In 1987, fifteen men came together to found what would later become Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Recognizing the difficulties facing Latinos in high education, the founders sought to create an organization aimed at developing leadership, instilling academic scholarship, and creating an environment of support that integrated Latino heritage. After realizing that other student organizations would not be able to provide all of these to its members, the founders decided that creating a fraternity, something that was new in Latino culture, would be the best opportunity for achieving its goals.