Hawaii Chapter of Chi Epsilon

Preamble

We, students, faculty, and alumni of the Department of Civil Engineering at various colleges and universities, believing that a mark of distinction should be placed on the undergraduate who has upheld the honor of the department by high scholastic ability, and believing that a society with the broad principles of scholarship, character, practicality, and sociability would be an incentive to greater achievements in the civil engineering profession, do adopt this constitution as a guiding instrument for this organization.

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Object and Purpose of Chi Epsilon

Dedicated to the purpose of maintaining and promoting the status if civil engineering as an ideal profession, Chi Epsilon was organized to recognize the characteristics of the individual civil engineer deemed to be fundamental to the successful pursuit of an engineering career, and to aid in the development of those characteristics in the civil engineering student. Engineering, the application of scientific principles to the practical needs of society, is assuming a constantly increasing responsibility for the well-being of all people, and thus calling for competence of the highest order. This responsibility can be discharged only by a professional group whose members are possessed of a good basic technical ability, intelligence, moral integrity, and effective social poise in their relationship with the larger community of which they are part. To contribute to the improvement of the profession, Chi Epsilon fosters the development and exercise of sound traits of character and technical ability among civil engineers, and its members, by precept and example, toward an ever higher standard of professional service.

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History of Chi Epsilon

In the spring of 1922 two groups of civil engineering students at the University of Illinois, one calling itself Chi Epsilon, and the other calling itself Chi Delta Chi, independently of each other, took steps to petition the faculty for permission to establish an honorary civil engineering fraternity. As soon as the existence of the two groups became known to each other, plans were immediately propagated to merge the two groups. On May 22, 1952, the Chi Epsilon Fraternity was founded. Since then, Chi Epsilon has grown to 121 chapters, with over 80,000 members initiated.

 

The University of Hawaii Chapter of Chi Epsilon was founded in 1957 as the 49th chapter. Professor Randall Akiona is the Faculty Advisor and Dr. Arthur Chiu is currently the Councilor of the Pacific District of Chi Epsilon. The University of Hawaii Chapter has 12 active members who participate in various activities, events, and projects. The emphasis of the Hawaii Chapter is to develop sound traits of character and technical ability among civil engineers to push the standard of professional service.

Service projects recently completed have been repair of the benches outside of Hamilton library, volunteer work at the Teen Great Aloha Run, and construction of a greenhouse at a local school. In addition, members participate in a picnic, softball game, basketball tournament, and initiation banquet.

Each semester, the chapter invites qualified civil engineering students to become pledges of Chi Epsilon. The pledges of the Hawaii Chapter go through a very challenging, yet rewarding, process. It includes a concrete construction project and the making of the Chi Epsilon wooden keys. Initiates apply knowledge from the classroom and team work to accomplish the three parts of the construction process: Conception, Design, and Construction.

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Motto

Chi Epsilon retains as its motto the Greek letters Chi Delta Chi, which formed the name of the junior honor society founded in 1922 at the University of Illinois and which is one of the roots of Chi Epsilon. Chi Delta Chi. These three letters shall symbolize our English motto: Conception, Design, and Construction. These are the three phases of every creative project. Conception is inventive; it perceives the opportunity to do something and recognizes the means of accomplishment. Fitting that means of accomplishment to the specific case and planning a definite method of work is design. Construction is the actual building. It makes a reality of the idea of conception and the plan of design. Conception requires imagination and intelligence. Design requires education and practical experience. Construction requires energy, determination, and perseverance. In these functions, your adherence to the principles of Chi Epsilon will serve you well.

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Comments may be directed to xe@wiliki.eng.hawaii.edu