Founded in 1885 at Lehigh University by Dr. Edward H. William Jr., Tau Beta Pi recognizes students of distinguished scholarship and exemplary character. The organization sponsors projects emphasizing the Society's objectives--recognizing outstanding engineering students and professionals and encouraging the interests of engineers in non-technical fields, the college, and the community. The Ohio Beta chapter of Tau Beta Pi was installed in 1915 at the University of Cincinnati.

Election to Tau Beta Pi is open only to pre-junior and junior engineering students in the top 1/8th of their class or senior engineering students in the top 1/5th of their class.

Currently, the Ohio Beta chapter has approximately 45 members who participate in a variety activities of benefit to others, including: tutoring 9th and 10th graders at Hughes High School; tutoring UC students in physics coursework; serving as judges at the Nagel Middle School Science Fair; serving as judges in the JETS Team competition sponsored annually at UC; "preparing" the homes of local elderly for winter and "repairing" them for spring; and assisting in the UC Habitat for Humanity project.

These volunteer activities enrich the lives of members of the community and are a source of great fulfillment for the members. The members have a special passion for the tutoring activities even though they are very time consuming.

Marie Granny, President of the Ohio Beta chapter of Tau Beta Pi, commented: "Tutoring at Hughes High School through Tau Beta Pi is a great opportunity for our members to give back to the community in one of the best ways possible - helping high school students build their core math abilities for the future and helping them to see how far hard work can take them."

During this year's E-Week from February 21-25, TBP members will sponsor a fund-raiser selling Krispy Kreme doughnuts and will coordinate the event's canned food drive in cooperation with local food pantries.