It has been a challenging year for the fraternity industry, and ZBT has addressed all chapter situations by focusing on the safety and wellness of our brothers. Our commitment to providing a safe, meaningful and fun experience is evidenced in our priorities, increased attention to health and safety initiatives, holding firm in our stance against pledging and more. Coupled with our commitments in the Jewish community and programs addressing sexual violence and hate prevention, ZBT provides a fraternity experience truly unique from any other in the world. As such, it should be no surprise we have seen our expansion efforts continue to succeed. ZBT, in fact, was specifically contacted by multiple campuses this year in focused expansion searches.

This semester we have proudly welcomed back two historic chapters into our brotherhood as we successfully re-established Epsilon Delta at Binghamton University as well as Phi Epsilon at the University of Virginia. These two schools have hundreds of engaged alumni and connections to our brotherhood today, including a member of the Zeta Beta Tau Foundation Board of Directors – Samuel H. Rudman, Epsilon Delta (Binghamton University) 1989 – and a member of the Fraternity’s Supreme Council – International Vice President Jonathan D. Frieden, Esq., Phi Epsilon (University of Virginia) 1994.

These expansions – executed by staff members Bobby Smith, Bradley Whittaker and Joey Pawlan – brought quality men into our brotherhood and laid a foundation for them to grow and make us all proud for years to come. Both new colonies have strong executive officers and a brotherhood committed to exemplifying the finest and best of which college manhood is capable. These men, along with our brothers at the College of Charleston Colony (founded in October 2017), are taking the first steps along their journey, a path not selected by anyone else at their institution this year. These men will continue to show why it is GREAT to be a ZBT!

Beyond our current expansions, the Fraternity is happy to share multiple confirmed expansions for the 2018-19 academic year. We will be bringing the first-ever ZBT presence to THREE new campuses this year: Virginia Commonwealth University, Central Michigan University and the University of California – Irvine. In addition we are proud to have returns in place for our Eta Chapter at Union College and our Zeta Chapter at the University at Buffalo. With five additional expansions already confirmed for 2019-20 and beyond, and applications at other institutions pending, it is clear to see ZBT offers “a unique, desirable and successful means” of “[developing] the individual as a responsible, mature member of society,” as stated in our Credo.

Keep up with all our newest groups via social media and feel free to send a note of congratulations and welcome to the colony presidents!

College of Charleston Colony: President Philip Traxler, Facebook, Instagram

Epsilon Delta Colony (Binghamton University): President Jonathan Mizrahi, Facebook, Instagram

Phi Epsilon Colony (University of Virginia): President Alex Kash, Facebook, Instagram