On Thursday April 10, 1856, Theta Chi Society as it was then known, held it's first meeting in the Old South Barracks at Norwich University, a military school. The Society was formed by Fredrick Norton Freeman and Arthur C. Chase. Chase was President, Freeman Secretary. On April 11, Edward Bancroft Williston and Lorenzo Potter were initiated. The Society had been an secret organization for years, known as the Regulators.

Egbert Phelps, who was never actually an initiated member, was very influential in the intial creation of Theta Chi. He helped design the badge of Theta Chi and even choose the name Theta Chi.

On March 13, 1866 the Old South Barracks - which was a prominent fixture in the early history of Theta Chi - burned to the ground.

In 1881 Theta Chi was down to just one undergrand member, James Michael Holland, due to it's involvement in the Civil War which had depleted it's enrollment. With alumni support two more men were initiated, Henry B. Hersey and Phil S. Randall, preserving the tradition of Theta Chi. This tradition continued to grow, and in 1902 Beta Chapter was installed at MIT.

In 1997 Missouri State (then Southwest Missouri State) wanted to bring a fraternity to it's Campus that would return Fraternity Life to it's roots - academics, brotherhood, and integrity. In that year, an Intertest Group for Theta Chi Fraternity was formed on the MSU campus that would change Missouri State Fraternity Life.

A total of eleven members began the intial effort for Theta Chi on the Missouri State Campus, including our first recruit Seth Acock. Over the next two and half years with solid recruitment and administrative leadership, the Iota Beta Chapter of Theta Chi was truely formed, and finally Chartered on November 14, 1999.

On June 1, 2000 the Iota Beta Chapter aquired it's first house at 927 S. Kimbrough. It wasn't in the best shape, but it was a place to call home. In that house, we had our first formal recruitment, as well as our first alumni barbeque in the next Spring. Iota Beta moved into it's current place of residence, 1043 E Cherry, on June 1, 2003. Larger than our previous two houses combined, it became the central point of our brotherhood.

NIC Award of Distinction - Top 2 Chapters of any Fraternity in the Country - 2008

High MSU Fraternity GPA

Highest MSU New Member Class GPA

Six Total Alter Awards - Top Theta Chi Chapter in the Country

Greek Week - Winners Past 5 Years

Greek Jam - Winners Past 5 Years

Greek God Winner - Past 5 Years

Homecoming - 3-Time Overall Winner

Homecoming King - 5-Time Winners