Tau Kappa Epsilon

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TKE - Tau Kappa Epsilon
The official coat of arms of Tau Kappa Epsilon
Motto Not for Wealth, Rank, or Honor, but for Personal Worth and Character
Colors Cherry (crimson lake) and Gray (pure silver)
Symbol Equilateral Triangle
Flower Red Carnation
Founded January 10, 1899 at Illinois Wesleyan University
Fraternity type Social
Scope International
Headquarters 8645 Founders Road
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Chapters 274
Homepage http://www.tke.org/

Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE, pronounced T-K-E or "Teke", as in teak wood) is a college fraternity with chapters in the USA, and Canada, and affiliation with a German fraternity system known as the Corps of the Weinheimer Senioren Convent(WSC). Tau Kappa Epsilon was founded on January 10, 1899 at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois. With 274 active collegiate chapters and colonies throughout the United States and Canada, TKE has been the largest social fraternity in the world by number of chapters since 1961. The Five founders of TKE are Charles Roy Atkinson, Clarence Arthur Mayer, James Carson McNutt, Joseph Lorenzo Settles, and Owen Ison Truitt.

Tau Kappa Epsilon was originally named the Knights of Classic Lore with the goal of establishing a fraternity where membership is based on personal worth and character rather than wealth, rank, or honor.

Contents

[edit] Symbols and traditions

The TKE Coat-of-Arms is a shield of a Norman form, upon which has a bend with five equilateral triangles, surmounting a scroll bearing five Greek letter, and surrmounted by a skull, or death's head, three-quarters profile. This assemblage is done on the official colors, cherry red and battleship grey, properly mantled. The Coat-of-Arms may be used only by official members of the Fraternity on stationary, jewelry, and other personal effects. It is used by the Fraternity upon its official stationary, membership certificates, and other documents. Modified slightly several times during the early years of Tau Kappa Epsilon, the present Coat-of-Arms, adopted in 1926, was designed by Dr. Carlton B. Pierce and Ms. Emily Butterfield.

Office Titles
Prytanis: President
Epiprytanis: Vice-President
Grammateus: Secretary
Crysophylos: Treasurer
Histor: Historian
Hypophetes: Chaplain (Academics)
Pylortes: Sgt. at Arms (Risk Management)
Hegemon: New Member Education

The red carnation is the flower of the fraternity. From this flower the color for our coat-of-arms, flag, and other symbols. Red carnations are also worn during initiations and at TKE banquets. The Red Carnation Ball is a dance that many chapters celebrate, and is named after the flower.

The patron is Apollo, and is one of the most important Olympian divinities. The Grecian god of music, culture, and the ideals toward which all Tekes must constantly be striving. Typifying the finest development of manhood, the selection of Apollo is most appropriate.

The official membership badge, made of either white or Roman gold and adorned with three white pearls, is by far the most important item of TKE insignia in general use. Only this badge may be worn by undergraduate members. Jeweled badges, crown set with pearls, diamonds, rubies or emeralds, according to choice, may be worn by alumni members. Frequently the standard membership badge is used as a token of engagement. Miniature badges are also available for mothers, sisters, or for engagement purposes. The TKE 'badge of gold', unique in its design and distinctiveness, has never been changed since its adoption.

The present design of the TKE flag, as adopted at the 1961 Conclave, features five voided triangles, in cherry red, on a gray bend surmounting a red field. Due to its patterning after the shield of the fraternity Coat-of-Arms, the flag is readily associated with Tau Kappa Epsilon. Individual chapters may also purchase and use pennants and wall banners of various designs. These usually employ the name or Greek letters of the fraternity and chapter, and may incorporate the basic TKE insignia. TKE insignia must be purchased from the Offices of the Grand Chapter.

[edit] The Horse Shoe

- In April of 1921 members of the Fraternity at The Ohio State University made their way to the Conclave in Madison, Wisconsin. At the conclusion of the vote granting their charter as Omicron Chapter, one of the members pulled from his pants pocket a rusty horseshoe which the fraters had picked up along the way. Believing that the horseshoe had granted the chapter good luck, the tradition began to pass the horseshoe down to each chapter. The original horseshoe was lost during WWII at the Alpha-Chi Chapter, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky (it was replaced with a new horseshoe to continue the tradition). - - In mid-1995, the original horseshoe was discovered by Past Grand Prytanis Rodney Williams among some artifacts belonging to Alpha-Chi Chapter, which had been held for years by a charter member of the chapter. At the 49th Biennial Conclave, the original TKE horseshoe from Omicron Chapter was displayed, and the story behind its loss explained.

