The most explicit requirement for membership is distinguished scholarship; however, high grades alone are not enough. We also expect our initiates to have exceptional character and we host events that are designed to help foster this. Initiation and membership in Tau Beta Pi is evidence of personal integrity, a wide range of interests, adaptability, and unselfish participation in community and volunteer activities.
Below is a summary of the requirements that are also stated in detail in the Spring 2023 Initiate Handbook.
Undergraduate Initiate Requirements (Spring 2023)
In order to be invited to join TBP, an engineer must be in the top 1/8 of the Junior class or top 1/5 of the Senior class (this is determined by credit hours).
Initiate Social
The Initiate Social will be in-person on Saturday, January 29th, 2023 from 4-6 pm. You’ll meet your fellow initiates and the officer board while bowling and playing pool. Attendance is mandatory. Email Brady (bradenm3@illinois.edu) if you can’t attend.
Informal Interview
You will be asked to have an interview with our current members. The purpose of the interview is not to judge your eligibility to be inducted into Tau Beta Pi, but to allow our current members and board members to know you better. It will last for 15 minutes and take place in-person in our office. Interviews will be scheduled for weeknights, January 30th to February 10th (excluding Saturday, and Sunday). Sign ups will be sent out in the newsletter.
Initiation Fee
There is an initiation fee of $100 that must be turned in by Friday, February 17th, 2023. This can be submitted through the TBP store. Make sure to take a screenshot of the payment and email it to Jack (jgranat2@illinois.edu). See the Initiate Handbook for a breakdown of the fee.
Credit Hour Requirement
You will need a total of 6 hours to initiate. You must earn at least 1 credit from each category: social, professional, and service. See the Events page for opportunities to earn credits and the Undergraduate tab of the Point Tracking Sheet (coming soon) to check your credit hours.
Bent Polishing
Bent Polishing has been a part of our chapter initiation for some years now. It is one of the best parts of the initiation process; it is the first place you really get to know other initiates and officers while taking pride in your election. Specific times when you may come to the office to polish your bent will be sent out in the newsletter. The bent must be polished between January 13th and January 24th (excluding Saturday, and Sunday).
Committee Participation
This applies to undergraduates only. The primary goal of each committee is to provide a common task that members and initiates can work together to achieve. Each initiate will be assigned a committee based on their response filled out at the info session. Committees will meet every other week, during which most of the tasks should be completed. Initiates are required to show up at least 4 out of 6 of the general committee meeting throughout the semester. See the meeting schedule on our calendar.
Alternate Committee Participation Requirements (Fill out this form if using these requirements)
For undergrads who are unable to attend the regularly scheduled committee meetings at 7pm on Mondays, we have made an alternate set of requirements for you. To satisfy the initiation requirements, you will have to earn an additional two points this semester by attending events and complete 4 initiate meetups. An initiate meetup involves meeting with another initiate or TBP member outside of a regularly scheduled TBP event for roughly 30 minutes. This can be anything from going to get coffee, to rock climbing at the arc, to studying together. The goal here is for you to meet other initiates. Each initiate meetup needs to be documented by filling out this google form and taking a selfie that includes both initiates at the meetup (please submit one form for each person attending). Thank you for your patience while the board was figuring out alternate committee requirements.
Resume
As we are a professional organization, we receive many requests for the resumes of our members. The resume must be submitted using this form by Friday, March 10th, 2023.
Initiation Ceremony
The ceremony will be on Saturday, April 29th, 2023 at 12 pm. Details will be sent out at a later time. You MUST attend the ceremony to join.
Graduate Initiate Requirements (Spring 2023)
In order to join, you must have been enrolled for one semester with a GPA of 3.75 or higher and completed 50% of the coursework and research by the time you submit your application (determined by the primary academic advisor).
Initiation Fee
There is an initiation fee of $100 that must be turned in by Friday February 17th, 2023. This can be submitted through the TBP store. Make sure to take a screenshot of the payment and email it to Jack (jgranat2@illinois.edu). See the Initiate Handbook for a breakdown of the fee.
Credit Hour Requirement
You will need a total of 3 hours to initiate, 2 credits in any category (social, professional, or service) and 1 service credit or professional credit in order to initiate. See the Events page for opportunities to earn credits and the Graduate tab of the Point Tracking Sheet (coming soon) to check your credit hours.
Recommendation Letter
All graduate initiates must submit a one page letter of recommendation from their primary academic advisor. Letter must explicitly include confirmation of 50% degree completion and GPA > 3.75 in addition to recommending you to the society. Submit it through this form by Wednesday, March 29th, 2023.
Report of Eligibility
Complete this form as described in the Spring 2022 Graduate Initiate Checklist in the Initiate Handbook. Submit to Siyuan through this form by Wednesday, March 29th, 2023.
Initiation Ceremony
The ceremony will be on Saturday, April 29th, 2023 at 12 pm. Details will be sent out at a later time. You MUST attend the ceremony to join.