{{Short description|American environmental fraternity}} {{Infobox fraternity | name = Epsilon Eta | letters = {{lang|grc|ΕΗ}} | crest = The_crest_of_Epsilon_Eta.jpg | image_size = 160px | founded = {{Start date and age|2006}} | birthplace = University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | affiliation = Independent | status = Active | type = Professional | emphasis = Environment and sustainability | scope = National | pillars = Volunteerism, Sustainability, Professional Development, Social, and Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion | colors = {{color box|#4CBB17}} Kelly green, {{color box|#000080}} Navy blue and {{color box|#87CEEB}} Sky blue | symbol = | nicknames = Ep Eta, Eta (University of Michigan) | tree = Oak | chapters = 22 active | address = | city = | state = | ZIP code = | country = United States | website = }} '''Epsilon Eta''' ('''{{lang|grc|ΕΗ}}'''), also known as Ep Eta, is an American professional gender-inclusive fraternity for students interested in careers in environmental science and sustainability. It was founded in 2006 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It was the first national environmental fraternity in the United States and has grown to include chapters across the United States. There is no national organizational structure as of December 2024.
== History == Liza Schillo, an undergraduate student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, founded '''Epsilon Eta Environmental Honors Fraternity''' in 2006.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Venkatraman |first=Sanjana |date=November 4, 2022 |title=Epsilon Eta: Building a Community for Students with a Passion for Environmental Interests |url=https://environmentblog.web.unc.edu/2022/11/epsilon-eta-building-a-community-for-students-with-a-passion-for-environmental-interests/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website={{!}} UNC Environmental Spotlight {{!}} University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2006-12-14 |title=Ex-Reynold Student Founds Environmental Honor Fraternity |pages=9 |work=Asheville Citizen-Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117756598/epsilon-eta/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> It was established as a professional, gender-inclusive fraternity for individuals seeking post-graduate positions and careers in environmental science and sustainability.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://sites.google.com/udel.edu/udepsiloneta/home |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Epsilon Eta - University of Delaware |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":6" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=February 5, 2018 |title=Cornell Students Launch 1st Sustainability Fraternity on Campus |url=https://sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/news/cornell-students-launch-1st-sustainability-fraternity-campus |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Sustainable Campus {{!}} Cornell University |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite web |title=Home |url=https://epsilonetaumich.org/ |access-date=February 1, 2023 |website=Epsilon Eta – Beta Chapter}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=December 5, 2021 |title=Epsilon Etta Pi Chapter Constitution {{!}} Boston University Engage |url=https://bu.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/epsilon-eta |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Boston University}}</ref> The fraternity's mission is "to promote a healthy and sustainable environment and connect students to industries, community service, and academia in pursuit of these goals."<ref name=":3" />
Beta chapter at the University of Michigan was conceived by Julia Austin, Zach Fogel, Daly Kleaveland, and Julia Wang in the summer of 2014. They recruited Caitlin Climes, Sam McMullen, Josh Musicant, Dylan Nelson, and Matt Sehrsweeney to complete the group of nine founders. Beta chapter was chartered and initiated its first class in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-01-07 |title=Founders |url=https://epsilonetaumich.org/founders/ |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=Epsilon Eta – Beta Chapter |language=en}}</ref> With this chapter, Epsilon Eta became first national environmental fraternity in the United States.<ref name=":6" />
Originally meeting in a freshman environmental earth sciences seminar, nine sophomores formed an Epsilon Eta colony at the University of Pennsylvania in the October 2015; the colony later became Gamma chapter.<ref name=":13" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Epsilon Eta at Penn |url=http://epsilonetapenn.org/#two |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=epsilonetapenn.org}}</ref> Other chapters followed in 2016 and 2017, with North Carolina State University becoming the seventh official chapter in 2017.<ref name=":14" /> The twelfth chapter was established at the University of Delaware in 2018.<ref name=":14" /> This was followed by chapters at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and San Diego State University in 2018, and Boston University and University of Maryland, College Park in 2019.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |last1=Apostolakos |first1=Pari |last2=Bradley |first2=Megan |date=2018-10-08 |title=Illinois welcomes professional fraternity |url=https://dailyillini.com/life_and_culture/2018/10/08/new-professional-fraternity-joins-campus/ |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=The Daily Illini}}</ref><ref name=":1" />
