Founded in 1899 on January 10th at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois, Tau Kappa Epsilon has a rich legacy. The organization boasts over 293,000 lifetime members and 226 active chapters throughout the United States and Canada. TKE members strive to embody the motto of “Better Men for a Better World”. In pursuit of such qualities, many brothers have achieved great success after their time in the fraternity.
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan is remembered as a Hollywood actor, the 33rd governor of California, and most notably, the 40th president of the United States. During his administration he was hailed as a conversative icon, and many of his policies and ideas inspire conservatives today. He even left office with an approval rating of 68%, one of the highest among modern presidents. Before these great feats, however, he first attended Eureka College where he got his education and became a Tau Kappa Epsilon brother.
Howard Schultz
Schultz spent his education and early career at Northern Michigan University, graduating with a B.A. in communications and joining TKE. Later on, he got a job as the director of retail operations and marketing and began his climb to the very top. He was responsible for the introduction of espresso beverages such as lattes, americanos and more at Starbucks, pioneering the idea that Americans could also enjoy the classic Italian treat. He was CEO of Starbucks from 1986-2000 and again from 2008-2017.
Steve Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing executive and politician, best known as the President and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes magazine. He graduated from Princeton in 1970 and began work at Forbes. He ran for president twice, in 1996 and 2000, losing the nomination to Bob Dole and George W. Bush, respectively. In 2009, he was announced as TKE’s 250,000th initiate.
Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers began his football career at Butte College in 2002, and later transferred to University of California, Berkeley, where he set several career passing records. He was selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft by the Green Bay packers. In 2010 he led the Packers to Super Bowl victory, earning the title of MVP. He also holds several records, ranking third on the NFL’s all-time regular season career passer rating list. He was initiated to TKE’s Sigma-Xi chapter in 2012.
Everly Brothers
Don and Phil Everly were a famous American Country Rock duo, skyrocketing to fame in the 1950s. They are credited as pioneers of the rock genre, combining elements of rock and roll, country and pop. Their song “Bye Bye Love” hit number 1 in 1957, launching their long and successful careers. In 1986, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s inaugural class. The Everly Brothers were members of Indiana State University’s Gamma Rho chapter.
We think Tau Kappa Epsilon is a classic, which is why we make quality, unique apparel and other greatly priced products to celebrate it. Embrace tradition or keep it trendy – we’ve got a large assortment to choose from. Check out our collection of TKE gear here!