities
in initiates.
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The largest full-time staff of any fraternity - full-time
Executive Director, Director of Finace and Insurance, and ten support staff
employed solely for service to alumni, chapter and colony members.
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Annual Leadership Seminar and Biennial General Conventions...each
chapter and colony receives expense allowance from the General Fraternity
for travel, room and meals (for two delegates.)
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Annual graduate scholarship awards - more than $250,000
granted so far, to members from over 180 chapters and colonies.
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Cross & Crescent, quarterly magazine... a leader in
its field. Each member receives a lifetime subscription.
Significant Events 1909-present
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1909 -Warren A. Cole and two other law students founded Alpha Zeta
of Lambda Chi Alpha at Boston University in Boston,
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Massachusetts.
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1910 -First ritualistic initiation.
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1912 -Lambda Chi Alpha becomes a national fraternity with the installation
of the second, third, fourth, and fifth chapters.
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1913 -The Second General Assembly proclaimed the ideals of Lambda
Chi Alpha by adopting the Fraternity's secret mottoes
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and approving revisions
to the Initiation Ritual, coat of arms, and badge. The date of the General
Assembly, March 22,
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1913, and its achievements
are celebrated annually as Founders Day.
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1914 -Lambda Chi Alpha's first magazine, the Purple, Green, and
Gold, was published.
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-The present Initiation
Ritual adopted by the Third General Assembly.
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-Lambda Chi Alpha joins
the National Interfraternity Conference.
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1915 -Zeta Zephyr, the first chapter publication, published
by Zeta at Penn State.
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1916 -First inter-chapter meeting (now Leadership Conclave) held
in Indianapolis.
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1917 -Twenty-five hundred Lambda Chis (90 percent of the membership)
in military service during World War I.
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1920 -Central office opened at Kingston, Pennsylvania, and later
moved to Indianapolis, Indiana. -First full-time salaried
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Administrative
Secretary hired.
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1924 -Delegates from 11 local societies combined at Springfield,
Missouri, and formed Theta Kappa Nu. -First full-time
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salaried Traveling
Secretary employed to devote full time to chapter visitation. -Charter
granted to the Lambda Chi
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Alpha Fraternity,
Inc.
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1926 -The first edition of The Paedagogus published.
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-Theta Kappa Nu awarded
its first graduate scholarship.
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1927 -Lambda Chi Alpha becomes an international fraternity with
the installation of Epsilon-Epsilon at the University of
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Toronto.
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1928 -The practice of hazing is condemned by Lambda Chi Alpha.
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1935 -First members inducted into the Order of Merit.
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1939 -The union of Theta Kappa Nu and Lambda Chi Alpha increases
the chapter roll from 78 to 106 and the membership
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from 20,000
to 27,000.
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1940 -Lambda Chi Alpha purchased its first headquarters building.
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1944 -An estimated 12,000 members serve in the armed forces during
World War II. Many chapters are inactive due to
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military service.
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1946 -John E. Mason Memorial Foundation (now Lambda Chi Alpha Educational
Foundation, Inc.) created.
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1949 -First Management Training Seminar (now Leadership Seminar)
held at Wittenberg College in Springfield, Ohio.
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1952 -The position of Chapter Service Secretary (now Director of
Chapter Services) created.-The Annual Loyalty Fund
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campaign is
established as a means for alumni to support the Fraternity beyond their
college days.
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1959 -Fiftieth anniversary rededication ceremonies held.
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1960 -First members inducted into the Order of Achievement and Order
of Interfraternity Service.
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1961 -Upsilon at Louisiana State University becomes the first chapter
to initiate 1,000 members.
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1967 -Lambda Chi Alpha initiates its 100,000th member, the fifth
fraternity to do so.
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1969 -The concept of fraternity education replaces pledge education.
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-First Regional High Pi
Conference (now Alumni Leadership Conference) held.
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1970 -First meeting of the Student Advisory Committee held, and
the first undergraduate member elected to the Grand High
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Zeta. -Linn
C. Lightner retires after 50 years of service as Editor of the Cross
& Crescent, the longest editorship in the
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fraternity
world.
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1972 -The term "associate member" replaces the term "pledge" in
Lambda Chi Alpha.
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1973 -The first Grand High Alpha Awards and Phoenix Awards presented.
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1974 -The new International Headquarters Building opens in northwest
Indianapolis.
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1983 -The Standards for Chapter Excellence introduced at
the Leadership Seminar at Ball State University in Muncie,
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Indiana.
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1984 -Numerous Founders Day and other commemorative events conducted
in celebration of Lambda Chi Alpha's
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seventy-fifth
anniversary.
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1988 -A Resolution on Alcoholic Beverages adopted by the 42nd General
Assembly that prohibits chapter from purchasing or
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providing
alcohol.
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1990 -George W. Spasyk retires as Executive Vice President following
40 years of service on the Administrative Staff. -The
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position of
High Iota(risk manager) adopted by the 43rd General Assembly, the first
fraternity to create a risk
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management
officer in every chapter. -The 2.25 minimum grade point standard adopted
by the 43rd General Assembly.
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1991 -Lambda Chi Alpha initiates its 200,000th member, the third
college fraternity to do so.
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1993 -Omega at Auburn University becomes the first chapter to initiate
2,000 members.
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-Lambda Chi Alpha sponsors
the inaugural North American Food Drive, the largest single-day fraternity
philanthropic
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project, and
raises more than 256,000 pounds of food for the hungry.
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-The Lambda Chi
Alpha Educational Foundation of Canada created.
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