Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity Inc.

Overview

Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity Inc., colloquially known as Lambda Chi Alpha or Lambda Chi, is a collegiate social fraternity based in North America. Founded on November 2, 1909, at Boston University by Warren A. Cole, it is one of the largest social fraternities globally, with over 300,000 lifetime members as of 2024[2][3].

History

• 1909: Founded by Warren A. Cole at Boston University.
• 1910: The name "Lambda Chi Alpha" was first recorded, and the first ritualistic initiation occurred[1][5].
• 1912: Became a national fraternity with installations of second through fifth chapters[4][5].
• 1913: The Second General Assembly took place, adopting the fraternity's secret mottoes and revising the Initiation Ritual, marking March 22 as Founders Day[4][5].
• 1920: The central office moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, and the first full-time administrative secretary was appointed[1][4].
• 1939: Merged with Theta Kappa Nu, expanding to 106 chapters and 27,000 members[4][5].
• 1947: Created the John E. Mason Memorial Foundation (now Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation)[4].
• 1972: Introduced associate membership to replace pledging, promoting an anti-hazing culture[1][3].
• 1993: Initiated the North American Food Drive, collecting over 256,000 pounds of food[1][5].

Philanthropy

• 1993-2012: North American Food Drive collected over 33 million pounds of food[2].
• 2017: Partnered with St. Baldrick's Foundation for childhood cancer research[2].
• 2019: Partnered with The Jed Foundation for mental health initiatives[2].
• 2020: Partnered with Movember for men's health awareness[2].
• 2023: Partnered with the American Red Cross for humanitarian efforts[2].

Governance and Structure

• A member of the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC), rejoining in November 2023[2].
• Approximately 185 active chapters and over 8,600 active undergraduate members[2].

Notable Initiatives

• LEAP program (introduced during regional leadership conclaves) emphasizes leading by example and precept[5].
• The fraternity also supports Feeding America and hosts various leadership development programs[2][5].

Controversies

Historically, Lambda Chi Alpha has faced controversies related to hazing incidents and discrimination policies[2].

[1] https://www.lambdachi.org/about-lambda-chi-alpha/history/timeline/ [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambda_Chi_Alpha [3] https://unclambdachialpha.com/history/ [4] https://www2.gvsu.edu/lxa/timeline.html [5] https://wademage.tripod.com/whatis/timeline.htm