Our Development

Massachusetts Iota Tau, the chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at MIT, was founded in November, 1892 by Harold C. Buckminster, Wallace C. Brackett, Ernest F. Badger, and Frank B. Masters, who were initiated by a member of the newly formed chapter at Boston University, Massachusetts Beta Upsilon. After completion of the first pledge training program, the brothers of Massachusetts Iota Tau held their first initiation at the Woodlawn Hotel in Auburndale, Massachusetts. John Thompson Dorrance, the founder of Campbell’s Soup, was a member of the first pledge class.

Due to extenuating circumstances, the chapter was closed in 1998. The Phoenix is nothing if not hardy, and thus it was reborn again ten years later in 2008. There was a recolonization attempt in 2003, but those members did not make it and were shut down in 2006. However, members from the first colonization were instrumental in our recolonization; Neil Kelly first contacted Cyrus Vafadari in the fall of 2008, who then passed the word on to three of his friends: Ian Fischer, Raven Reddy and Davey Hunt. Later, Chase Anderson learned of the opportunity and made the decision to become part of the group as well. The five members worked hard throughout the rest of the year and the summer to develop a strong recruitment schedule, and were successful in bringing three quality individuals into their brotherhood: Ken Cooper, Cory Monroe and Cameron McAlpine.

As the first eight students of MIT SAE, we are establishing this chapter of the fraternity because all of us have had a great experience as SAE’s and we want to provide this opportunity to others who are coming after us. We think that you will find the experience to be as rewarding as we did both because we have had a strong and illustrious history but also because you will bring new ideas to the fraternity which can only add to your intellectual growth at MIT. We wish to leave not only our brothers, but also this school, a better place than when we first came.