In 1921, a group of men at Kent State University started an organization known as the Kent Men's Club.  The group was formed as a non-secret men's discussion club, but was actually based upon the constitution of the Carnegie Tech Chapter of Delta Upsilon.  Thus, both in spirit and in actual mechanics, the group was a replica of a DU chapter.  The club was started when Alex Whyte, a member of the KSU faculty, helped seven students get organized.  These men were David Beckwith, Pasqual Carlozzi, Everlin Dille, Harvey Crow, John M. Schwartz, Frank Zappolo, and W.C. Bryan.  They at first named the group "Kesnoco," from the words "Kent State Normal College," as the university was called at the time.

     In 1923 though, the organization became Kappa Mu Kappa and was the first Greek letter fraternity on the campus.  The Greek Letters Kappa Mu Kappa represented the words "Kruphas Mathena Katharotes," meaning secrecy, knowledge, and purity.  At that time the KMK Badge was adopted; it was in the form of a small black shield, surrounded with pearls.  At the top of the shield appeared the skull and crossbones, in the center were the letters "KMK," at the bottom was an open book, and the entire badge was in black and gold (the fraternity's colors).  Although the first president of Kent State, Dr. James McGilvery, later became an honorary member of KMK, the formation of Greek-letter fraternities was at the time unacceptable to many of the faculty, and KMK was forced to adapt secrecy.  The members wished to continue to serve the university openly, however.  Consequently, the organization remained Kappa Mu Kappa fraternity in secret, but to the officials of the college, it would be "Kent Men's Klub."  Thus, for a time, KMK had two meanings on campus.

     It was during the period between the Fall, 1922, and Spring, 1923, that Kappa Mu Kappa's eventual direction was firmly established.  In January, 1924, several of the less democratic brothers tried to restrict KMK membership to men of the Protestant faith only.   Because the majority of the members believed in the principles of DU, these men failed, and were ejected from the fraternity.  They later formed another local fraternity, but they failed in that attempt, also.

     Traditions began to grow, and a large concrete "K" was installed on the University's front campus on June 4, 1923.  This structure became the center piece for the yearly "K-Girl" ceremony.  The ceremony was the official opening of Campus Day at Kent State, when the K-Girls, or chapter sweetheart, was escorted by the uniformed brothers to the "K."  The brothers would form a large circle around the "K" and sing fraternity songs as she applies the first dab of white paint to it.  The retiring chapter president and the new chapter president would complete the painting.

     Support from the university faculty grew, also.  Raymond E. Manchester, dean of men, became the first official advisor and took over some of the work previously performed by Alex Whyte.  Dr. Thomas E. Davey then became KMK's advisor as Dean Mancehster devoted more time to his university duties.  Upon his death, Dr. A. S. Roberts, head of the history department, took over the position, and upon the merger with Delta Upsilon, Dr. Roberts was elected the first Chapter Trustee.

     Many other traditions were started.  The Skull and Crossbones, which derived its name from the symbol on the badge of KMK, is the oldest publication on the campus.  "Truth Session," is the period at the end of the chapter meeting during which the president called upon each member, one at a time, to have a say about things in general.  Many DU chapters have a "critic," but at KSU every member is a critic through "truth sessions."

     Kappa Mu Kappa was incorporated on April 7, 1928.  Throughout the following years KMK expanded in all aspects, and nationalization was suggested many times but was ruled out because the University administration did not permit formulation of national fraternities on campus.  In 1943, KMK held their last meeting until the duration of World War II.  This suspension in activity lasted three years and in January, 1946 five returning war veterans decided to reactivate immediately.

     One of the first committees appointed after reactivation was the nationalization committee.  This came at an excellent time because the new University president, Dr. George A. Bowman,  a fraternity man, looked with favor upon the formation of national fraternity chapters on the campus.   

     After a careful study the committee found that there was only one leading old-line national fraternity which held the liberal attitudes and traditions acceptable to the members of KMK.  This fraternity was Delta Upsilon.  At the time the members did not know that their constitution had been based on the Carnegie Chapter's. After a long period in which KMK had to show its worth and sincerity, it was accepted as the 63rd chapter of Delta Upsilon at the Baltimore Convention of September, 1948.  A short time later the Annual Assembly of Trustees approved the merger, and on December 4, 1948, the chapter was formally installed.

     DU at Kent State became the best fraternity on campus in the 1950's, with over 100 members.  The fraternity was always first in campus activities such as intramurals and SongFest; the chapter really showed the meaning of "a DU in everything and every DU in something."  The height of the Chapter's excellence, was reached when it was named the "Outstanding Chapter of the Year Award" in 1955; this made the Kent State Chapter the best DU Chapter in the country.

     The Kent State Chapter prospered into the 1960's, but the entire Greek system on the campus began to falter during the turbulent, anti-establishment times of the late '60's and early '70's.  During this time many fraternities and sororities' began to leave campus and the Kent State Chapter began a slow painful death.  Then because of dwindling membership and lack of interest the Board of Directors had no choice but to suspend the Chapter's charter in 1977; this was despite substantial help from area alumni.

     During the mid-1980's the Greek system at Kent State began to grow again, and many fraternities were re-formed.  Delta Upsilon became part of this growth when, in the spring of 1988, Brother Nick Giorgianni ('56) contacted area alumni and formed an Alumni Association.  At the same time, his son, Mark, and Jeff Mottice also the son of an alumnus, recruited eight men and became the Kent State Interest Group.  The organization grew to a total of 16 men, but after a reorganization in the Fall of 1988, only ten members remained.  Giorgianni, Mottice, and Todd Brown were the only original members left.  These three became the first President, Vice president, and Secretary respectively.  Although the ten men that were left, which also included Rick Pitinii, Ralph Snelson, Chris Kistler, Tim Foster, Mark Takach, Dwayne Gentner, and Rusty Lytle, knew little about the Greek system, they were able to double in size by April on 1989.  During this time, the Interest Group earned a respectable reputation at Kent State and participated in many campus activities.  On April 26th, the interest group petitioned  the IFC (Inter-Fraternity Council) for membership and a colony status; it was granted, and the organization became the Kent State Colony of Delta Upsilon.

     During the entire colonization process, the colony and participating alumni brought back many traditions.  The first of these was the annual Wop-Harp Picnic, which involves both undergrads and alumni in softball, tug-of-war, and steak and beans barbeque.  An edition of the Skull and Crossbones was printed.  The K-Girl Ceremony was also rejuvenated, although it now takes place at the beginning of Homecoming Weekend, because the University no longer celebrates Campus Day.

     The Restarting of Delta Upsilon at Kent State University was initiated by the alumni of the chapter.  It is their dedication to the fraternity that is the back bone of the colony.  While the Colony struggled through their first year, the Alumni Association was incorporated and remained strong.  Four Alumna, Jack Hurd, Roger Knabe, Tom Forsythe, and Dave Baldwin became the first advisors to the colony.  These four, along with Nick Giorgianni, Mark Crioni, and Allen Farinacci, the first President, Vice president, and Secretary of the Alumni Association respectively, exemplified the meaning of brotherhood by strongly supporting the undergraduates and giving the advice needed for re-chartering.

     Through the colonies' hard work and determination on April 28th, 1990 the chapter received their charter again.  The chapter then began to grow and required the addition of a new larger chapter house.  In June of 1993 the chapter took over possession of the Delta Gamma house on Lincoln St. moving the chapter from its 335 East Summit address.  The new house will sleep 25 men making it the largest fraternity house at Kent.