By 2020, the Alpha chapter had initiated ninety members, and an executive committee was established to oversee the national fraternity.<ref name=":3" /> However, in the fall of 2020 three of Alpha chapter's former members publicly criticized the group "for fostering white supremacy."<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Haskett |first=Hunter |date=September 16, 2020 |title='Not reformable': Members of UNC Epsilon Eta abolish the honors fraternity |url=https://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2020/09/university-ep-eta-abolition-0916 |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=The Daily Tar Heel}}</ref> The fraternity's executive board and Alpha's members decided to close the chapter in September 2020. ''The Daily Tar Heel'' shared the chapter's statement: "As a historically exclusive and majority-white institution with semblances of Greek life, we have contributed to the preservation of white supremacy on UNC-Chapel Hill’s campus. Our actions have marginalized and silenced BIPOC voices. To address these injustices, we view abolition as the most direct course of action to dismantle white supremacy."<ref name=":9" />
Despite this setback, new chapters formed at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2020, the University of Arizona in 2022, and the University of Virginia in 2023.<ref name=":15" /><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Lecky |first=Annabel |date=December 5, 2022 |title=UA welcomes Epsilon Eta, the first environmental co-ed fraternity to campus |url=https://www.wildcat.arizona.edu/article/2022/12/n-epsilon-eta |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=The Daily Wildcat}}</ref> The Alpha chapter was re-established at the University of North Carolina in September 2022 by Tayton Alvis, Sarah Masters, Zachary Miller, Gregory Mink, and Sanjana Venkatraman.<ref name=":6" />
== Symbols == The Greek letters Epsilon Eta stand for science and morality.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |date=November 7, 2017 |title=Welcome |url=https://epsiloneta.wordpress.ncsu.edu/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Eta Epsilon Iota Chapter North Carolina State University |language=en-US}}</ref> Epsilon Eta's colors are Kelly green, navy blue, and sky blue.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |date=2006 |title=Epsilon Eta Constitution and Bylaws |url=https://heellife.unc.edu/organization/epsilon-eta-environmental-honors-fraternity |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Heel Life, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite web |title=Epsilon Eta Delta Chapter Constitution and Bylaws |url=https://pitt2.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/epsiloneta |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=University of Pittsburgh - Main Campus}}</ref> Its original emblem is a sky-blue shield edged in navy blue and decorated with a white three-pronged geometric knot entwined around an oak tree.<ref name=":8" /> A later variation of the emblem features a light green shield with a dark green emblem of leaf veins on the right half and an overlaying tree in dark green across the center.<ref name=":12" />
Epsilon Eta's pillars are volunteerism, sustainability, professional development, social, and diversity, equality, and inclusion.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://www.epsilonetaumich.com/ |access-date=2025-12-11 |website=Epsilon Eta Michigan.}}</ref><ref name=":16" />
== Membership == Membership to Epsilon Eta is not limited by major but initiates must be interested in the environmental field.<ref name=":2" /> The fraternity's members are divided into regular, associate, and alumni.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":8" /> Associate members are undergraduates who fail to meet the GPA or service hour requirements.<ref name=":3" /> Regular members and alumni may wear the fraternity's insignia.<ref name=":3" />
== Chapters == Following are the chapters of Epsilon Eta, with active chapters indicated in '''bold''' and inactive chapters in ''italics''. {{sticky-header}} {| class="wikitable sticky-header sortable" style="width:100%;" ! Chapter ! Charter date and range ! Institution ! Location ! Status !{{Refh}} |- |'''Alpha''' | {{dts|2006}} – {{dts|2020|09}}; {{dts|2022|09}} |University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |Chapel Hill, North Carolina |Active |<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://epsilonetasdsu.weebly.com/about.html |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=EPSILON ETA SDSU |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Epsilon Eta Environmental Honors Fraternity |url=https://heellife.unc.edu/organization/epsilon-eta-environmental-honors-fraternity |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Heel Life, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill}}</ref> |- |'''Beta''' | {{dts|2015}} |University of Michigan |Ann Arbor, Michigan |Active |<ref name=":2" /> |- |'''Gamma''' | {{dts|2015|10}} |University of Pennsylvania |Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |Active |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Epsilon Eta Gamma Chapter at the University of Pennsylvania |url=http://epsilonetapenn.org/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Epsilon Eta at Penn}}</ref><ref name=":13">{{Cite web |last=Wang |first=Jenna |date=November 19, 2015 |title=Environmental fraternity joins Penn greek life |url=https://www.thedp.com/article/2015/11/environmental-service-fraternity-joins-penn-greek-life |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=The Daily Pennsylvanian |language=en-us}}</ref>{{Efn|Chapter colonized in October 2015.