The USC Alpha Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Delta was founded in 1939 when Kappa Zeta, the honorary pre-medical fraternity at USC merged with Alpha Epsilon Delta, the national pre-medical fraternity. Kappa Zeta was founded in 1923 by a group of pre-med students with the assistance of Professors Albert Ulrey and LeRoy Weatherby. The purpose of the organization was "to uphold the highest ideals in pre-medical work, and to promote fellowship among honor pre-medical men" (History of Kappa Zeta). In 1928, Kappa Zeta joined with pre-medical fraternities at Redlands University and Occidental College to form a national pre-medical fraternity called Kappa Zeta. USC was the Alpha Chapter, Redlands the Beta, and Occidental the Gamma (which ceased to function in the 1930s due to low enrollment). In 1935 a chapter was organized at Pomona, and attempts were made to organize additional chapters. In 1938, a representative of Alpha Epsilon Delta visited the California group and the decision was made to merge Kappa Zeta with Alpha Epsilon Delta.