Phi Alpha Tau

Infobox Fraternity
letters = ΦΑΤ
name = Phi Alpha Tau
crest =
motto = Further the Communicative Arts
colors = Navy Blue and White
symbol = Torch and Book
founded = 1902
birthplace = Emerson College
type = Professional and Honorary
address = 120 Boylston Street
city = Boston
state = MA
country = USA
active chapters = 1
free_label=Factoid
free= Oldest Fraternity at Emerson College
homepage = [http://www.PhiAlphaTau.com www.PhiAlphaTau.com]

Phi Alpha Tau (ΦΑΤ) is the oldest professional communicative arts fraternity in the United States, founded in 1902 by Walter Bradley Tripp at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. It was founded to support the student-run debate society at Emerson College, and maintain its status as a student run organization. [ [http://www.emerson.edu/student_life/index.cfm?doc_id=1430 Emerson College] Greek Life Page] Currently, members are involved in all areas of communications including film, comedy, politics, theatre, marketing, publishing, writing, television and radio.

Some of the organization's honorary members include Robert Frost, [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0615386/bio Robert Frost] at IMDb] Edward R. Murrow, [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0615386/bio Edward R. Murrow] at IMDb] Elia Kazan, [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001415/bio Elia Kazan] at IMDb] Rex Trailer, William F. Buckley Jr., Robert B. Parker [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0662582/bio Robert B. Parker] at IMDb] and Boston radio personality David Brudnoy. [ [http://www.nndb.com/people/957/000043828/ David Brudnoy] NNDB Profile]

Tau, led by president Michael Burditt Norton, inducted Boston mayor Thomas Menino into the fraternity on January 28 2007 and presented him with an award named in Brudnoy's honor. [ [http://www.emerson.edu/emersontoday/index.cfm?view=showArticle&articleId=2563&editionID=252 "Fraternity honors Boston Mayor Menino"] , "Emerson Today", February, 2007. Accessed March 4, 2008.]

The Fraternity also awards to Joseph E. Connor Memorial Award for Excellence in the Communicative Arts to men of national distinction who embody the ideals of the fraternity and further the communicative arts. The Award commemorates Connor, a beloved brother and adviser of the Fraternity who died in 1952. In addition to Murrow, Kazan, Frost, and Parker, past recipients include actors Yul Brynner and Jack Lemmon, TV personality Bob Keeshan, Speaker of the House John W. McCormack, along with many others. Most recently, on December 5, 2007, Tau honored Boston Pops Conductor Keith Lockhart. Lockhart is the third consecutive Pops conductor to receive the award, following Arthur Fiedler and John Williams.

References

External links

* [http://www.phialphatau.com Phi Alpha Tau Website]