| Delta Tau Alpha | |
| Letters: | Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΔΤΑ |
| Crest: | File:The_crest_of_Delta_Tau_Alpha.jpeg |
| Birthplace: | Southwest Missouri State College |
| Status: | Active |
| Type: | Honor Society |
| Emphasis: | Agriculture |
| Scope: | National |
| Affiliation: | ACHS |
| Chapters: | 31 |
| Lifetime: | 16,000 |
| Publication: | The Achiever |
| Flower: | Chrysanthemum |
| Symbol: | Corn, Wheat, Scroll |
| Address: | National DTA c/o Dr. Elizabeth Walker, MSU, School of Agriculture, 2401 S Kansas Expressway |
| City: | Springfield |
| State: | Missouri |
| Zip Code: | 65807 |
| Country: | United States |
Delta Tau Alpha (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΔΤΑ) is an American scholastic honor society for the field of agriculture. It was established at Southwest Missouri State College in 1960.
The Honor Society of Delta Tau Alpha was founded at Southwest Missouri State College on March 19, 1960.[1] Its purpose is the promote and recognize leadership and scholarship of agricultural students.[2] It also promotes character development and helps prepare undergraduate students for a career in agriculture.
The society held its first national convention in March 1960.[3] Its emblem was adopted at that convention. Delta Tau Alpha was admitted to the Association of College Honor Societies in 1992. The society has 31 active chapters across the United States and a total membership of approximately 16,000.
Delta Tau Alpha's colors are green and harvest gold. Green represents "the fresh, new ideas that members bring into agriculture, just as a new crop springs to life each year"; harvest yellow was selected to represent "reaping the benefits of technology through the application of knowledge in the same way a farmer harvests his golden crop of grain"
Its flower is the chrysanthemum. Its symbols are corn, wheat, and a scroll. Corn and wheat represent hard work, experimentation, and products of applied education. The scroll symbolizes the society's founding ideals of "scholarship, character, responsibility, leadership, and lifelong commitment".
The society's emblem features a scroll. On top of the scroll is a Greek letter Delta (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Δ) formed by wheat on the upper two sides and an ear of corn on the bottom. The Greek letter Delta signifies change because agricultural professionals continually adapt to changing environments and resources. In the center of the letter Delta is the fraternity's Greek letters, Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΔΤΑ, stacked on top of each other.
Delta Tau Alpha's publication is The Achiever.[4]
The society has an annual convention each spring that rotates between member campuses. It presents awards for the best chapter, outstanding teacher-advisor, and the winner of an agricultural knowledge contest. Chapters award scholarships and participate in community service activities, including canned food drives for local food banks, educating children about livestock, and donating to The Angel Tree Project.[5]
To be eligible for membership in Delta Tau Alpha, a student must have completed at least nine semester hours in agricultural courses and 45 hours in college courses, with a rank in the top 35 percent of their class.[6] Members are initiated at a ceremony and reception/banquet. Membership is for life.
Following is a list of Delta Tau Alpha chapters.[7]