About Zeta Tau Alpha

In 1898, nine young women at the Virginia State Female Normal School (now Longwood University) formalized their friendship by forming Zeta Tau Alpha. Away from home for the first time, these teenagers longed for companionship while they studied to be teachers. Fearing their unique friendship would fade without a formal bond to sustain it, they met in secret by candlelight in the bathroom of their dormitory. At the start, they used only three question marks as their group name. The first minute book of regular meetings states Zeta Tau Alpha was organized Oct. 15, 1898.

Learn more about how Zeta Tau Alpha was founded.

We now have more than 300,000 initiated members, 172 active collegiate chapters and more than 225 alumnae chapters across the country.

The Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation is the philanthropic and fundraising arm of the Fraternity. The Foundation leads our efforts in breast cancer education and awareness, provides around $1 million in scholarships annually, and sponsors educational and leadership opportunities for our members and others.

The ZTA Fraternity Housing Corporation is the largest in the Panhellenic world and provides safe, secure and competitive housing for all our collegiate members.

Explore the national ZTA website to find additional information about our Nine Key Values, policies, dedication to inclusion, programming and more.

The purpose of Zeta Tau Alpha is the intensifying of friendship, the fostering of a spirit of love, the creating of such sentiments, the performing of such deeds, and the moulding of such opinions as will be conducive to the building up of a purer and nobler womanhood in the world.

The North Orange County of Zeta Tau Alpha holds sisterhood events, fundraising events, and volunteer opportunities. Our goal for the 2016-2017 year is to "Inspire Sisterhood". We understand that as a Zeta, we all wear several crowns and that we cannot always participate in everything. Our hope is that when you do, it inspires you to connect and remember why you chose to call ZTA home.