About Zeta Tau Alpha
In 1898, nine young women at the Virginia State Female Normal School (now Longwood University) formalized their friendship by forming Zeta Tau Alpha. Away from home for the first time, these teenagers longed for companionship while they studied to be teachers. Fearing their unique friendship would fade without a formal bond to sustain it, they met in secret by candlelight in the bathroom of their dormitory. At the start, they used only three question marks as their group name. The first minute book of regular meetings states Zeta Tau Alpha was organized Oct. 15, 1898.
Learn more about how Zeta Tau Alpha was founded.
We now have more than 300,000 initiated members, 172 active collegiate chapters and more than 225 alumnae chapters across the country.
The Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation is the philanthropic and fundraising arm of the Fraternity. The Foundation leads our efforts in breast cancer education and awareness, provides around $1 million in scholarships annually, and sponsors educational and leadership opportunities for our members and others.
The ZTA Fraternity Housing Corporation is the largest in the Panhellenic world and provides safe, secure and competitive housing for all our collegiate members.
Explore the national ZTA website to find additional information about our Nine Key Values, policies, dedication to inclusion, programming and more.
Wofford College's Chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha is the Theta Zeta Chapter, and was established in 1975. Our chapter is compassionate, authentic, and generous, and hold our National Philanthropy very close to our hearts. Our National Philanthropy is Breast Cancer Education and Awareness, and Theta Zeta holds multiple fundraising events per year to raise money and awareness on campus for our cause. Our first event is called "Crown Classic" and it is held in the fall, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October). At Crown Classic, we host live bands, a corn hole tournament, and cater food from local vendors. We sell tickets to members of the Wofford Community, Sisters, Family Members, Professors, and even locals of Spartanburg. This is one incredible way that our chapter raises money for such an important cause. Our other even is called "Shag-a-thon", and its a swing dancing event, in which members of the community get involved and come together to hear stories of Breast Cancer survivors, dance together, and share each other's company. In the past 5 years, our chapter has won awards for being the top 3, and top 8 of all Zeta Tau Alpha chapters for amount of money raised per sister. The compassion and care that our sisterhood has for our philanthropy goes beyond words, but here is a little about it from our 2020-2021 Philanthropy Chair, Riley DeLavan.
“One of the main reasons that I decided to go through recruitment was to find a group of women that I could genuinely connect with. On night two of recruitment, I was invited to ZTA’s Philanthropy Night, and found more than what I was looking for. That night, the women in ZTA showed me what true servant leadership looks like. Listening to the sisters speak about their cause, Breast Cancer Education and Awareness, struck a chord in me that will forever ring. Now, I am one of those sisters. I am blessed to be surrounded by such generous and passionate sisters that fight diligently for such an important cause. ZTA is the pure embodiment of the phrase ‘No woman left behind.’” -Riley Delavan, VP IV Philanthropy Chair, Class of 2023
In 2020, Theta Zeta won multiple Wofford College Greek Awards, Zeta Day Awards, and National Convention Awards. At Zeta Day 2020, Theta Zeta was awarded Quota/Total Award, Highly Commendable GPA, the Nancy Jo Stipp Outstanding Philanthropy Event award, and the Amelia Sue McAbee New Member Retention Award. Additionally, our chapter won Quota/Total Award and Highly Commendable GPA at the 2020 National Convention. We have won these award and many others in the years proceeding 2020, and have had the Panhellenic's New Member of the Year awarded to a member in our chapter for multiple years. Our 2019 Zeta day awards include the Elizabeth O-Dell McAbee Recruitment Award, Quota/Total Award, and Highly Commendable GPA Award along with receiving the Crown Chapter award in at the National Convention in 2019. Receiving the Crown Chapter award and title is very important to the women in our chapter, and it is a priority of our Executive Council.