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Mu Beta Psi
ΜΒΨ
FoundedNovember 5, 1925; 99 years ago (November 5, 1925)
North Carolina State University
TypeService
AffiliationIndependent
StatusActive
EmphasisMusic performers, students, and enthusiasts
ScopeNational
Motto"May Brotherhood Prevail"
Colors  Red and   White
FlowerRed and White American Beauty Rose
PublicationThe Clef
Chapters20
HeadquartersRaleigh, North Carolina
United States
Websitewww.mubetapsi.org

Mu Beta Psi National Honorary Musical Fraternity (ΜΒΨ) is a service and music fraternity founded at North Carolina State University in 1925.[1]

Although an honorary fraternity, Mu Beta Psi views itself as primarily a music service group. The national fraternity and several chapters run scholarship programs[2][3] and pride themselves on providing service to their music departments.[4]

Any member of the fraternity is referred to as a brother without regard to the member's sex. This practice comes from the fraternity's beginnings and is used in context as a designation of membership, not of gender.[5]

History

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Founding and early years

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Mu Beta Psi National Honorary Musical Fraternity was founded on November 5, 1925, at North Carolina State College (now North Carolina State University) by music director Percy W. "Daddy" Price and a group of twelve men from the class of 1926 who were involved in campus music organizations.[1][6] The purposes of the fraternity were to promote music in its proper place as an educational subject, foster a fellowship among musicians, and stimulate interest in music across the college campus.[7] Over the next few years, Price determined that the fraternity was different from the other music groups on campus and decided to expand it into a national fraternity.[1]

Beta chapter was established at Davidson College in early 1929. The two chapters met in late 1929 and early 1930, resulting in the adoption of the fraternity's constitution. The national organization was founded on April 26, 1930, accompanied by the elections of the first national officers. Price pushed hard for the fraternity's expansion. Some of the earliest prospects included Wake Forest and the College of William & Mary.[1]

Price died in 1933 and was succeeded by Christian D. Kutschinski as music director.[1] Kutschinski became National Executive Secretary in the mid-1930s and sought to expand the fraternity.[1] Despite the challenges of the Great Depression and the Beta chapter going inactive, Delta chapter was established at Clemson University in 1937.

World War II and the 1950s

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World War II brought about new challenges for Mu Beta Psi. As many students entered the armed forces, chapter activity was limited. With the war's conclusion, Kutschinski helped the Delta chapter reorganize. Alpha and Delta chapters met for a National Convention in 1949. During the 1950s, the majority of activities took place on the local level, with minimal collaboration between the chapters. The first post-war National Convention was held in 1957.

1960s

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At the 1961 National Convention, Mu Beta Psi amended its constitution to allow membership to women. Additionally, a national publication, The Clef, was established. New expansion efforts were also put into place.

Kutschinski stepped down as National Executive Secretary in 1962. Three years later, Ralph W. Daniel was elected to the position and served for the next eighteen years. Two new chapters were installed: the Epsilon chapter at Washington & Lee University in 1965 and the Zeta chapter at Michigan Technological University in 1967. The latter was the result of a merger with Tri-Beta Honorary Band Fraternity.[8] In 1967, "Hail the Spirit," written by Milton C. Bliss, was adopted as the fraternity's song.

1970s and 1980s

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The Mu Beta Psi Alumni Association was formally established in early 1970, providing college graduates with a chapter to continue participating in the fraternity's activities. The short-lived Eta chapter was installed at Virginia Military Institute in mid-1970. Theta chapter was established at Saint Augustine's College in 1973 and remained active for thirteen years. Iota chapter was established at Duke University in 1981 and went inactive three years later. Kappa chapter was established at Wofford College in 1989. In the mid-1980s, the fraternity created its Permanent Board of Trustees to ensure the organization's stability. The first members of the Permanent Board included Wallace DesChamps, Charlie Emki, David Wilson, and Bryan Reamer.

1990s

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In the early 1990s, the national organization underwent a reorganization with the creation of new national offices, including the vice president of chapter maintenance, vice president of expansion, national treasurer, and national historian. The National Constitution was revised and approved in 1996. Lambda chapter was established at Anderson University in 1991, only to go inactive a year later. Mu chapter was established in 1993 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and would remain active for nineteen years. The fraternity extended northward with the establishment of the Nu chapter at SUNY Oswego in 1994 and Xi chapter at Saint Vincent College in 1996.

2000s

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In 2001, there were fifteen chapters of Mu Beta Psi.[6] Five new chapters were established in the 2000s. Omicron chapter was established at Roanoke College in 2001. In 2007, the brothers of Mu Upsilon Alpha at Rutgers University merged with Mu Beta Psi to establish Pi chapter.[9] Rho chapter was established at Northern Michigan University in 2008. A year later, Mu Beta Psi crossed the Mississippi River for the first time with the establishment of Sigma chapter at Saint Louis University in 2009; although, it would quickly go inactive.

