Kansas Beta Chapter

Kansas Beta is the Phi Delta Theta chapter at Washburn University. Phi Delta Theta is an international fraternity with more than 160 active chapters and colonies in over 43 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces. Since the Fraternity's founding in 1848, it has initiated more than 228,000 men. The Kansas Beta Chapter was founded in 1910 and has initiated just over 1,500 members in its history.

Delta Phi

The Chapter traces its history to Delta Phi, the first at fraternity at Washburn. Delta Phi submitted its application for colony status on November 10, 1908. Glenn S. Millice, who would go on to become a local physician, represented the Chapter at the Phi Delta Theta convention to make Delta Phi's case.

Delta Phi received its charter from Phi Delta Theta as the Kansas Beta Chapter on August 11, 1910 at the Fraternity's Niagra Falls Convention. Zeta Province president Frederick R. Cowles presided over the initiation of the Chapter's members on October 1, 1910. The Chapter remained in its original leased house at 1624 Boswell Avenue at the corner of Boswell and Euclid in College Hill until 1927. In 1927 the Chapter moved into it newly constructed house on the campus of Washburn. The Chapter occupies the house to this day as the only fraternity at Washburn whose house is located on the campus itself.

Notable Kansas Beta Alumni

* Don Bobo ‘64 - Chief Executive Officer, Jefferson Wells International
* Brigadier General Arthur S. Champeny ’16 - Only man in U.S. history to receive the Distinguished Service Cross in three separate conflicts: World War I, World War II and Korea
* Dr. John Davis, Jr. ’38 - Renowned optometrist, prominent supporter of track and field and owner of one of the largest private autograph collections in the world
* Charles D. McAtee ’50 - Marine Corps officer, FBI agent, attorney and director of Kansas penal institutions during the last executions held in Kansas
* Dr. Richard E. Davis ’47 - Founder of KC Masterpiece and former dean, North Dakota School of Medicine
* Brigadier General Clarence T. Edwinson ’33 - Commander, 42nd Air Division, U.S. Air Force
* Donald R. Heath ’17 - U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia (1952), Vietnam (1952-55), Lebanon (1955-57) and Saudi Arabia (1958-1961)
* Justice Harold S. Herd '40 - Kansas Supreme Court (1979-93), Kansas Senate Minority Leader (1969-1973)
* Justice Tyler C. Lockett - Kansas Supreme Court (1983-2002)
* Paul J. Morrison ’77 - Kansas Attorney General (2007-08), District Attorney of Johnson County, Kansas (1990-2007)
* Ronald Richey ’49 - Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Torchmark; largest living donor to Washburn
* Brigadier General Howard Searle ’14 - Assistant Division Commander, 35th Infantry Division, Korean War
* Jim Slattery ’70 - U.S. Representative from 2nd District of Kansas (1983-95); Candidate for Kansas Governor (1994), Candidate for U.S. Senate (2008)
* Ron Thornburgh ‘85 - Kansas Secretary of State (1995-present)
* Douglas S. Wright - Mayor of Topeka, Kansas (1983-89)

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