Chapter History

Delta Deuteron Chapter History
By Levi Brandriss, ’04

The Greek community at the University of Maryland, College Park, has consistently been one of the largest and most esteemed systems in the country. Having been established on the College Park campus in 1914, the community is currently home to 23 Fraternities and 14 sororities.

Alpha Epsilon Pi installed the Delta Deuteron Chapter at the University of Maryland on January 19, 1941, with a ceremony at the Emerson Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland. That installation was the result of a four year effort by Executive Vice President George S. Toll to establish a Chapter at the school. Obtaining recognition from the University was a struggle, with the University requiring the group of eleven men to remain an independent local Fraternity for three years. They took on the name Alpha Epsilon.

The chapter moved into a house at 7509 Princeton Avenue, and steadily grew in numbers and involvement on campus. World War II, however, caused a drop in manpower rapidly. As a result, the house on Princeton had to be given up in the Spring of 1945. In the post war years, the Chapter grew in leaps and bounds, and in 1949, with 40 actives and 9 pledges, moved into 7303 Yale Avenue, one block from campus. As this time, Brother Mort Karpa was Hillel President, Brother Bob Katz was manager of the Maryland Band, and Brother Richard Halpern led the Chapter in the Interfraternity Sing competition. The Chapter was quickly becoming a leader of the Greek system, with its members involved in a broad range of campus activities.

In the early 1950’s, the Chapter continued its growth, with pledge classes of over 20 quite regular. In 1952-53, thirty-one men pledged. Delta Deuteron ran an annual philanthropy “Terrapin Derby,” with large Greek representation. The Chapter also climbed to a top 3 ranking among Fraternities scholastically.

In the 1959-60 academic year, the Chapter learned that a new Chapter house would be constructed on Fraternity Row and would be ready for occupancy in the next year. Adequate facilities had held the Chapter back some in the recent years, with pledge class numbers falling, and a new house on the prestigious Fraternity Row, housing forty Brothers, was just what the Chapter needed. Ground was broken, however the University quickly froze construction for two years while it investigated the benefits of the Fraternity program. The moratorium was lifted, and the Delta Deuteron Chapter moved into the brand new 13 Fraternity Row in February 1962. A formal dedication of the new house was held on April 15 of that year, with 350 people in attendance, including Dr. William Elkins, President of the University, Louis Goldstein, Comptroller of the State of Maryland, Rabbi Meyer Greenberg of the Hillel Foundation, and many members representing the International Fraternity.

The 1960’s saw continued growth in size and prominence on campus for the Chapter, with the biggest growth coming in the 1967-68 academic year, at 32 pledges. The 1970’s saw Chapter operations suffer due to the Vietnam War, and a new advisor, Dennis Miller (American ’72) took over and vast improvement took place in the late 70’s, with rush numbers up as well as general Chapter operations running more smoothly.

After a 3 year absence from campus, Alpha Epsilon Pi was reestablished at Maryland in 1999, as a Colony. There were 22 Founding Fathers in 1999, and the group struggled to find their identity on campus. With no viable housing options, the group operated out of apartments and campus housing. Facing competition from a heavily Jewish Greek community, the Colony initiated another ten men with the Alpha and Beta pledge classes of 2000. The Delta Deuteron Chapter was re-chartered in May 2000 with a ceremony on campus attended by family members and the International Fraternity by Traveling Leadership Consultant Brian Schneider. As Alpha Epsilon Pi’s name returned to campus, its reputation was slowly growing, leading to the Spring 2001 Gamma class of 10 and the 18 men of Epsilon in Spring 2002, reaching 56 active members. May 2002 marked the graduation of the Founding Fathers of 1999. The first full turnover was reached since re colonization, and the Delta Deuteron Chapter continued to grow.

Most recently, the Chapter won Most Improved Fraternity on Campus, consistently wins highest GPA among all Fraternities, is an active member of the Interfraternity Council and participates in all Greek community functions, Homecoming, Greek Week, and Intramural Sports. Even without permanent Chapter housing, rush and pledge programs run with the best on campus. Chapter operations are fluid and efficient. Members are active across virtually all areas of campus life. Philanthropy programs raised over $1,800 for Magen David Adom and $3,000 for Martha’s Table Shelter in Washington, DC. Brotherhood activities ensure the bonds of AEPI remain for a lifetime. The future is nothing but bright for Delta Deuteron at University of Maryland.

* If you have any historical information, anecdotes, prominent Chapter events in history, please email the Chapter historian.

* Source: Toll, George S. Alpha Epsilon Pi: The First Sixty-Five Years 1913-1978. 1980, The Alpha Epsilon Pi Foundation, Inc.