Honors Societies
Phi Kappa Phi
Publications
The Society publishes a quarterly journal for distribution to its active membership. Each issue of National Forum is devoted to a significant theme and addresses prominent issues of the day from an interdisciplinary perspective. The journal features articles by scholars inside and outside the academic community. In addition to timely articles, each issue of National Forum contains selected poetry and reviews of current books and periodical literature.
Active members of the Society also receive bimonthly issues of the Phi Kappa Phi Newsletter. The Newsletter features news items of interest to members on both the national and local levels.
Fellowships
The Phi Kappa Phi Foundation was incorporated in 1969 to promote academic excellence and achievement by means of scholarships and fellowships. To support first-year graduate work, the Society offers annually through the Foundation 50 Fellowships and 30 Honorable Mention Awards, on a competitive basis, to graduating students who have been initiated into the Society and who have also been nominated by their chapters for the competition.
Many chapters also have their own local scholarship program.
History
In 1897 a group of 10 students at the University of Maine, who perceived a need for an honor society on broader lines than any then in existence, was assisted by interested professors to organize the Lambda Sigma Eta Society. A year or so later the name was changed to the Morrill Society, in honor of the sponsor of the Congressional Act which provided for land-grant colleges. In 1900 it was transformed into a national society by action of a committee composed of the presidents of the University of Maine, the University of Tennessee, and Pennsylvania State College (now The Pennsylvania State University). The chapters in these institutions are the founding chapters. The Society was renamed Phi Kappa Phi, from the initial letters of the Greek words forming its adopted motto: Philosophia Krateito Photon, roughly translated as "Let the love of learning rule humanity." Phi Kappa Phi currently has chapters in institutions from Maine to the Philippines and from Alaska to Puerto Rico.
The history of the Society has been recorded in two volumes, In Pursuit of Excellence: The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, 1897-1971 by Edward Schriver (Paperback - $3.50) and Making Heroes of Scholars: The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, 1971-1983 by Neal O'Steen (Paperback - $6.00, Hardback- $10.00). Both are available from the National Office at LSU.
Badge
The badge of this Society, which appears on the key, is a globe against the background of the sun, whose rays form an expansive corona and radiate in a number of symmetrical concentrations from behind the globe. These signify equivalence among the various branches of learning and represent the dissemination of truth as light. Encircling the globe is a band containing the Greek letters K (Phi Kappa Phi) and symbolizing a fraternal bond which girds the earth and binds the lovers of wisdom in a common purpose.
Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society Induction
Students who are designated by UNR Admissions and Records as being Juniors with a GPA of at least 3.80, Graduating Seniors with a GPA of at least 3.65, or Graduating Graduate Students with a GPA of at least a 3.99 are invited to join Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society.
Each year two initiations are held - one for the spring commencement and one for the winter commencement.
The fall initiation includes only Graduating Seniors and Graduating Graduate Students.
The invitations to join Phi Kappa Phi are sent from the UNR Honors Program.
New members are also invited to attend a reception for the winter initiation and a luncheon for the spring initiation in their honor.
The ceremony lasts about an hour and certificates are handed out. If you are not able to attend the ceremony you may pick up your certificate and medallion in the Honors Office.
http://www.phikappaphi.org/National Headquarters
http://www.auburn.edu/natforum/PKP National Forum
