Category Archives: North-American Interfraternity Conference

Busting Myths – That Pesky “All But Two Presidents Born Since 1825” Statistic Has Problems

I consider myself an advocate for fraternity life. As the start of a new academic year approaches and recruitment beckons on the horizon, a pesky statistic rears its head. Every time I see it on Greek Life websites or in … Continue reading

Posted in First Ladies, Fran Favorite, NIC, North-American Interfraternity Conference, Presidents | Tagged , | Comments Off on Busting Myths – That Pesky “All But Two Presidents Born Since 1825” Statistic Has Problems

DKE Founders’ Day, a Cuban Convention, and a Box of Cigars

On June 22, 1844, in room 12 of Old South Hall, 15 Yale College* students from the Class of 1846 organized Delta Kappa Epsilon. The fifteen founders are William Woodruff Atwater, Edward Griffin Bartlett, Frederic Peter Bellinger, Jr., Henry Case, … Continue reading

Posted in Delta Kappa Epsilon, Founders' Day, Fran Favorite, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, North-American Interfraternity Conference, Yale University | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on DKE Founders’ Day, a Cuban Convention, and a Box of Cigars

David Starr Jordan, Lombard College, and a Forget Me Not Book

The book from the 1870s was titled  “Forget Me Not.” It was filled with pages and pages of poems and signatures, many in ornate script, some faded by time, and others hard to decipher without a magnifying glass. The former … Continue reading

Posted in Cornell University, Delta Upsilon, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Lombard College, NIC, North-American Interfraternity Conference, Stanford University, University of Indiana | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on David Starr Jordan, Lombard College, and a Forget Me Not Book

Fraternity and Sorority Members Lobby on Capitol Hill – April 24, 2013

On April 24, 2013, 200 fraternity and sorority members, collegiate and alumni (of the men’s groups)/alumnae (of the women’s groups), will be Washington D.C. to lobby on Capitol Hill. The Fraternal Government Relations Coalition (FGRC), is a group bringing together … Continue reading

Posted in GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Men's Fraternities, National Panhellenic Conference, NIC, North-American Interfraternity Conference, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Fraternity and Sorority Members Lobby on Capitol Hill – April 24, 2013

Happy Founders’ Day to FarmHouse and Triangle Fraternities, 2 of the 3 NIC Organizations Without Greek Letters

Acacia, FarmHouse and Triangle Fraternities are the only members of the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) that do not use Greek-letters. The latter two celebrate Founders’ Day on the same day. What’s also interesting to note is that both were formed … Continue reading

Posted in FarmHouse, Founders' Day, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, NIC, North-American Interfraternity Conference, Triangle, University of Illinois, University of Missouri | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Happy Founders’ Day to FarmHouse and Triangle Fraternities, 2 of the 3 NIC Organizations Without Greek Letters

Happy Founders’ Day Delta Gamma and Phi Delta Theta!

March 15 is the day on which both Delta Gamma and Phi Delta Theta celebrate Founders’ Day. It is the birthday of Robert Morrison, one of Phi Delta Theta’s six founders. The organization was founded on December 26, 1848 at … Continue reading

Posted in Delta Gamma, Founders' Day, George Banta, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Miami University, National Panhellenic Conference, NIC, North-American Interfraternity Conference, Phi Delta Theta, Sorority History, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Happy Founders’ Day Delta Gamma and Phi Delta Theta!

Baird’s Manual of American College Fraternities Debuted 135 Years Ago

My thanks to Christopher Walters, a fraternity history enthusiast and a member of Phi Mu Alpha, for writing this blog post. In 1879 a revolution occurred in the fraternity world. It was in March of that year when a little booklet, … Continue reading

Posted in Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, Beta Theta Pi, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, NIC, North-American Interfraternity Conference, Sorority History, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Baird’s Manual of American College Fraternities Debuted 135 Years Ago

December 24 Through January 2 – A Busy Time in Fraternity and Sorority History

It’s hard for today’s collegians to contemplate spending December 24 through January 2 on campus. Most higher education institutions shut down for the holiday week. However, that week has been a significant one in the history of Greek-letter organizations. Delta … Continue reading

Posted in Alpha Delta Phi, Alpha Omicron Pi, Chi Phi, Delta Gamma, Founders' Day, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Miami University, National Panhellenic Conference, NIC, North-American Interfraternity Conference, Phi Delta Theta, Phi Gamma Delta, Phi Iota Alpha, Pi Beta Phi, Sigma Nu, Sorority History, Women's Fraternity History, Zeta Beta Tau | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on December 24 Through January 2 – A Busy Time in Fraternity and Sorority History

Syracuse University and the Tragedy of Pan Am Flight 103 Over Lockerbie

December 21, 1988, four days before Christmas, was to have been filled with joyful reunions. It quickly turned horrible for the families and friends of the 259 people on board and 11 on the ground who perished when Pan Am … Continue reading

Posted in Alpha Tau Omega, Brown University, Delta Tau Delta, Fran Favorite, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Kappa Kappa Gamma, National Panhellenic Conference, NIC, North-American Interfraternity Conference, Ohio Wesleyan University, Phi Delta Theta, Pi Beta Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sorority History, SUNY - Oswego, Syracuse University, Zeta Psi | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Syracuse University and the Tragedy of Pan Am Flight 103 Over Lockerbie

Happy Birthday AFA and a Belated Birthday Greeting to NIC!

The Association of Fraternity Advisors (AFA) was founded on December 1, 1976. The momentous occasion took place in Williamsburg, Virginia,  during the 1976 Bicentennial gathering of the National Interfraternity Conference. AFA began with 35 members.  AFA offers professional growth and … Continue reading

Posted in Association of Fraternity Advisors, Beta Theta Pi, Delta Kappa Epsilon, Delta Tau Delta, Fran Favorite, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Men's Fraternities, National Panhellenic Conference, North-American Interfraternity Conference, Notable Sorority Women, Phi Delta Theta, Phi Gamma Delta, Pi Beta Phi, Sigma Chi, Sigma Nu, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sorority History | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Happy Birthday AFA and a Belated Birthday Greeting to NIC!