}} |- |'''Delta''' | {{dts|2017|01|27}} |Longwood University |Farmville, Virginia |Active |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Epsilon Eta - Lancer Link |url=https://lancerlink.longwood.edu/organization/epsiloneta |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Longwood University}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Farley |first=Miranda |date=January 28, 2017 |title=Humans of Longwood: Alex Lee |url=http://www.therotundaonline.com/features/humans-of-longwood-alex-lee/article_66eda2ac-e5a7-11e6-9e15-bbdac0e06d26.html |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=The Rotunda Online |language=en}}</ref>{{Efn|Both the Longwood University and the University of Pittsburgh chapters call themselves the ''Delta chapter'' in their constitution/bylaws.|name=Delta}} |- |''Epsilon'' | {{dts|2016}} |University of Oregon |Eugene, Oregon |Inactive? |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Epsilon Eta |url=https://blogs.uoregon.edu/epsiloneta/ |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=Epsilon Eta {{!}} University of Oregon |language=en-US}}</ref> |- |'''Delta''' | {{dts|2017}} |University of Pittsburgh |Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |Active |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Epsilon Eta |url=https://www.sustainable.pitt.edu/student-organizations/epsilon-eta/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Pitt Sustainability {{!}} University of Pittsburgh |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Epsilon Eta, Environmental Honors Fraternity, Delta Chapter |url=https://pitt2.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/epsiloneta |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=University of Pittsburgh - Main Campus}}</ref>{{Efn|name=Delta}} |- |'''Iota''' | {{dts|2017}} |North Carolina State University |Raleigh, North Carolina |Active |<ref name=":10" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Griffonetti |first=Gabby |date=August 31, 2022 |title=Epsilon Eta provides development, community for students interested in conservation |url=https://www.technicianonline.com/news/epsilon-eta-provides-development-community-for-students-interested-in-conservation/article_1bc8385c-28cf-11ed-95b3-4f980725aad9.html |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Technician |language=en}}</ref> |- |'''Kappa''' | {{dts|2017}} |Cornell University |Ithaca, New York |Active |<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Brotherhood |url=https://epsilonetacornell.org/brotherhood |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Epsilon Eta {{!}} Kappa Chapter |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-04-21 |title=Epsilon Eta |url=https://exhibits.library.cornell.edu/diy-dit/feature/epsilon-eta |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=Do It Yourself, Do It Together - Online exhibitions across Cornell University Library |language=en}}</ref> |- |'''Lambda''' | {{dts|2017}} |University of California, Berkeley |Berkeley, California |Active |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Epsilon Eta - CalLink at UC Berkeley |url=https://callink.berkeley.edu/organization/epsilon_eta/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=University of California Berkeley}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Lambda Chapter Epsilon Eta UC Berkeley |url=https://epsilonetaberkeley.wixsite.com/my-site |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Epsilon Eta Berkeley |language=en}}</ref> |- |'''Mu''' | 201x ? |Drake University |Des Moines, Iowa |Active |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Songer |first=Maia |date=2021-02-21 |title=Epsilon Eta offers Environmental Science opportunities at Drake |url=https://timesdelphic.com/2021/02/epsilon-eta-offers-environmental-science-opportunities-at-drake/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=The Times-Delphic |language=en-US}}</ref>{{Efn|Both the Drake University and University of Delaware chapters refer to themselves as ''Mu chapter'' on their Instagram profile.|name=Mu}} |- |'''Mu''' | {{dts|2018}} |University of Delaware |Newark, Delaware |Active |<ref>{{cite web |title=Epsilon Eta {{!}} Student Central |url=https://studentcentral.udel.edu/organization/epsiloneta/ |access-date=February 1, 2023 |website=University of Delaware}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Founding Members |url=https://sites.google.com/udel.edu/udepsiloneta/who-are-we/founding-members |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Epsilon Eta - University of Delaware |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":14">{{Cite web |last=Lowndes |first=Julia |date=April 3, 2018 |title=Environmental fraternity comes to campus {{!}} The Review |url=https://udreview.com/environmental-fraternity-comes-campus/ |access-date=2023-02-02 |language=en-US}}</ref>{{Efn|name=Mu}} |- | | {{dts|2018}} |University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |Urbana, Illinois |Active |<ref name=":11" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Epsilon Eta - Involved@Illinois |url=https://illinois.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/epsiloneta |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=University of Illinois}}</ref> |- |'''Omicron''' | {{dts|2018}} |San Diego State University |San Diego, California |Active |<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Student Groups |url=https://sustainable.sdsu.edu/get-involved/student-groups.aspx |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=San Diego State University |language=en}}</ref> |- |'''Pi''' | 2018 |Boston University |Boston, Massachusetts |Active |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Epsilon Eta {{!