Tau Delta History
To foster and promote brotherly love, to inaugurate a spirit of cooperation and helpfulness, to create a better understanding among our brothers, to encourage vigorous participation in University, philanthropic, and general activities in our communities, to the mutual advantage of all concerned, the Tau Delta Chapter of the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity is solemnly dedicated.
In 1996, the Tau Delta Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi was founded at Northwestern University by ten men who were dissatisfied with the options offered by the Northwestern Greek community. Men, who had no interest in hazing or being hazed, were looking for a group in which they could express themselves in a fraternal setting. After much research, they decided to form a new chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi on Northwestern's campus.
Being the ambitious brothers they were, the ten Founding Fathers sought to expand the new chapter and integrate the fraternity into the greater Greek community at Northwestern. After a few years dedicated to membership growth and creating an operating framework for the chapter, Tau Delta was granted its charter and official recognition from Alpha Epsilon Pi's international leadership.
Soon following the chapter's chartering, the fraternity would be granted use of the vacant house at 562 Lincoln Street and recognition as a member of the University's Interfraternity Council. After years of operating off campus, AEPi was finally a full part of the Northwestern Greek community.
For the first time in its history, AEPi participated in the staples of Northwestern Greek life, such as Homecoming, Gone Greek Night, Maysing, and social events with sororities. Our participation in these events brought a great deal of class to typically raucous Greek activities.
Over the next several years, the chapter continued to grow its membership and increase its presence at Northwestern and within the larger AEPi community. As a result, Tau Delta began to win award after award for excellence ranging from Jewish programming to Homecoming, and from alumni relations to community service. In 2003, we had the privilege of hosting the AEPi Midwest Regional Conclave.
Tau Delta has since set the standard for philanthropy in the Greek community. In 2003, Tau Delta began its annual Dog Days philanthropy, an event that has become an annual chapter tradition which has raised thousands of dollars each year for cancer research. When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, Tau Delta eagerly embraced a fellow brother who was displaced from Tulane University.
In the last few years, the chapter has continued to make an impact at Northwestern, with members serving as leaders of the Greek, Jewish, and campus communities. Class by class, the fraternity grows farther removed from its Founding Fathers. Yet, their ideals and goals continue to be conveyed to new generations of brothers dedicated to the sustaining a place for Jewish men within the Greek sphere of campus life.