History & Purpose of Chi Epsilon

In the spring of 1922, two groups of civil engineering students at the University of Illinois, one calling itself Chi Epsilon, and the other Chi Delta Chi, independently of each other, took steps to petition the faculty for permission to establish an honorary civil engineering fraternity. As soon as the existence of the two groups became known to each other, plans were immediately begun to merge the two groups. On May 20, 1922, the University of Illinois granted permission to the group of 25 charter members to form the Chi Epsilon Fraternity.

Chi Epsilon is dedicated to the purpose of maintaining and promoting the status of civil engineering as a profession, Chi Epsilon was organized to recognize the characteristics of the individual civil engineer deemed to be fundamental to the successful pursuit of an engineering career, and to aid in the development of those characteristics in the civil engineering student. To contribute to the improvement of the profession, Chi Epsilon fosters the development and exercise of sound traits of character and technical ability among civil engineers by precept and example, toward an ever higher example of professional service.

The Michigan Chapter of Chi Epsilon was chartered in 1949 as the 25th chapter and its members demonstrate the 4 principles of Chi Epsilon - scholarship, character, sociability, and practicality. Undergraduate membership is limited to the top quarter of the Junior Class and the top third of the Senior Class.

Send mail to xe-officers@umich.edu with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: January 26, 2006