EPSILON ETA
Salisbury University

FOUNDED ON
10.15.1999

LOCATION
Salisbury, MD

HISTORY
Salisbury University was authorized as a two-year college in 1922 and opened in September 1925. It became a four-year college in 1934, granting its first B.S. degrees in 1935 and its first B.A. degrees in 1960. Eight masters degree programs have been added between 1962 and 2001, and there are now over 50 degree programs.

Alpha Sigma Phi was invited by the University administration to colonize on the campus in fall 1998. On September 21, 1998, Alpha Sigma Phi Expansion Director Drew Thawley, Ohio Wesleyan ‘94, held an organizational meeting. Initially two students indicated a desire to found a chapter. The following evening the interest grew to four men and within three weeks the group had grown to fifteen. Meetings to perfect an organization and to recruit more members continued over the next six weeks and membership grew to 27 members. On November 22, 1998, Drew Thawley, Steve Hutton, Purdue ‘68, David Baird, East Carolina ‘88, and members of Epsilon Delta Chapter at the University of Maryland pledged the 27 members and two advisors and the group was recognized as a colony of Alpha Sigma Phi. Rick Deale, Salisbury ‘99, was the Colony President at the time. 

Ryan Brown, Coastal Carolina ‘94, worked with the Colony and it finished the spring 1998 semester with 28 members. Epsilon Eta was chartered on October 15, 1999 with Chapter Consultant Gordy Heminger, Bowling Green ‘96, and Grand Junior President Robert Cabello, Eastern Michigan ‘70, in attendance. Undergraduate brothers from Epsilon Delta (Maryland) and Epsilon Zeta (Penn State Altoona) Chapters initiated the 28 charter members. 

Epsilon Eta was suspended in spring 2016 due risk management violations. 

Efforts to re-organize the chapter, led by Coordinator of Expansion and Growth Joe Nelson, Illinois State ‘12, began in spring of 2017. On April 22, 2017, 37 men were initiated into the Epsilon Eta Chapter. Initiation was led by Coordinator of Chapter Development Tyler Campbell, Capital ‘12. The Initiation Ceremony was assisted by Epsilon Eta alumnus Michael Crockett, Salisbury ‘02, as well as Harrison Curnutte, McDaniel ‘16, Brett Buckely, McDaniel ‘16, Jack Nickel, McDaniel ‘16 and Nicholas Cepero, McDaniel ‘16. Initiation took place in the Guerrieri University Center on the Salisbury University campus. Hunter Jennings, Salisbury ‘17 was the Chapter President at the time of initiation.

Byron Hughes, Salisbury ‘06, served as a Grand Councilor [2010-18] and Grand Marshal [2014-18]. He currently holds the position as Dean of Students at Virginia Tech and volunteers with the Delta Upsilon Chapter at Virginia Tech. Raymond Heer, Salisbury ‘00, served as Undergraduate Grand Councilor [2000-01].

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

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