The E.C. Society emerged shortly after the Q.T.V Society. In 1878 the E.C. Society joined Alpha Sigma Chi Fraternity, which a year later merged with Beta Theta Pi. Thus the Betas became the first national to exist on Maine's campus. Growth continued at a rapid pace and five more nationals were added by 19 10. The last National Interfraternity Conference group to charter a fraternity at Maine that still exists today was Tau Kappa Epsilon in 1948.
Today there are fourteen national fraternities at Maine.
The first sorority on campus was Alpha Omicron Pi, which chartered in 1908. Today there are seven national sororities at Maine, the last one being established in 1963. The University was established as the State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1865 when the state of Maine accepted the provisions of the Morrill Act, approved by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862. The doors to the College were opened to students on September 21,1868. Dr. Merritt Caldwell Fernald was the president of the college, which enrolled twelve students and employed two faculty.