About Us

A Brief History of Tau Beta Pi

The preamble to our organization's constitution reads:

The Tau Beta Pi Association was founded at Lehigh University in 1885 by Dr. Edward Higginson Williams, Jr., to mark in a fitting manner those who have conferred honor upon their Alma Mater by distinguished scholarship and exemplary character as undergraduates in engineering, or by their attainments as alumni in the field of engineering, and to foster a spirit of liberal culture in engineering colleges.

Dr. Williams was determined to recognize technical students for superior scholarship in their field as afforded by other societies in the liberal arts and sciences. The first chapter, Pennsylvania Alpha, existed alone until 1892 when Michigan Alpha (Michigan State University) was founded.

There are, as of August 2022, 257 collegiate chapters and 79 chartered alumni chapters in cities through the United States, with a total initiating membership of 625,264 engineers.

For more information about Tau Beta Pi's history, please visit our organization's national website.

Atlanta Alumni Chapter

The Atlanta Alumni Chapter was founded on June 25, 2013 for Tau Beta Pi members to maintain their involvement with the Association.

Mission

Our chapter's mission is to:

  1. uphold the principles and ideals of The Tau Beta Pi Association, including the recognition of engineering excellence rooted in personal integrity, the promotion of well-rounded education, the provision of opportunities for professional development and life-long learning, and the cultivation of a community of dedicated high achievers,

  2. advance the causes of the engineering profession,

  3. provide opportunities for alumni of Tau Beta Pi to meet and discuss common interests,

  4. assist the Georgia Alpha (Georgia Institute of Technology) collegiate chapter with its program and the selection of suitable alumni and eminent engineers for election to membership in the Association.

Vision

Our chapter aspires to enrich the engineering profession through the building of relationships, the rendering of volunteer service to our Atlanta community, and the assisting of our Georgia Alpha (Georgia Institute of Technology) collegiate chapter.