Greek Life at West Virginia Wesleyan College: A Historical Overview
Researched and Written by Anna Slayden | Revised by the Office of Greek Life

Greek Life at West Virginia Wesleyan College has long been a vital component of student life and campus culture. Since its inception, it has provided students with meaningful opportunities for connection, leadership, service, and academic success. Wesleyan is known for its people-first values and close-knit community, and Greek Life reflects that ethos. Unlike the stereotypical portrayals of fraternity and sorority life seen at larger institutions, Wesleyan’s Greek community remains grounded in service, scholarship, and a strong commitment to the campus and the surrounding Buckhannon area. It continues to create lasting relationships that extend well beyond the four years students spend at the College, building bridges between generations of alumni and active members.

The roots of Greek Life at Wesleyan trace back to 1921 with the formation of Sigma Delta Chi, an organization founded by a small group of women students. Professor Mildred Little served as their advisor, and under her guidance, the group was formally recognized as a local sorority in February 1926. Sigma Delta Chi hosted social events and welcomed thirty members in its first year. Its alignment with the values and ideals of West Virginia Wesleyan set a strong foundation for sorority life on campus and opened the door for Greek Life as a whole.

Men’s fraternities emerged shortly after, though not without challenges. In 1923, Chi Alpha Tau was formed by four men with the intent to establish a fraternal group focused on fellowship and social bonding. Led by John Little, the club grew modestly but ran afoul of a then-standing ban on fraternities. Despite faculty concerns and pressure to disband, the Board of Trustees lifted the fraternity ban in 1925, allowing Chi Alpha Tau to become the first officially recognized men’s fraternity on campus.

The following years saw a steady growth of fraternal organizations. Sigma Eta Delta became the second local fraternity in 1925 and later affiliated with the national fraternity Theta Chi in 1950. Alpha Gamma Phi, founded in 1927, was a short-lived local fraternity that never achieved national affiliation. Notably, the influential Wesleyan professor Nicholas Hyma served as its faculty advisor. In contrast, Kappa Alpha Order, founded in 1929, became Wesleyan’s most enduring national fraternity, maintaining its identity without mergers or name changes.

In 1933, Alpha Kappa Pi became another national fraternity to establish a presence, eventually merging with Chi Alpha Tau. This merger culminated in the formation of the Beta Nu chapter of Alpha Sigma Phi in 1946. In a significant chapter of Greek Life history, a new fraternity—Phi Sigma Epsilon—was founded in 1951. This group would later undergo a controversial national merger with Phi Sigma Kappa, leading to a split among its members. The dissident faction formed Phi Sigma Phi. John Bohman, then-president of Phi Sigma Epsilon, played a critical leadership role in reunifying the groups under Alpha Sigma Phi in 1998, ensuring a stronger and more sustainable future for the chapter after earlier charter loss due to social responsibility and liability issues.

Two additional fraternities rounded out the evolution of Greek Life at Wesleyan: Kappa Sigma Kappa, founded in 1955 and affiliated with Theta Xi in 1962, and Delta Xi, founded in 1961. Delta Xi fulfilled its goal of national affiliation by becoming a colony of Chi Phi in 1965. Over the decades, Wesleyan has hosted thirteen fraternities—some local, others national—each contributing to the diverse and rich history of Greek Life at the College.

Sorority development on campus, while less complex in structure, has been equally impactful. Sigma Delta Chi remained the vanguard of sorority life, affiliating with Alpha Xi Delta in 1947. The second sorority, Kappa Phi Omega, affiliated with Alpha Delta Pi in 1948, and the third, Sigma Pi Delta, affiliated with Alpha Gamma Delta that same year. These affiliations in the late 1940s and early 1950s signified a shift toward national recognition and formalized Greek Life structures.

Chi Kappa Alpha, established in 1926, was Wesleyan’s fourth sorority but never affiliated nationally and dissolved in 1934. The last sorority founded on campus was Tau Omega Chi in 1961, which affiliated with Zeta Tau Alpha in 1963 in an effort to remain competitive and sustainable. Since then, no new sororities have been established, and the four national sororities—Alpha Xi Delta, Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Gamma Delta, and Zeta Tau Alpha—have remained a consistent presence for over fifty years.

While the structure of Greek Life at Wesleyan has evolved, its influence on student life remains significant. According to John Bohman, Director of Greek Life and a 1990 graduate of the College, the atmosphere has shifted substantially since his time as a student. In the 1980s, Greek Life was predominantly social, with fraternities frequently hosting parties and operating with minimal regulation. This era gave way to legal liabilities, national scrutiny, and increased oversight. Today, Greek Life at Wesleyan focuses on philanthropy, academic excellence, and service.

Greek-affiliated students now consistently earn the highest cumulative GPAs on campus and break service records annually. Recent years have seen Greek organizations log 10,000 to 14,000 hours of community service. Under Bohman’s leadership, a structured accountability program called the President’s Cup was implemented to track and reward performance in scholarship, service, leadership, and campus engagement. This initiative has helped reshape Greek Life into a respected and integrated part of the broader campus community.

Since its origin in the early 1920s, Greek Life at West Virginia Wesleyan College has provided more than just a social outlet. It has built leaders, fostered lifelong friendships, and reinforced the College’s core values of service, integrity, and academic excellence. As it continues to evolve, Greek Life at Wesleyan remains committed to tradition while embracing innovation, ready to shape the next generation of student leaders.

If there is any additional information that is known please reach out to us at wesleyangreeklife@gmail.com so we can update the records and provide information to everyone!