BETA NU
West Virginia Wesleyan College

FOUNDED ON
4.22.1933

LOCATION
Buckhannon, WV

HISTORY
West Virginia Wesleyan College was established in 1890 by the West Virginia Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In early years, pre-college enrollment predominated. The first bachelor’s degree was awarded in 1905. Chi Alpha Tau was organized by six students in 1923. In April 1925, the school ordered the group to disband, but this was remanded in the Summer. From that date, the group was the oldest surviving non-religious social organization on campus. The college first sanctioned fraternities in 1925. On April 22, 1933, 37 members were initiated and the chapter installed as Psi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Pi. Alpha Kappa Pi Grand President Parke Friam conferred the charter assisted by Grand Treasurer Frank Krebs and Province Chief W. Samuel Kitchen. The chapter had a house at 15 Meade Street in Buckhannon, West Virginia.

Jackson W. Rafield, West Virgina Wesleyan ‘33, was most instrumental in bringing the group into Alpha Kappa Pi. After World War II the chapter reopened at 82 Florida Street. By 1952 it had moved to 26 Meade Street.

In 1955 the chapter was suspended for two years and reopened at 50 College Avenue, Buckhannon. In 1964 the charter was withdrawn at the request of the college. Several members not responsible for the suspension fostered development of a group which called itself Delta Xi and became the West Virginia Wesleyan chapter of Chi Phi Fraternity.

In 1959, Phi Sigma Epsilon chartered its Phi Kappa chapter at West Virginia Wesleyan. When Phi Sigma Epsilon disbanded with most of its chapters merging with Phi Sigma Kappa, the chapter did not participate in the merger but became part of Phi Sigma Phi (1988). In 1997, 26 members of the West Virginia Wesleyan chapter formerly associated with the non-NIC member fraternity, Phi Sigma Phi, petitioned Alpha Sigma Phi for a charter. At the time, there were 416 mailable West Virginia Wesleyan alumni of Phi Sigma Epsilon and Phi Sigma Phi.

Beta Nu Chapter was re-installed on November 6, 1998, by Grand Marshal John Gibson, Indiana ‘85, Drew Thawley, Ohio Wesleyan ‘94, and undergraduate brothers from Beta Gamma (Bethany) and Epsilon Delta (Maryland). Dan Bushey, West Virginia Wesleyan ‘98, was president of the chapter and received the charter. The chapter has a house at 83 South Kenawa Avenue, Buckhannon, West Virginia. The chapter won the West Virginia Wesleyan President’s Cup in 2002, 2008 and 2017. Dan Bushey served as a chapter leadership consultant for the Fraternity in 1999-00. Paul Ferguson, West Virginia Wesleyan ‘00, was Alpha Sigma Phi Scholar of the Year in 2002. Nicholas Cody, West Virginia Wesleyan ‘33, received the Delta Beta Xi Award.

CHAPTER AWARDS
Records show award name and year(s) received.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Records show brother's name, initiation year, and award received.