Phi Kappa Phi
Encyclopedia
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (or simply Phi Kappa Phi or ) is an honor society
established 1897 to recognize and encourage superior scholarship without restriction as to area of study and to promote the "unity and democracy of education". It is the third academic society in the United States to be organized around recognizing academic excellence, and it the oldest all-discipline honor society. The society's motto is (Philosophía Krateítõ Phõtôn), which is translated as "Let the love of learning rule humanity", and its mission is "to recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others."
Phi Kappa Phi claims to have over 100,000 active members, to initiate approximately 30,000 new members annually, and to have a total of more than 1 million members since its creation, from over 300 college-based chapters in the United States
, Puerto Rico
, and the Philippines
.
In the late 1800s, there were only two academic societies founded and organized as honor societies, and they were discipline specific – Tau Beta Pi
and Sigma Xi
, which were founded in 1885 and 1886, respectively. There was also Phi Beta Kappa, a social and literary society that did not originate as an honor society when it was founded in 1776 but would soon become one for the liberal arts and sciences. Although Phi Beta Kappa was not exclusive to only one discipline it did not extend its membership to all disciplines, hence the establishment of Tau Beta Pi. Phi Beta Kappa became sufficient as an all-campus honor society for liberal arts colleges, but there was no honor society that could serve as such for the universities encompassing liberal education
and also technological and professional education, a mission to which the newly burgeoning land-grant universities of the time were dedicated. That was to change in 1897 when the first organizational meeting of Lambda Sigma Eta (later named Phi Kappa Phi), the nation's first all-discipline honor society, was held in Coburn Hall at the University of Maine
under the leadership of undergraduate student Marcus L. Urann. In opposition to what he saw as the separateness and exclusivity promoted by the social fraternities and discipline bound honor societies, Urann wanted to create a society that was defined by inclusiveness and that unified a campus, constituted by "high rank men drawn from all classes and all groups and all societies". Those selected for invitation into the society would be the top ten students of the senior class whose rank did not fall below the 90th percentile for the four years of work at the university. In all, the Society was founded by 10 senior students, two faculty members, and the university president, Abram Winegaard Harris. Urann graduated in 1897, and leadership of Phi Kappa Phi was assumed by President Harris. 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 universities. In 1899, the first woman was initiated into the Society, Pearl Clayton Swain.
In 1900, the society became national in scope by action of the presidents of the University of Maine
(the founding chapter), University of Tennessee
, and Pennsylvania State University
. There was considerable debate among the three existing chapters regarding the purpose and naming of the society. Pennsylvania State University's President George W. Atherton cautioned that using Greek letters to label the society would be "too much like aping other organizations", and President Charles W. Dabney of the University of Tennessee did not want to accept institutions that already had a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Nonetheless, on June 12, 1900, the Society changed its name to Phi Kappa Phi, drawing from the initial letters of the Greek words forming its motto (see article lede). The year 1900 also saw the first national convention of Phi Kappa Phi, which was held in New Haven, Connecticut and attended by delegates representing the three original chapters. In 1915, Phi Kappa Phi continued to struggle to earn a reputation. The then Secretary of the organization, L.H. Pammel, pointed out that institutions that were seeking to establish a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa were often hesitant about establishing a chapter of Phi Kappa Phi. To this, the society continued to make its case:
It would later be asserted that the Society's aim is not to replace older societies, but to "help raise the broader educational program inittiated by our government when it established the land-grant system, to appreciation of scholarly worth whether the subject matter be strictly academic or of a more vocational type."
1915 was the same year the first issue of The Phi Kappa Phi Journal was published and also the year the society established an association with the American Association for the Advancement of Science
that would last until 1962. In 1919, Phi Kappa Phi still struggled with securing growth and in the spirit of "the unity and democracy of education" the leadership took the stance that "although certain honor societies like Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi are unwilling to venture out into these technical schools", Phi Kappa Phi should push to become part of those institutions. In 1922, the question of admitting African-Americans into the society was raised openly, and the leadership decided that although the constitution did not debar African-Americans, the society would not "urge the election of colored people" because the "southern institutions would resent it." Nonetheless, in 1925 the Society as a whole formally took the position that it would not discriminate on color or race. Yet it would take until 1976 for Phi Kappa Phi to successfully establish a chapter at a Historically Black College or University, when one was established at Jackson State University
. Also in 1925, Phi Kappa Phi would be instrumental in creating the Association of College Honor Societies
(ACHS), being one of its six charter members.
In 1933, while the Philippines
was still an American
colony
, the first chapter outside of the continental United States
was founded at the University of the Philippines
. About this time, President of the Society Frank D. Kern stated that "integrity, moral courage, spirited discernment, and concern for human welfare" were equally important for membership in the society.
During the two world wars and into the 1960s, Society membership numbers and finances struggled. In 1963, Chapter 105 was chartered at the oldest and largest university system in the American
territory of Puerto Rico
, Universidad de Puerto Rico. By 1969, new member numbers were triple what they were in 1960. That year, the Phi Kappa Phi Foundation was incorporated to promote academic excellence and achievement by means of scholarships and fellowships. To support first-year graduate work, the Society now offers annually through the Foundation 60 Fellowships and 30 Awards of Excellence, 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.
In a 1969 Special Convention, the motto devised in 1900, "The Love of Learning Rules all Mankind", was changed to "Let the Love of Learning Rule Mankind" due to membership insistence that the former was, in the words of one member, "the most barefaced lie that had ever been cast in bronze."
By 1971, 74 years after its founding, Phi Kappa Phi numbered 120 chapters. In the next 12 years, that number would double to 239.
s annually, as well as grants and graduate fellow
ships. According to Baird's Manual of College Fraternities, the aim of these awards "is not to give the recipient something which may encourage complacency, but to challenge the member to continued excellence."