[edit] International officers

Grand Officers

  • Grand Prytanis (president): Mark A. Fite, CFC
  • Grand Epiprytanis (vice-president): Robert I. McMurry
  • Grand Grammateus (secretary): Mark K. Johnson
  • Grand Crysophylos (treasurer): Julius J. Edelmann, Jr., CFC
  • Grand Histor (historian): Charles J. Trabold, CFC
  • Grand Hypophetes (academics): Brian C.M. Barrett
  • Grand Pylortes (Sgt. at Arms): Dr. Herbert L. Songer
  • Grand Hegemon (new member education): Rodney G. Talbot
  • Chief Executive Officer: Kevin Mayeux, CAE

The eight Grand Officers along with the CEO act as members of the executive board of the fraternity. Their titles are derived from the titles given to the officers of undergraduate chapters. With the exception of the Grand Prytanis (president) the honorific titles do not necessarily reflect the duties of these officers. The CEO handles day-to-day operation, finances and the administration of the international organization. The CEO also supervises the fraternity's professional and volunteer staff.


Additional Headquarters Staff

  • General Manager / Vice President: Brian Ferber, CAE
  • Director of Chapter Services: Paul Lawson, CAE
  • Director of Programs: Justin Kirk
  • Executive Assistant to the CEO: Christopher D.M. Walsh
  • Regional Director (Northeast): Todd Farmer
  • Regional Director (South): Louie Correa
  • Regional Director (Midwest): Kevin Smith
  • Regional Director (Plains & West): Eric Chamberlain
  • Communications Coordinator: Tom McAninch
  • Business Manager: Rob Taflinger
  • Standards Coordinator: Ethan Stubbs
  • Standards Coordinator: Jason Clagg
  • Recruitment Coordinator: Bryston Cutter
  • Colony Coordinator: Jack Pasco
  • Expansion Consultant: Jon Hackler
  • Expansion Consultant: Joshua Yeager
  • Director of Chapter Development: Dennis "Buckwheat" Perry
  • Director of Membership: Shirley Mills
  • Executive Secretary: Joyce-Ann Anderson
  • Systems Administrator: Jill Konija
  • Services Adminstrator: Regina Taylor
  • Production Manager/Teke Magazine Supervisor/Archivist: Katie Sayre
  • Director of Finance: Ernestine Mann, CPA
  • Network Administrator: Erik Couch
  • Foundation President: Gary A. Reed
  • Foundation Director of Alumni Relations: Eric Richards

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] Government

[edit] Business and industry

[edit] Education

[edit] Athletics

[edit] Entertainment

[edit] Military and NASA

[edit] Philanthropic, literary, and religious

[edit] Chapters and colonies

See List of chapters and colonies of Tau Kappa Epsilon for links and information

Tau Kappa Epsilon is also affiliated with the German fraternity system known as the Corps of the Weinheimer Senioren Convent(WSC). The WSC includes the Corps Franconia zu Darmstadt, Corps Vitruvia Munich, Corps Montania Clausthal and other fraternities.

[edit] External links


North-American Interfraternity Conference
Acacia  • Alpha Chi Rho  • Alpha Delta Gamma  • Alpha Delta Phi  • Alpha Epsilon Pi  • Alpha Gamma Rho  • Alpha Gamma Sigma  • Alpha Kappa Lambda  • Alpha Phi Alpha  • Alpha Phi Delta  • Alpha Sigma Phi  • Alpha Tau Omega  • Beta Chi Theta  • Beta Sigma Psi  • Beta Theta Pi  • Chi Phi  • Chi Psi  • Delta Chi  • Delta Kappa Epsilon  • Delta Phi  • Delta Psi  • Delta Sigma Phi  • Delta Tau Delta  • Delta Upsilon  • FarmHouse  • Iota Phi Theta  • Kappa Alpha Order  • Kappa Alpha Psi  • Kappa Alpha Society  • Kappa Delta Phi  • Kappa Delta Rho  • Lambda Chi Alpha  • Lambda Phi Epsilon  • Lambda Sigma Upsilon  • Lambda Theta Phi  • Order of Omega  • Phi Gamma Delta  • Phi Iota Alpha  • Phi Kappa Psi  • Phi Kappa Sigma  • Phi Kappa Tau  • Phi Kappa Theta  • Phi Lambda Chi  • Phi Mu Delta  • Phi Sigma Kappa  • Phi Sigma Phi  • Pi Kappa Alpha  • Pi Kappa Phi  • Pi Lambda Phi  • Psi Upsilon  • Sigma Alpha Epsilon  • Sigma Alpha Mu  • Sigma Chi  • Sigma Lambda Beta  • Sigma Nu  • Sigma Phi Delta  • Sigma Phi Epsilon  • Sigma Phi Society  • Sigma Pi  • Sigma Tau Gamma  • Tau Delta Phi  • Tau Epsilon Phi  • Tau Kappa Epsilon  • Theta Chi  • Theta Delta Chi  • Theta Xi  • Triangle  • Zeta Beta Tau  • Zeta Psi
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