Zeta Phi Eta

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Zeta Phi Eta
ΖΦΗ
FoundedOctober 10, 1893; 132 years ago (October 10, 1893)
Northwestern University
TypeProfessional
AffiliationIndependent
Former affiliation
StatusActive
EmphasisCommunication Arts and Sciences
ScopeNational
Motto"Achieve! with Wisdom, Integrity and Love"
Colors  Rose and   White
Flower"La France" rose
PublicationThe Cameo
Chapters6
Logo
Headquartersc/o Valerie Glowinski
2349 North Windsor Drive
Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004
United States
Websitewww.zetaphieta.org

Zeta Phi Eta (ΖΦΗ) is an American professional fraternity for communication arts and sciences. It was founded in 1893 at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. It is recognized as the oldest professional fraternity for women, although its membership is now co-educational.[1]

History

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Zeta Phi Eta was originally formed as the F.O.E. Club at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, on October 10, 1893, as the first professional oratory arts fraternity.[2][3] Edith deVore conceived the idea of a club for students of the School of Oratory (later the School of Communication).[3] DeVore was joined by Molly Connor, Lelia LIttle, Maude Newell, and Laurine Wright.[2] The group called itself the F.O.E. Club, vowing to be a "Friend of Each, Each Our Friend".[3] The women met in secret before receiving formal approval for the Zeta Phi Eta fraternity from the dean of the School of Oratory in 1894.[3]

Zeta Phi Eta founders as photographed for the Northwestern University yearbook.

The fraternity was incorporated on June 25, 1902 under the laws of the State of Illinois.[4] Reflecting the organization’s status as a professional, rather than an honorary or social, society, the charter proclaims, “This society is to promote a greater excellence in oratorical and dramatic art, and to develop a social interest and a stronger friendship toward each other.”[5]

In 1908, the fraternity merged with Phi Eta Sigma, a similar organization at Emerson College of Oratory in Boston, Massachusetts, as Zeta Phi Eta.[4][2] When the fraternities merged, Phi Eta Sigma became the Alpha chapter and the Northwestern group became the Beta chapter.[3][4] During the 1910s and 1920s, campus and alumnae chapters grew quickly at institutions around the country.[4] The fraternity first published The Cameo in 1913, a quarterly national magazine.[4]

In 1941, the fraternity had initiated 3,000 women across nineteen collegiate chapters and fifteen alumnae chapters.[6] Since 1950, the fraternity broadened its focus in the speech arts to include communications arts and sciences.[4]

Zeta Phi Eta's affiliations over the years have included the American Educational Theatre Association, the American National Theatre and Academy,[2] the American Theatre Association, the Children's Theatre Association, the Speech Association of America,[2] and the Speech Communications Association. It is a former member of the Professional Panhellenic Association now the Professional Fraternity Association.

Symbols

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The cameo and pearl pin of Alpha became the national fraternity's official badge, and the shield and torch of Beta became its coat of arms.[5] The Zeta Phi Eta badge is a rose-colored cameo upon which is carved the Greek letters "ΖΦΗ" in white, surrounded by 23 pearls.

The fraternity's colors are rose and white.[4] Its flower is the "La France" rose.[4] Its magazine is The Cameo, along with occasionally a Prospectus and Pledge Manual.[4]

Activities

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In 1955, the Zeta Phi Eta Foundation was established to contribute to "worthy speech and drama projects". One long-term project initiated by the Zeta alumnae in 1960 was a full-scale nationwide tape recording program for the Library of Congress, recording tapes of published works for access by blind patrons.[7][4] Another national project, Graduate Assistantship Opportunities, was designed to provide professional guidance to senior members of campus chapters upon entering graduate school.[3]

Membership

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While originally established as a women-exclusive sorority, Zeta Phi Eta began extending its membership to male students in 1975.[3] Since its founding, Zeta Phi Eta membership has expanded to welcome undergraduate and graduate students focusing on a wide range of communications-related fields. These include creative writing, drama, English literature, graphic design, journalism, language studies, marketing, photography, political science, public relations, and speech pathology.[8]

Chapters

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Main article: List of Zeta Phi Eta chapters

In 2025, Zeta Phi Eta has six active collegiate chapters and five active professional chapters; although it has chartered 59 collegiate chapters.[4][9][10]

Notable members

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Collegiate

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Ethel Waters being initiated as an honorary member of Zeta Phi Eta, May 1956

Honorary

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Diary of Alpha Kappa Psi. United States: Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity. 1975. p. 5.
  2. ^ a b c d e Robson, John, ed. (1963). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press, George Banta Company, Inc. pp. 536-537.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Zeta Phi Eta | Archival and Manuscript Collections". findingaids.library.northwestern.edu. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991). Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. V-61–63. ISBN 978-0963715906.
  5. ^ a b "About Us". Zeta Phi Eta. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  6. ^ Streeter, Mildred (March 1, 1941). "Zeta phi eta". The Southern Speech Journal. 6 (4): 95. doi:10.1080/10417944109370775. ISSN 0038-4585.
  7. ^ "Zeta Phi Eta Records for Library of Congress". Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness. 54 (8): 307. October 1960. doi:10.1177/0145482X6005400815. ISSN 0145-482X. S2CID 220536900.
  8. ^ "Department News - Communication". www.jsu.edu. Archived from the original on February 14, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  9. ^ "Chapters". Zeta Phi Eta. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  10. ^ Zeta Phi Eta's List of Installed Campus Chapters, accessed 7 Nov 2021.
  11. ^ "Actress Madge Evans & Zeta Phi Eta Members, May 1942 | Ann Arbor District Library". aadl.org. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  12. ^ Ascenso, Tony (Fall 2008). "A Trip to the Archives" (PDF). Cameo. 73 (2): 4 – via Zeta Phi Eta.
  13. ^ Jessica Tandy receiving honorary membership to Zeta Phi Eta, 1955, retrieved February 14, 2023
  14. ^ "Actress Ethel Waters made honorary member of Zeta Phi Eta, May 1956 | Ann Arbor District Library". aadl.org. Retrieved February 14, 2023.