Sisters seeking the noblest

Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity has been dedicated to enriching the lives of women since Oct. 15, 1898. At the State Female Normal School (now Longwood University) in Farmville, Virginia, our nine young Founders envisioned an organization that would perpetuate their ties of friendship.

125 years later, our Founders’ ideals of friendship, leadership development, service, academic achievement and continued personal growth still stand and are deeply rooted within ZTA’s proud past. We strive to help all our members embody these timeless values while thriving in today’s world. As our Creed says, “In Zeta Tau Alpha, lies the opportunity to learn those things which will ever enrich and ennoble our lives.”

To meet the challenge of enriching and ennobling the lives of our members, Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity works in partnership with our two other entities, the ZTA Foundation and the ZTA Fraternity Housing Corporation. The ZTA Foundation offers members the opportunity to serve others through our national philanthropy, breast cancer education and awareness, as well as local philanthropic and service activities. In addition to funding the Fraternity’s educational programs, the ZTA Foundation awards approximately $1 million in scholarships each year. The ZTA Fraternity Housing Corporation, the largest in the Panhellenic world, provides safe, secure and competitive housing for our collegiate members and serves as an example to other fraternal organizations with its size, resources and organization.

More than 290,000 women have been initiated into the sisterhood of Zeta Tau Alpha since our founding. There are currently 172 active college campuses that are home to Zeta Tau Alpha chapters, each offering a unique experience for our members. We invite you to learn more about our organization, benefits of membership and the recruitment process.



In order to join a sorority, potential new members must go through a recruitment process. Recruitment is a mutual selection process in which collegians determine the sororities that best fit them, and those groups determine which women they will ask to join. Learn more about joining a sorority.

Individual campuses will inform all potential new members about recruitment events and provide them with the necessary information.

Life as a Zeta

Our nine Founders were young students at the State Female Normal School, aiming to become teachers, when they envisioned a sisterhood that would last a lifetime. They held their first meetings in a bathroom. Now, most women join ZTA at age 18 or 19 as they enter their college years, and our chapters meet in houses, lodges, dormitories, Panhellenic suites and classrooms. But ZTA membership is much more than just a college experience. Zeta Is Forever.

During your years as a collegiate member of ZTA, you can expect to experience sisterhood in nearly everything you do. You and your sisters will learn together, play together, eat together and grow together. As a new member, you will also learn about ZTA's nine Key Values. These are the things that help define the type of women Zetas strive to be in everything we do.

Lifelong Learning

Zetas show intellectual curiosity and a willingness to apply past learning to new challenges. We also show an interest in self-discovery.

Leadership

A Zeta is true to herself and others and shows her authentic self. We look for opportunities to serve and build others up. Zetas thinks critically to find root causes and enact solutions

Responsibility

Zetas are accountable for their own actions and decisions. We take ownership over our behavior and the behavior of those around us and show initiative.

Being Rather Than Seeming

Zetas are authentic and genuine when working with others. We are open and honest with others, are vulnerable and allowing others “in.”

Service & Philanthropy

Zetas give freely of time and resources to assist others. We raise awareness of issues impacting a community or population and seek out opportunities to educate others on community needs.

Seeking Understanding That We Might Gain True Wisdom

Zetas are open to new ideas and perspectives. We seek out opportunities to interact with and learn from people of different backgrounds. We are comfortable discussing differing values and beliefs.

Humility

Zetas are humble in success and do things without regard for recognition or need for appreciation. We share in the success of others and avoid arrogance.

Loyalty & Commitment

Zetas display devotion to ZTA and each other. We are dependable and go above and beyond what is expected. We stand by and “have the back” of their sisters.

Love

Zetas show unconditional love, support and encouragement to those they care about. We put the well-being of others above our own and make others feel welcomed and appreciated. We show concern for the happiness of others.

The ZTA New Member Experience

Zeta Tau Alpha’s Zeta Is Forever New Member Experience emphasizes the values of the Fraternity. Each section of ZTA’s new member program focuses on values found in The Creed of Zeta Tau Alpha that all Zetas should seek in their daily lives, including greatness, understanding, purpose, sisterhood and noble leadership. ZTA new members across the country take part in this program and learn values they carry with them for a lifetime.

All first-year Zetas go through the Zeta Is Forever New Member Experience in the semester they join ZTA. The chapter’s VP II/New Member Coordinator and the Ritual Chairman facilitate the program. The new member experience consists of online workshops and weekly in-person meetings.

Each online workshop includes information and activities to assist new members in learning the material. Each 60-minute in-person meeting includes an icebreaker, a review of the online module, an interactive activity and time for personal reflection. The meetings allow for further discussion of the information to help new members build sisterhood with each other and strengthen their connection to ZTA.

Zeta Is Forever New Member Experience Lessons:

  1. Seek Greatness: Get an introduction to ZTA’s new member experience and The Creed of Zeta Tau Alpha; explore your personal values and ZTA values.

  2. Seek Understanding: Learn about ZTA’s history, including our founding story, as well as the current structure of the national organization and your local chapter.

  3. Seek Purpose: Consider The Creed and how the Fraternity, its chapters and individual members abide by it.

  4. Seek Sisterhood: Focus on sisterhood and define what it means to you.

  5. Seek the Noblest: Learn what ZTA’s open motto means and how to be a noble leader.

  6. Seek Meaning (post-Initiation lesson): Review key information you learned during the Initiation Service.

  7. Seek Commitment (post-Initiation lesson): Ensure you understand the values found in the Initiation Service as you complete your new member experience.

Housing Locator

Find ZTA facilities on campus

Search Now