Members from Left to Right: Jordyn Hunter, Carolina Thomas, Mark Nuncio, Lene Lay, Christine Ridsdale, Michelle Horstmann, Ashley Wood, Jacob Hash, Sarah Rayburn, Darin Moore, Liz Ramirez, Kelsey Roberts, Itzett Romero, Thomas Wilder, Diane Douvry, James Stevens, Kate Wilkinson, Kristen Mueller, Natasha Moonka, Tiffany Kung The History of Zeta Phi Eta Zeta Phi Eta, National Professional Fraternity in Communication Arts and Sciences was founded on October 10, 1893 at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, under the inspiration and guidance of Dr. Robert McLean Cumnock. The Beta Zeta Chapter at the University of Texas was founded by Blair Shiff, Brandan Dullum, Shelley Smith, Lene Lay, Chris Huffman, Olivia Wong and Andrew Nguyen in Fall 2005.
Purposes of Zeta Phi Eta 1. To band together individuals committed to high standards in communication arts and sciences; 2. To provide opportunities for sharing professional interests through participation in worthwhile activities in the fields of communication; 3. To provide a climate in which members may develop sound professional philosophies; and 4. To stimulate and encourage all worthy enterprises in the communication fields.	Policies of Zeta Phi Eta 1. To keep the fraternity professional in character; 2. To establish chapters only in accredited college or universities maintaining one or more recognized departments of communication arts and/or sciences; 3. To encourage a balanced membership engaged in the different fields of communication arts and sciences; and 4. To make the fraternity a professional aid and stimulus after graduation.
Why is Zeta Phi Eta called a fraternity? The word fraternity was derived not from frater, a Latin word, but from phrater. In Greek, this meant a member of a Phrata, which was a tribe, a group of blood relatives which could be composed of either men or women. From this word, the Latin frater may be derived, with a narrower meaning of brother and with an application to men alone. The word from which phrater comes is wider in scope. Sorority, derived from the Latin soror, or sister, is a 20th century invention, while it has been accepted into the language as a currency of speech. Its Roman roots are much younger than the Greek ones of fraternity.