Tau Beta Pi was founded at Lehigh University in 1885 by Edward H. Williams. It is the nation's second-oldest honor society. There are currently collegiate chapters at 229 U.S. colleges and universities, with a total initiated membership of over 477,000.

The purpose of Tau Beta Pi is "to mark in a fitting manner those who have conferred honor upon their alma mater by distinguished scholarship and exemplary character as undergraduates in engineering, or by their attainments as alumni in the field of engineering, and to foster a spirit of liberal culture in engineering colleges."

The first Tau Beta Pi chapter in Ohio, the Ohio Alpha chapter, was established at what is now Case Western Reserve University on May 19, 1900. The Ohio Alpha chapter is best known for organizing the biannual TBP Bookswap, which allows for student-to-student book transactions. However, the Ohio Alpha chapter is more than just the Bookswap. Other current projects include the Pi Mile Run, the Slide Rule SatCo Program, the Engineering Core Cram, the Engineering Futures program, which gives students useful information about a variety of engineering-relevant topics, and the publication of a newsletter for more than 1700 chapter alumni. The chapter also participates in CWRU's annual Engineers' Week and organizes social events for members and non-members alike.

TBP Calendar