Our Founding
Theta Xi was founded at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, New York, on April 29, 1864. Minutes of the original meeting, Constitution and Ritual have been preserved by the Fraternity to this day. Our tradition is truly continuous.
Eight Founding Fathers:
- Peter Henry Fox
- Ralph Gooding Packard
- Christopher Chaplin Waite
- Nathan H. Starbuck
- Samuel Buel Jr.
- Henry Harrison Farnum
- Thomas Cole Raymond
- George B. Brainerd
Through its alumni and undergraduate leadership Theta Xi endeavors to assist each member to develop:
- Intellectual curiosity that assures the highest scholarship rating consistent with his ability
- Habits that lead to better mental and physical health
- Sincerity in his association with others and confidence in himself
- Responsibility to chapter, college, community, and country
- Leadership that comes from practicing the principles of democratic self-government
- Interests and activities outside regular scholastic studies that employ spare time to advantage
- Spiritual understanding that provides a reservoir of strength to draw upon when faced with conditions beyond comprehension