2010s

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During the 2010s, Mu Beta Psi officially established a national scholarship that is open to college students at the locations where it maintains active chapters. In 2011, the Tau chapter was established at American University in Washington, D.C. The position of chief financial officer was added to the Permanent Board. At the 2018 Convention, all national policies were amended with gender neutral language, as the organization accepts members without regard to their gender identity.[10] A new fraternal life and conduct policy was also adopted "to achieve the safest environment possible for our members, pledges, and guests."[11]

The fraternity's Alumni Association is based in Raleigh, North Carolina.[12]

Symbols

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Mu Beta Psi's motto is "May Brotherhood Prevail".[13] The fraternity's colors are red and white, taken from the colors of its founding institution.[14][13] Its flowers are the red and white American Beauty rose. Its publication is The Clef.[14]

The fraternity's coat of arms features a shield with a red field that features the pipes of Pan, a lyre, a horn, and a harp.[13] Above is the lamp of learning that rests on top of books of learning.[13] Below is the motto with the Greek letters ΜΒΨ.[13]

Mu Beta Psi's badge is a red enameled Reuleaux triangle with the Greek letters ΜΒΨ in white.[13] The badge may be plain or set with pearls or with rubies in the corners.[13] Its pledge pin is a plain red Redleaux triangle without the Greek letters.[13]

Chapters

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Following is a list of Mu Beta Psi chapters in charter order, with active chapters indicated in bold and inactive chapters in italics.[12][1]

Chapter Charter date and range Institution Location Status References
Alpha November 5, 1925 North Carolina State University Raleigh, North Carolina Active
Beta February 9, 1929 – c. 1935 Davidson College Davidson, North Carolina Inactive
Gamma Unissued [a]
Delta January 16, 1937 – 2005 Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina Inactive
Epsilon April 11, 1965 – c. 1986 Washington and Lee University Lexington, Virginia Inactive
Zeta November 23, 1967 Michigan Technological University Houghton, Michigan Active [b]
Alumni Association March 21, 1970 Raleigh, North Carolina Active [c]
Eta May 5, 1970 – 1971 Virginia Military Institute Lexington, Virginia Inactive
Theta November 22, 1973 – c. 1987 Saint Augustine's College Raleigh, North Carolina Inactive
Iota March 1, 1981 – c. 1984 Duke University Durham, North Carolina Inactive
Kappa February 19, 1989 – 1996; April 25, 2020 Wofford College Spartanburg, South Carolina Active
Lambda April 24, 1991 – 1992 Anderson University Anderson, South Carolina Inactive
Mu April 4, 1993 – 2012 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, North Carolina Inactive
Nu April 10, 1994 State University of New York at Oswego Oswego, New York Active
Xi November 17, 1996 – 2006 Saint Vincent College Unity Township, Pennsylvania Inactive
Omicron March 31, 2001 – 2017 Roanoke College Salem, Virginia Inactive
Pi October 7, 2007 Rutgers University–New Brunswick New Brunswick, New Jersey Active [15][d]
Rho November 16, 2008 Northern Michigan University Marquette, Michigan Active
Sigma November 7, 2009 – 2010 Saint Louis University St. Louis, Missouri Inactive
Tau April 10, 2011 American University Washington, D.C. Active
Upsilon November 17, 2019 – 2024 Stetson University DeLand, Florida Inactive
  1. ^ Gamma chapter was never formally designated; Percy W. Price died before a school could be finalized and a charter issued, and the effort was lost. Records indicate that the Gamma chapter was to be established at The College of William and Mary, but colonization efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.
  2. ^ Chapter resulted from a merger with the Tri-Beta Honorary Band Fraternity.
  3. ^ Mu Beta Psi Alumni Association is a separate organization but is considered an active chapter. The Alumni Association is open to alumni of all Mu Beta Psi chapters, active or otherwise.
  4. ^ Chapter formed by merging with Mu Upsilon Alpha, an honorary, co-educational service fraternity of the Rutgers University Bands.

Notable alumni

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Our History – Mu Beta Psi". Retrieved May 22, 2023.
  2. ^ "Mu Beta Psi National Scholarship - Apply Today!". Mu Beta Psi.
  3. ^ "Band Scholarships". Clemson University.
  4. ^ "Service". Mu Beta Psi. 2018. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  5. ^ "National Constitution". ΜΒΨ Policy Library. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  6. ^ a b "The Music Department: 75 Years and Still Making Music". The Herald-Sun. Durham, North Carolina. January 14, 2001. p. 182. Retrieved April 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Who We Are". Mu Beta Psi. 2018. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  8. ^ "Zeta Chapter". Mu Beta Psi. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  9. ^ "Letter from the President". Mu Upsilon Alpha.
  10. ^ "National Constitution - ΜΒΨ Policy Library". mubetapsi.org. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  11. ^ "Fraternal Life and Conduct Policy - ΜΒΨ Policy Library". mubetapsi.org. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  12. ^ a b "Where We Are – Mu Beta Psi". Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h "Branding, Style, and Identity Guide [ΜΒΨ Policy Library]". Mu Beta Psi. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  14. ^ a b "National Constitution [ΜΒΨ Policy Library]". Mu Beta Psi. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  15. ^ "Mu Beta Psi - getINVOLVED". Rutgers Campus Labs. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
  16. ^ "Tamar Greene: News". Tamar Greene. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
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