| Mu Epsilon Theta | |
|---|---|
| ΜΕΘ | |
 | |
| Founded | January 16, 1987; 37 years ago (1987-01-16) University of Texas |
| Type | Christian sorority |
| Affiliation | Independent |
| Status | Active |
| Emphasis | Catholicism |
| Scope | Local |
| Motto | "Our Strength is from Above" |
| Pillars | Spirituality, Service, Sisterhood |
| Colors | Black, Yellow, and Silver |
| Flower | Yellow rose |
| Jewel | Onyx, Topaz, and Diamond |
| Mascot | The Lamb |
| Patron saint | Catherine Labouré |
| Chapters | 1 active |
| Members | 3,841+ lifetime |
| Headquarters | Austin, Texas United States |
| Website | muepsilontheta |
Mu Epsilon Theta (ΜΕΘ) is an American collegiate Catholic sorority that was established at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas on January 16, 1987.
History
Mu Epsilon Theta was founded at the University of Texas at Austin as a local sorority based on Catholic principles on October 21, 1986. It was the fourth Catholic sorority to be established in the United States. Its purpose is to promote academics, community service, leadership, and moral and spiritual well-being for female students. Its founders were Maria Alcocer, Evelyn Greenfield, and Patricia Perez.
The sorority was officially recognized at the University of Texas on January 16, 1987. Its members participated in activities such as weekly rosary prayers, monthly religious activities, and a spiritual retreat each semester.
In the spring of 1996, a colony was formed at Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University). It was chartered as the Beta chapter in 1997. In April 2013, a colony was started at Arizona State University; it was chartered as Gamma chapter in the spring of 2015. Epsilon was chartered at Northern Arizona University in December 2015.
By 2021, the sorority had initiated 3,841 members.
Symbols
The motto of Mu Epsilon Theta is "Our Strength is from Above." Its pillars are spirituality, service, and sisterhood. Its colors are black, yellow, and silver. Its mascot is the lamb and its flower is the yellow rose. Its jewels are onyx, topaz, and diamond. Its patron saint is Catherine Labouré.
Chapters
Following is a list of Mu Epsilon Theta chapters. Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are in italics.
| Chapter | Charter date and range | Institution | Location | Status | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha | January 16, 1987 | University of Texas at Austin | Austin, Texas | Active | |
| Beta | April 26, 1997 – 2024 | Texas State University | San Marcos, Texas | Inactive | |
| Gamma | 2015 – 20xx ? | Arizona State University | Tempe, Arizona | Inactive | |
| Delta | 2015 ? – 20xx ? | University of North Texas and Texas Woman's University | Dallas–Fort Worth and Denton, Texas | Inactive | |
| Epsilon | December 5, 2015 – 20xx ? | Northern Arizona University | Flagstaff, Arizona | Inactive |
References
- ^ Torbenson, Craig LaRon; Parks, Gregory (2009). Brothers and Sisters: Diversity in College Fraternities and Sororities. Associated University Presse. pp. 222 and 230. ISBN 978-0-8386-4194-1 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Our Story". Mu Epsilon Theta. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ Hammel, Ambria (2013-05-13). "There's a new sorority at ASU — and it's Catholic". The Catholic Sun. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ "History". Mu Epsilon Theta Beta Chapter. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
- ^ "Our Story". Mu Epsilon Theta ASU. Archived from the original on 2021-02-28. Retrieved 2024-11-19 – via web.archive.org.
- ^ Hammel, Ambria (2015-12-09). "Catholic sorority expands to Flagstaff". The Catholic Sun. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ "Home". Mu Epsilon Theta Beta Chapter. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
- Hammel, Ambria (2016-01-15). "Catholics find faith-filled Greek Life opportunities at local universities". The Catholic Sun. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ "Our Brand". Mu Epsilon Theta. Retrieved 2024-11-19.