Chapters
Kappa Alpha Order
Chapter Information:
Kappa Alpha Order was originally founded as Phi Kappa Chi on December 21, 1865, at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. James Ward Wood, William Archibald Walsh, William Nelson Scott, and Stanhope McClelland Scott are the founders of the fraternity. Soon after the founding, the local Virginia Beta chapter of Phi Kappa Psi protested the name "Phi Kappa Chi", due to the similarity of the names, leading Wood to change the name of the fraternity to K.A. by April 1866. The popular Kuklos Adelphon society had gone defunct during the Civil War, and it is suspected that Wood selected the letters K.A. to attract those who were familiar with the old society. Within one year, the order's ritual would be expanded upon and given a new vision by the "practical founder", Samuel Zenas Ammen. In the years that followed, the Order spread throughout the Southern United States, as well as many other states such as California, Arizona and New Mexico. This was a distinguishing factor that separates Kappa Alpha Order from the smaller, northern-based Kappa Alpha Society.
KA is one-third of the Lexington Triad, along with Alpha Tau Omega and Sigma Nu. Robert E. Lee, whose ideals of chivalry and gentlemanly conduct inspired the founders, was designated the "Spiritual Founder" of the Order by John Temple Graves at the 1923 Convention.
Chapter Brief:
The Zeta Upsilon chapter of Kappa Alpha Order was founded on October 26, 2012. It has been named one of the fastest growing chapters in the entire country. The Zeta Upsilon chapter received a Samuel Zenas Ammen Award at their first province council in 2012 which is given to the chapters that are in the Top 10 percent in the country. Since then, they have won this Award more recently in 2015, along with The Knight Commander's Cup, given to the Chapter displaying the most outstanding level of participation in Operation Crimson Gift. They were also nationally recognized as the fastest growing chapter in the entire United States by their nationals. They have also participated in working with Blood Assurance where they have an event each semester called Bloodanooga that helps students around campus donate blood. Kappa Alpha Alumni throughout Chattanooga are currently working on developing housing plans near the campus.
President: JERIN NIEMIEC