The Virginia Alpha Chapter of Tau Beta Pi was installed at the University of Virginia on May 28th, 1921. Virginia Alpha was the thirty-seventh collegiate chapter. Since it was founded in 1921, the chapter has initiated over 2,350 members, including such notables as Walter Sheldon Rodman, William Holding Echols, William Mynn Thornton and John Lloyd Newcomb. The chapter's objectives are to recognize engineering students of outstanding scholarship and character, and foster a spirit of liberal culture among them. Members of Tau Beta Pi are elected as undergraduate students, graduate students and eminent engineers.
Candidate selection is held each semester of the academic year.
Meetings are held monthly. Virginia Alpha is in the geographic division District 4 of Tau Beta Pi. An Annual District Forum is held each spring which increases contact with national officers and collegiate chapters. Each fall a national convention is held to update the constitution, recognize outstanding chapters and disseminate information.