About Us
General Information
Tau Beta Pi is a non-profit, national engineering honors society established in 1885 by Dr. Edward Higginson Williams, Jr. at Lehigh University. Today, there are over 230 chapters and over 400,000 members.
Purpose
The Tau Beta Pi Association was founded "to mark in a fitting manner those who have conferred honor upon their Alma Mater by distinguished scholarship and exemplary character as students in engineering, or by their attainments as alumni in the field of engineering, and to foster a spirit of liberal culture in engineering colleges..."
- The preamble to the Constitution of the Tau Beta Pi Association
The Illinois Beta Chapter
The Illinois Beta Chapter was established at the Illinois Institute of Technology on April 6, 1906. It is the second oldest chapter in the state of Illinois, and hence the name Illinois Beta. It is also the fourteenth oldest chapter in the entire nation. On April 12, 1981, Illinois Beta established the bent statue located in front of the Engineering 1 Building as part of its 75th anniversary. This is the chapter's centennial year!