Zeta Tau Alpha (), also known as Zeta, is an international women's fraternity. It was founded in 1898 at the State Female Normal School (now Longwood University) in Farmville, Virginia. Its international office is located in Carmel, Indiana. It is a member of the National Panhellenic Conference and currently has more than 312,000 initiated members.

History

Zeta Tau Alpha's women's fraternity was founded by nine students on October 15, 1898, at the State Female Normal School (now Longwood University) in Farmville, Virginia. It was the third organization founded of the "Farmville Four". In order, these are: Kappa Delta (1897), Sigma Sigma Sigma (1898), Zeta Tau Alpha (1898), and Alpha Sigma Alpha (1901).

alt=Maud Jones Horner, wearing a large hat and fur shawl, posed for a photo. Maud Jones Horner was a founding member and first president of ZTA.|thumb|Maud Jones Horner, founding member and first president of Zeta Tau Alpha

Zeta Tau Alpha's nine founders were Maud Jones Horner, Della Lewis Hundley, Alice Bland Coleman, Mary Campbell Jones Batte, Alice Grey Welsh, Ethel Coleman Van Name <!--This last word isn't an error. Her name was "Van Name".-->, Helen May Crafford, Frances Yancey Smith, and Ruby Leigh Orgain. When Alice Bland Coleman was approached by another women's fraternity on campus to join, the founders pushed forward with starting the fraternity.

In 1902, member Grace Elcan Garnett, attained a charter for Zeta Tau Alpha from the State of Virginia, cementing its official purpose: "The object of said association shall be to intensify friendship, promote happiness among its members, and in every way to create such sentiments; to perform such deeds, and to mould <!--This is British spelling of the word "mold", as correctly quotes the ZTA website. But this itself may be a typo that could have been "mold" in the 1902 State of Virginia charter. Confirm? KRaranas - Confirmed with an official history that such spelling is used in the original charter.-->such opinions as will conduce to the building up of a nobler and purer womanhood in the world." In 1907, Zeta Tau Alpha had 176 active members and 300 total initiates from eight chapters. It also had an alumnae association.

In 1954, Zeta Tau Alpha established the Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation. The foundation is a non-profit organization devoted to funding scholarships for sisters, providing educational programming, and supporting the fraternity's national philanthropy which is breast cancer education and awareness. Zeta Tau Alpha Housing Corporation was founded in 1974. The organization manages official chapter facilities.

Symbols

Badge

The Zeta Tau Alpha's member badge is a small black shield superimposed on a gold or silver shield bearing the Greek letters "", a five-pointed crown, and the name Themis in Greek. It may be enhanced with jewels and pearls surrounding the shield to indicate office or years of service. The size was regulated at the 1912 convention to be modeled after that of Dr. May Agnes Hopkins, the fraternity's national president at the time. Upon receiving a bid to the fraternity, members receive a set of turquoise and blue ribbons adorned on a pin to wear before receiving the new member pin. Members also wear the colors in honor of significant events such as the installation of a new chapter, Founder's Day celebrations, or the death of a member. The significance of these colors is explained to new members during the initiation service. ZTAlways is a virtual alumnae chapter for members who do not have the opportunity to interact with sisters among a land-based chapter. As an alumna, a woman is still considered a member of the fraternity.

Philanthropy

In 1928, Zeta Tau Alpha started its first national philanthropic effort in the creation of a health center servicing the community of Currin Valley, located in Appalachian Virginia. When the health center closed in 1946, Zeta Tau Alpha partnered with the Easterseals until 1970 and the ARC until 1992. During the partnership with the Easterseals, the Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation (known as the Foundation) was established in 1954. Zeta Tau Alpha trademarked the phrase "Think Pink" with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and uses this term as the umbrella for all of their breast cancer education and awareness projects.

thumb|right|alt=Zeta Tau Alpha sisters involved in a "Think Pink" campaign|Zeta Tau Alpha sisters involved in a "Think Pink" campaign

The Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation currently has partnerships with the American Cancer Society, in which the foundation is the National Survivor Ambassador of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer; the National Football League (partnership established in 1999), for which the foundation distributes pink ribbons as part of the NFL's "A Crucial Catch" campaign; and Bright Pink, in which the Brighten Up Educational Workshop is brought to each collegiate chapter's campus to provide to tools for assessing breast cancer risk. Such programs are referred to "My Sister, My Responsibility" and contain content emphasizing social responsibility, duty of care, and engaging conversations about risk.

Zeta Tau Alpha is a member of the Harm Reduction Alliance, a group that collaborates on providing programming to college students. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the foundation provided Grace Grants to Zeta Tau Alpha members of experiencing hardship. "Grace" refers both to the act of grace given to each other as members and to Grace Estelle Elcan, one of the fraternity's first new members.

Chapter officers for both collegiate and alumnae groups are also given leadership training by the fraternity. Chapter officers can attend either the Emerging Leaders Academy and the Officers' Leadership Academy which allow members to learn more about their specific officer roles.

The fraternity's national convention occurs every two years and brings together chapter members and alumni from around the country. In 2024, the fraternity celebrated the 125 years at their national convention in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Membership

In 2021, as a result of ongoing efforts to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in the fraternity, the national council officially eliminated the legacy policy as a factor in membership selection. Previously, a legacy was given preferential consideration during recruitment. As part of its official announcement, the fraternity said, "Removing the Legacy Policy is an important step toward providing a more equitable recruitment experience for all potential new members. It allows collegiate chapters and PNMs to focus on the mutual selection process, gives chapters full accountability for the members they select, and will ensure that non-legacy PNMs have the same access and opportunity to join."

Governance

Zeta Tau Alpha is structured into three separate organizations that facilitate fraternity operations: Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity, Zeta Tau Alpha Housing Corporation, and Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation. These organizations are each supported by volunteers working at the local and national level as well as staff based at the International Office, based in Carmel, Indiana.