About Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi Fraternity was founded on August 8, 1839 at Miami University of Ohio. "Beta," as it is nicknamed, currently has 121 active chapters or colonies with more than 180,000 initiated men. At present, more than 6,000 of those men are undergraduates.
Beta Theta Pi got its humble beginnings at John Carroll University on October 1, 2007 when a team of four Betas from the Administrative Office in Oxford, OH descended upon the campus looking for the best "Gentlemen, Leaders, and Scholars" they could find. A few short months later, 23 men were initiated as Founding Fathers, left to build a legacy, and a fraternity, that would be built upon the ideals of Beta Theta Pi.
Today, the John Carroll Colony of Beta Theta Pi has 30 active undergraduate members and 20 alumni members. These "Men of Principle" represent some of the best men Carroll has to offer. Within the Beta fold, we have Eagle Scouts, youth sports coaches, and the Homecoming King. Brothers have completed a marathon, operated their own business, and recorded a solo music album. They are majoring in business, education, and the sciences, and the colony holds a cumulative GPA of 3.29, higher than any other fraternity on campus. They are active in their communities, dedicating their time, money, and talents to worthy causes like the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, East Cleveland Adult Activities Center, the American Red Cross, area hospitals, and the Saint Benedict Joseph Labre Project. They are leaders in student organizations, campus ministry, and residence life, and take part in numerous intramural activities year-round.
Beta Theta Pi is also known as "The Singing Fraternity." As such, you'll find our colony serenading the lovely ladies of JCU's five sororities as well as other fine women across campus. Beta also sponsors or co-sponsors karaoke nights in The Underground. This fall, Beta Theta Pi hosted its second annual university-wide talent show, "Carroll's Got Talent." The funds from ticket sales go to benefit its local philanthropy, the Center for Autism at the Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital.
Despite its youth, Beta at JCU has certainly made its mark on campus and within the General Fraternity. It is the 2008 JCU Greek Organization of the Year in just its first year of eligibility, and in 2009 took home the Greek Week Championship. On a regional level, we won the Northeast Leadership Development Award, which accompanied the Charles Henry Hardin Leadership Development Award given in 2008. In 2009, the colony added three more awards - the Virginia Tech Award for Academics, the Excellence in Risk Management Award, and another Hardin Award.
The John Carroll Colony is supported by a leadership consultant from the Administrative Office as well as a ten-member advisory team, consisting of both men and women, Betas and Friends of Beta.
We encourage you to find out more about Beta Theta Pi. Feel free to browse our website by clicking on any of the links at left.