History
Zeta
Tau Alpha was founded October 15, 1898, by nine women at the
State Female Normal School (now Longwood University) in Farmville, Virginia.
Only 14-15 years of age, these young women desired permanence to their
friendships and hoped to perpetuate their sisterhood long after college. Though
dedicated to the formation of a Greek-letter group, the band of nine delayed
selecting a formal name. A temporary name of “???” was taken when, as legend has
it, a member of another group met with the Founders. Raising her eyebrows and
forming her fingers in the shape of a question mark, she asked “Who are you?” In
unison, the group answered “Yes, Who? Who? Who?” Thus, the group came to be
known as “???” while they sought an appropriate Greek name and symbols. During
this time, the group received valuable assistance from two of the members’
brothers -- Maud’s brother, Plummer Jones, and Frances Yancey Smith’s brother
Giles Mebane Smith. Both were students at the college of William and Mary,
members of men’s Greek-letter organizations and knowledgeable of Greek lore.
After a year of careful contemplation, the group chose the formal name, the
patron goddess and the badge.
Today, Zeta Tau Alpha consists of three entities: Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity (for general purposes referred to as Zeta Tau Alpha or ZTA), Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation, Inc. (for general purposes referred to as the Foundation or ZTAF) and Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity Housing Corporation (for general purposes referred to as the National Housing Corporation or NHC). The names Zeta Tau Alpha, ZTA and National Fraternity are often used when referring to the three organizations as a whole.
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PRESIDENTS THROUGH THE YEARS |
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1932 – Betty Ott 1953 – Edna Simmerly 60-61 Jean Mendelsohn 62-63 Martha Greenlee 63-64 Jacqueline Lynch 64-65 Kathryn Bascom 65-66 Hester South 66-67 Libby Drinko 67-68 Libby Drinko 68 – 69 Doreen Kliman 69-70 Emily Zack 70-71 Emily Zack 71-72 Anne Hess 72-73 Anne Hess 73-74 Ella Welch 74-75 Ella Welch 75-76 Jean Mendolsohn 76-77 Gail Tanner 77-78 Bonnie Svetlik 78-79 Bonnie Svetlik
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79-80 Jeanne Stankard 80-81 Jeanne Stankard 81-82 MaryK Graham 82-83 MaryK Graham 83-84 MaryK Graham 84-85 Shirley Fortner 85-86 Shirley Fortner 86-87 Cheryl Basich 87-88 Cheryl Basich 88-89 Carol Ezzo 89-90 Donna Higgins 90-91 Maribeth Doran 91-92 Maribeth Doran 92-93 Maribeth Doran 93-94 Anne Bourassa 94-95 Anne Bourassa 95-96 Anne Bourassa 96-97 Kelly Carsey Koreen 97-98 Kelly Carsey Koreen
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00-01 Jen Patton 01-02 Jen Patton 02-03 Jen Patton 03-04 Jen Patton 04–05 Karen Erlenbach 05–06 Karen Erlenbach 06-07 Karen Erlenbach 07-08 Karen Erlenbach 08-09 Elaine Watson
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