Chapter History & Archives

Delta Phi Epsilon was founded nationally in 1920 at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., as the first professional foreign service fraternity in the United States. Following the devastation of the First World War, the fraternity was chartered to cultivate international commerce, consular diplomacy, and professional ethical leadership across American university campuses.

On April 1, 1923, the Epsilon Chapter was formally chartered at the University of California, Berkeley by nineteen visionary undergraduate and graduate scholars. Later that year, on November 4, 1923, nine additional brothers were inducted, bringing the charter delegation to twenty-eight members.

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the chapter expanded rapidly alongside UC Berkeley's burgeoning international relations program. Membership grew to 113 brothers by 1929, with 160 members joining during the 1930s. The chapter regularly organized diplomatic symposiums, hosted foreign attachés arriving through the Port of San Francisco, and fostered rigorous debate regarding the League of Nations and the shifting global economy.

The 1940s brought profound transformation. With 212 members joining the chapter over the decade, wartime service and the founding of the United Nations in nearby San Francisco in 1945 re-oriented the fraternity from international trade toward foreign policy, diplomatic statecraft, and multilateral governance.

The 1950s marked the zenith of Epsilon Chapter's historic collegiate size. A total of 241 new brothers were initiated during the decade, with a peak class of 41 inductees in 1955. Actives entered careers with the newly reorganized U.S. Foreign Service, the Department of State, international banking institutions, and non-governmental humanitarian agencies.

The continuous strength of Epsilon Chapter during this era was championed by devoted UC Berkeley faculty mentors:

• Dr. Eric C. Bellquist – Professor of Political Science (inducted in 1925 as a Cal student), who served as a strong advocate and longtime anchor for DPE.
• Ms. Hildegarde Millar – International Relations Library Director, who generously supported the chapter and offered her Berkeley hills home for gatherings.
• Ms. Eleanor van Horn – Political Science Department Administrative Assistant, who encouraged political science scholars to affiliate with DPE.
• Distinguished Faculty Brothers – Professors Robert A. Scalapino (1950), Thomas C. Blaisdell (1953), Richard Park (1954), Armin Rappaport (1955), Paul Seabury (1955), Julian Towster (1955), Knowles A. Ryerson (Dean of Agriculture, 1959), and Charles Hulten (Journalism, 1960).

A decline in new members began in the early 1960s. The last strong year for new member initiation was 1966 with 22 joining, followed by five years without a new initiation. What hurt DPE at Cal and across 21 other collegiate chapters was the Vietnam War era (1960–1975), where intense campus anti-war demonstrations led to DPE being identified with U.S. foreign policy. Additionally, the historic male-only membership offered limited appeal as women's university enrollment expanded.

The final line of this era was the 85th Line in December 1972 with ten students, and the chapter officially closed in 1973. Only the Alpha Chapter at Georgetown University survived nationally during this period.

In the Summer of 2003, the Epsilon Chapter at UC Berkeley was re-chartered by student leaders as a co-educational professional fraternity. That fall, the chapter inducted 24 pledges. The first official meeting was held on September 29th, 2003 at Barrows Hall with Alumni Chapter President Rudolph Wagner (Class of 1955), Alumni Advisor Josef Chytry (Haas School of Business), and Alpha Alumnus Matt McClean in attendance.

Today, Epsilon Chapter recruits a diverse array of scholars united by their passion for international affairs, foreign service, and global careers.