Gamma Sigma Tau fraternity

In 1986, a group of twelve students at the State University of New York at New Paltz set out to create something unprecedented: the first multicultural fraternity on campus. At a time when fraternities at New Paltz were largely divided along racial and ethnic lines, these young men envisioned an organization that would bring together students from diverse backgrounds under a common bond of brotherhood, scholarship, and service.

The re-establishing group reflected that vision. Five members were White, five were Latino, one was African American, and one was Filipino. Together, they sought to build an organization that would transcend traditional boundaries and better represent the changing face of higher education.

As they worked toward recognition from the College at New Paltz, the group discovered the remarkable history of the Delphic Fraternity. They learned that Delphic had been the first fraternity established at the school and that its historic Zeta Chapter, dormant since approximately 1972, had once played a significant role in campus life. Rather than create an entirely new fraternity, the young men became inspired by the possibility of reviving a cherished part of New Paltz history.

Determined to reconnect with the past, they combed through yearbooks, searched local directories, and contacted former Delphic members in hopes of learning more about the fraternity's traditions and heritage. Their efforts created a bridge between generations, linking the aspirations of contemporary students with the legacy of brothers who had come before them.

Their dedication ultimately paid off. On March 11, 1987, the historic Zeta Chapter at New Paltz was officially re-established as Delphic of Gamma Sigma Tau Fraternity.

The adoption of the Greek letters Gamma Sigma Tau (ΓΣΤ) was itself rooted in Delphic history. In 1954, the Zeta Chapter of Delphic had affiliated with the national Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity, becoming its Alpha Rho Chapter. When the chapter was revived in 1987, its leaders chose to remain an independent local fraternity while honoring the chapter's past. To do so, they transposed the letters associated with Sigma Tau Gamma to Gamma Sigma Tau.

The result was an identity that simultaneously honored the fraternity's history and marked the beginning of a new era. The name preserved Delphic's historic legacy while reflecting the vision of the multicultural brothers who re-established the chapter.

Today, Delphic of Gamma Sigma Tau, commonly known as the Delphic Fraternity, stands as both a continuation and a renewal. Its roots trace to the Delphic Society, founded in 1871, while its broader historical lineage extends to the literary societies that helped shape its traditions as early as 1833. The re-establishment of 1987 was not merely the revival of a dormant chapter; it was the continuation of a brotherhood whose story spans nearly two centuries.

From its nineteenth-century origins to its multicultural rebirth in the twentieth century and its continued growth in the twenty-first, Delphic remains committed to preserving its heritage while preparing future generations of brothers to lead with wisdom, purpose, and unity.