Theta Upsilon Omega (), was a national collegiate fraternity in the United States. It was formed by the merger of nine local fraternities in 1924. On April 23, 1938, Theta Upsilon Omega merged with Sigma Phi Epsilon.

History Representatives of several local fraternities at a December 1, 1923 meeting of locals, organized by the National Interfraternity Conference (NIC), determined to form a new national through amalgamation. The following nine local fraternities were part of the NIC meeting and formed Theta Upsilon Omega:

Delta Tau, Worcester Polytechnic Institute Phi Kappa Pi, Stevens Institute of Technology Zeus Fraternity, University of Illinois Kappa Sigma Phi, Temple University Beta Kappa Psi, Bucknell University Kappa Tau Omega, The George Washington University Sigma Beta, University of New Hampshire Delta Kappa Nu, Penn State University Phi Alpha Pi, Davidson College

They were joined by Pi Rho Phi of Westminster College at the Charter Arch Convocation meeting, held at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania from February 21 to 23, 1924. The result was the creation of Theta Upsilon, later called Theta Upsilon Omega. All then chapters received their charter and inducted members on May 2, 1924. With the merger of the ten fraternities, Theta Upsilon's formed with 544 members. Merle C. Cowden, of Worcester, was chosen first national president of Theta Upsilon Omega.Taylor, Herbert Foster. Seventy Years of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 1937. p.324

The fraternity established its first alumni club in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1925. The fraternity had twelve chapters and 988 active members on June 1, 1926.

Additional chapters were chartered, but growth stalled during the Great Depression. Following negotiations on April 23, 1938, Theta Upsilon Omega merged with Sigma Phi Epsilon. Of its thirteen active chapters, four merged with existing Sigma Phi Epsilon chapters, and seven others were granted new charters in Sigma Phi Epsilon. One chapter reverted to local status under its original name and another merged with Theta Chi on its campus.Adams, John P., ed. The Lifetime Responsibility of Brotherhood: Sigma Phi Epsilon. Rand McNally, 2000. p.74

Symbols Theta Upsilon Omega's official seal was a voided fusil bearing inscriptions regarding the fraternity and having in the center, the Squire's helmet facing to the left. Its crest was a dragon sitting on a mural crown, above an esquire's helmet. Its coat of arms was designed by Emily Helen Butterfield.

The fraternity's badge was a small pin of blue enamel with a circular contour in the center of which was a ten-pointed gold star enclosing a jewel. The badge had three short triangular arms which were equidistant around the pin, and on them, in gold, the Greek letters . In the spaces between the arms will be six pearls, two between each pair of arms. Charter members could wear the pin with a diamond center, and initiated members could substitute a ruby for the diamond or wear a plain pin.

The fraternity's pledge button was a cross fitchy of midnight blue with a border of gold. Its recognition pin was its crest in old gold, consisting of a mural crown from the top of which issues a dragon's head.

The fraternity's flag was equally sized vertical bands of blue, gold, and blue with a blue cross fitchy in the center of the gold band. Its colors were midnight blue and gold. Its flower was a dark red rose. Its publication was The Omegan.

Chapters Following is a list of Theta Upsilon Omega chapters.

Chapter Charter date and range Institution Location Status Beta Alpha – Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, Massachusetts Merged () Gamma Alpha – Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, New Jersey Merged () Delta Alpha – University of Illinois Illinois Merged () Epsilon Alpha – Temple University Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Merged () Zeta Alpha – Bucknell University Lewisburg, Pennsylvania Merged () Eta Alpha – George Washington University Washington, D.C. Merged () Theta Alpha – University of New Hampshire Durham, New Hampshire Inactive Iota Alpha – Pennsylvania State University State College, Pennsylvania Merged () Kappa Alpha – Davidson College Davidson, North Carolina Inactive Lambda Alpha – Westminster College New Wilmington, Pennsylvania Merged () Beta Beta – Miami University Oxford, Ohio Inactive - later became OH Eta chapter of Gamma Beta – University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, California Merged () Delta Beta – Muhlenberg College Allentown, Pennsylvania Merged () The Omegan Volume V Number 2 Epsilon Beta – University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, Alabama Inactive The Omegan Volume VI Number 2 Zeta Beta – Monmouth College Monmouth, Illinois Inactive The Omegan Volume VII Number 2 Eta Beta – Alabama Polytechnic Institute Auburn, Alabama Merged () The Omegan Volume VII Number 4 Theta Beta – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, New York Merged ()

Notable members Thomas Cunningham Cochran - Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania 1927-1935. Paul J. Kramer - American biologist and plant physiologist Thomas Z. Minehart - Treasurer of Pennsylvania, Auditor General of Pennsylvania.

See also

List of social fraternities

References