Tau Beta Pi | CA Eta
History of Tau Beta Pi
Tau Beta Pi was founded in 1885 at Lehigh University, to accredit engineering students that displayed distinguished scholarship and exceptional character. The CA Eta Chapter at San Jose State University was founded on March 14, 1964. Tau Beta Pi currently consists of 256 collegiate chapters & 46 active alumni chapters, with over 600,000 members.
Outside the Charles W. Davidson Engineering building (on the corner of San Fernando & 8th St) is a statue of our Bent, the official badge of Tau Beta Pi. The badge was initially a watch key that resembled the bent of a trestle (hence the name), which is the load-bearing part of the bridge. The bent provides integrity to the structure, and represents our creed Integrity and Excellence in Engineering. The bottom stem was added to fit a watch-winding shaft, and the top stem and ring allowed for the key to be worn as a pendant, thus easily used as a watch key.
Notable Members
- Nobel Laureates
- Winners of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
- Honorees in the National Inventors Hall of Fame
- Recipients of the National Medal of Technology
- Recipients of the National Medal of Science
- Members of the National Academy of Engineering
- Draper Prize Winners
- Postage Stamp Honorees
- Corporate CEOs & Academic Leaders
- State Governors
- Olympic & Professional Athletes
- Super Bowl winners