}} Boston University Engage |url=https://bu.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/epsilon-eta |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Boston University}}</ref><ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Nguyen |first=Melina |date=March 4, 2022 |title=BU's only environmental fraternity returns to in-person events – The Daily Free Press |url=https://dailyfreepress.com/2022/03/04/bus-only-environmental-fraternity-returns-to-in-person-events/ |access-date=2023-02-02 |language=en-US}}</ref> |- ||'''Sigma''' | {{dts|2019}} |Nova Southeastern University |Fort Lauderdale, Florida |Active |<ref name = ":43">{{Cite web |title=Epsilon Eta at NSU |url=https://nova.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/epsiloneta |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Nova Engage |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Epsilon Eta at NSU on Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/epsiloneta.nsu/ |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Instagram |language=en}}</ref> |- ||'''Sigma''' | {{dts|2023}} |Tulane University |New Orleans, Louisiana |Active |<ref name = ":44">{{Cite web |title=Epsilon Eta at Tulane |url= https://epsilonetatulane.wordpress.com/266-2/|access-date=2024-08-29 |website= wordpress |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title= Epsilon Eta at Tulane on Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/epsilonetatulane/ |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Instagram |language=en}}</ref> |- |'''Upsilon''' | {{dts|2019}} |University of Maryland, College Park |College Park, Maryland |Active |<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Neugeboren |first=Eric |date=2019-09-18 |title=Epsilon Eta fraternity focuses on educating campus about environment, sustainability |url=https://dbknews.com/2019/09/18/fraternity-focuses-environment-sustainability/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=The Diamondback |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Epsilon Eta - TerpLink |url=https://terplink.umd.edu/organization/epsilon-eta |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=University of Maryland}}</ref> |- | |2020 |Virginia Commonwealth University |Richmond, Virginia |Active |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chudoba |first=Liz |date=2020-09-24 |title=Welcoming Our New CMC Intern, Christell Azuaje |url=https://www.allianceforthebay.org/2020/09/welcoming-our-new-cmc-intern-christell-azuaje/ |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay |language=en |quote="She loves being involved on her campus serving as the president of the Nature Appreciation & Community Healing Organization and of her university’s environmental fraternity, Epsilon Eta."}}</ref> |- |'''Tau''' | {{dts|2022}} |University of Arizona |Tucson, Arizona |Active |<ref name=":7" /> |- |'''Upsilon''' | {{dts|2023}} |University of Virginia |Charlottesville, Virginia |Active |<ref name=":15">{{Cite web |date=December 23, 2022 |title=Epsilon Eta at UVA on Instagram: "We are so excited to announce that Epsilon Eta at UVA is starting up in the Spring! If you are interested, screenshot this post and scan the QR code to fill out an initial interest form. We will reach out to you at the start of next semester for interest meeting details and the (brief) application process and deadline. We CAN NOT wait to meet you all! 🌿" |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/Cmf4nIDuc33/ |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=Instagram |language=en}}</ref> |- |'''Phi''' |202x ? |University of North Carolina Wilmington |Wilmington, North Carolina |Active |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Environmental Sciences {{!}} Student Resources |url=https://uncw.edu/myUNCW/academics/colleges/cse/departments/environmental-sciences/student-resources.html |access-date=2026-05-17 |website=University of North Carolina Wilmington |language=en}}</ref> |- |'''Phi''' |202x ? |Vanderbilt University |Nashville, Tennessee |Active |<ref>{{Cite web |title=CES Student Organizations |url=https://as.vanderbilt.edu/news/2026/04/24/ces-student-organizations/ |access-date=2026-05-17 |website=Vanderbilt University |language=en-US}}</ref>{{Efn|This is also known as the Phi chapter, according to its LinkedIn and Instagram pages.}} |- |'''Psi''' |2025 |Indiana University Bloomington |Bloomington, Indiana |Active |<ref>{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://www.epsilonetaiu.org/about |access-date=2026-05-17 |website=Indiana University Epsilon Eta |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":16">{{Cite web |last=Schuth |first=Elizabeth |date=January 22, 2026 |title=IU’s 1st environmental professional fraternity now seeking new members |url=https://www.idsnews.com/article/2026/01/environmental-fraternity-epsilon-eta |access-date=2026-05-17 |website=Indiana Daily Student |language=en-US}}</ref> |}{{notelist}}
== See also == * Professional fraternities and sororities
== References == {{reflist}}
Category:Student organizations established in 2006 Category:2006 establishments in North Carolina Category:Professional fraternities and sororities in the United States Category:Honor societies Category:Environmental science Category:University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Category:Student societies in the United States