Maryland Beta History

Our Maryland Beta Chapter was founded in 1929. We began as an engineering honor society called Phi Mu Fraternity, established in the fall of 1923. This group was organized to await the time when the conditions for admission to Tau Beta Pi would be satisfied. The major obstacle to establishment of a chapter at that time was a graduation class of fewer than twenty-five engineers.

In the fall of 1929, after six years of growth and patient waiting, a charter was granted to twenty-five members and alumni of Phi Mu. Since that time the growth of Maryland Beta has been continuous except for a brief period during World War II when the charter was discontinued for lack of undergraduates. Since our establishment, we have initiated over 3,400 members.

Maryland Beta is an active chapter, carrying out a full program of activities. Since the establishment of the R. C. Matthews Outstanding Chapter award in 1956, Maryland Beta has received the award 13 times, and has received 16 honorable mentions. The honors bestowed upon our chapter not only recognize the high caliber of past and present Maryland Tau Bates, but also impose an impressive challenge for the future.