History
The History of Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha National History
Lambda Chi Alpha was founded in 1909 at Boston University by Warren A. Cole, a first-generation college student with a strong desire to challenge the "blue blood" fraternity system of his day by starting a new brotherhood based on Christian ideals and a strong work ethic. Cole's dogged determination and refusal to give up when faced with early failures was finally rewarded with success, culminating in an assembly of the first seven chapters held on March 22, 1913. The work of this assembly has been recognized with such importance that it is now celebrated as the fraternity's Founders Day.
John E. "Jack" Mason, a charter member of our third chapter, at the University of Pennsylvania, was the principle author and designer of the fraternity's spiritual basis, its rituals and emblems. Being a "perfectionist," Mason wanted only the best for the new brotherhood. He delved into research and study of fraternal organizations, their rituals, history, and heraldry with a vengeance. His research produced a Coat-of-Arms which, unlike those of most other fraternities, follows the strict rules of the art of heraldry. His ritualistic research resulted in a work so inspiring that LCA gained a reputation early-on for taking otherwise "unknown" students and turning them into a group of recongnized high-achievers on their campus.
The Theta Kappa Nu national fraternity was founded in 1924 as a union of eleven local fraternities primarily from small private colleges. Theta Kappa Nu merged with Lambda Chi Alpha in 1939, adding 28 new active chapters and over 8,000 alumni to LCA, the largest such merger in the history of national fraternities.
In 1972, LCA became the first national fraternity to abolish the "pledge" system, which treated new members as second-class members, and replace it with associate membership, where new members are treated as full-members in all matters except those involving the ritual.
Since its humble beginnings, the fraternity has established chapters or colonies at over 300 college campuses in the U.S. and Canada, and is now one of the largest, though youngest, international fraternities in existence.
Local History
Nationally, Lambda Chi Alpha International Fraternity boasts the largest initiated membership of all North American college fraternities ever with over 300,000 members. Also, LCA boasts of having the most college fraternity chapters weighing in at over 300 individual chapters on college campuses in Canada and the U.S. Founded in 1909, LCA is one of the youngest college fraternities. So what makes it so popular? Many say, and all initiates agree, it is its vital and enduring Ritual that makes men fraternity brothers even though they have never met or have only known each other for the shortest of time.
Locally, Lambda Chi Alpha was established as the Beta Zeta Chapter (the 207th Installed LCA chapter) on the campus of Western Carolina with its charter on May 22, 1970. It was founded locally by Wilson Augustus Boyd III. The Beta Zeta Chapter started out as the Sigma Tau Sigma local fraternity established in the Spring of 1968.