According to the website of the National Association of Fellowships Advisors, "The multidisciplinary nature of Phi Kappa Phi is reflected in its Fellowship and Award of Excellence recipients. Awardees represent a variety of fields including biology, chemistry, engineering, political science, mathematics and psychology. Likewise, the professions they select are equally diverse: law, medicine, business, education, science, or the arts". This multidisciplinary nature is represented by the rays of light on the Phi Kappa Phi badge (see "Society Symbols" below). In addition, Phi Kappa Phi aims to foster community service and leadership through its grants for local and national literacy initiatives, promotion of excellence grants, and training and leadership opportunities available to its membership.
Some chapters of Phi Kappa Phi also sponsor conferences and campus speakers.
Notable people who have contributed to The Phi Kappa Phi Forum include Ronald Reagan
, Bob Dole
, Edward Kennedy
, Jesse Jackson, Sr., Newt Gingrich
, Myrlie Evers-Williams
, Michael Dukakis
, Thomas "Tip" O’Neill
, Annette Kolodny
, Warren E. Burger
, Ellis Marsalis, Jr.
, and Molefi Kete Asante
.
Each of the 300 active chapters of Phi Kappa Phi elect their own set of chapter officers and is governed by the chapter constitution and by-laws. Chapters are numbered chronologically based on their date of founding, with the oldest chapter at the University of Maine identified as Chapter 001.
Phi Kappa Phi is a 501(c)(3) organization under the United States Internal Revenue Code. Its national headquarters is located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The badge, which appears on the key and in the center of the Society's seal, is the terrestrial globe with the sun's eight-rayed corona extending behind it. The sun represents the dissemination of truth and knowledge as light. The eight-rayed sun represents the various branches into which general education at the time was divided, and the arrangement of the rays "stood for the unity and democracy of the various branches of learning" Encompassing the globe is a band with the Greek letters Phi(Φ) Kappa(K) Phi(Φ), representing the honor society's motto, (Philosophía Krateítõ Phõtôn). This band represents the bond of fellowship that binds all lovers of learning in a common purpose.
as well as a technological aspect of the ancient Greek culture. In the space between this line and the periphery of the seal appear three stars just above the badge, one for each of the three original chapters. Just below the badge is the phrase "Founded 1897."
The ribbon of the Society portrays the meander pattern common in Greek art, suggesting the enduring values and ideals of learning and community leadership promoted by Phi Kappa Phi.
Honor society
In the United States, an honor society is a rank organization that recognizes excellence among peers. Numerous societies recognize various fields and circumstances. The Order of the Arrow, for example, is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America...
established 1897 to recognize and encourage superior scholarship without restriction as to area of study and to promote the "unity and democracy of education". It is the third academic society in the United States to be organized around recognizing academic excellence, and it the oldest all-discipline honor society. The society's motto is (Philosophía Krateítõ Phõtôn), which is translated as "Let the love of learning rule humanity", and its mission is "to recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others."
Membership
Membership is by invitation only at a campus with an established chapter and is restricted to students with integrity and high ethical standards and who are ranked scholastically in the top of their class, regardless of field of study: the top 7.5 percent of second-semester university juniors and the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students. Chapters may make membership criteria more selective. Faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction also might be eligible.Phi Kappa Phi claims to have over 100,000 active members, to initiate approximately 30,000 new members annually, and to have a total of more than 1 million members since its creation, from over 300 college-based chapters in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
History
Tau Beta Pi
The Tau Beta Pi Association is the oldest engineering honor society in the United States and the second oldest collegiate honor society in America. It honors engineering students who have shown a history of academic achievement as well as a commitment to personal and professional integrity...
and Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society is a non-profit honor society which was founded in 1886 at Cornell University by a junior faculty member and a handful of graduate students. Members elect others on the basis of their research achievements or potential...
, which were founded in 1885 and 1886, respectively. There was also Phi Beta Kappa, a social and literary society that did not originate as an honor society when it was founded in 1776 but would soon become one for the liberal arts and sciences. Although Phi Beta Kappa was not exclusive to only one discipline it did not extend its membership to all disciplines, hence the establishment of Tau Beta Pi. Phi Beta Kappa became sufficient as an all-campus honor society for liberal arts colleges, but there was no honor society that could serve as such for the universities encompassing liberal education
Liberal education
A Liberal education is a system or course of education suitable for the cultivation of a free human being. It is based on the medieval concept of the liberal arts or, more commonly now, the liberalism of the Age of Enlightenment...
and also technological and professional education, a mission to which the newly burgeoning land-grant universities of the time were dedicated. That was to change in 1897 when the first organizational meeting of Lambda Sigma Eta (later named Phi Kappa Phi), the nation's first all-discipline honor society, was held in Coburn Hall at the University of Maine
University of Maine
The University of Maine is a public research university located in Orono, Maine, United States. The university was established in 1865 as a land grant college and is referred to as the flagship university of the University of Maine System...
under the leadership of undergraduate student Marcus L. Urann. In opposition to what he saw as the separateness and exclusivity promoted by the social fraternities and discipline bound honor societies, Urann wanted to create a society that was defined by inclusiveness and that unified a campus, constituted by "high rank men drawn from all classes and all groups and all societies". Those selected for invitation into the society would be the top ten students of the senior class whose rank did not fall below the 90th percentile for the four years of work at the university. In all, the Society was founded by 10 senior students, two faculty members, and the university president, Abram Winegaard Harris. Urann graduated in 1897, and leadership of Phi Kappa Phi was assumed by President Harris. 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 universities. In 1899, the first woman was initiated into the Society, Pearl Clayton Swain.
In 1900, the society became national in scope by action of the presidents of the University of Maine
University of Maine
The University of Maine is a public research university located in Orono, Maine, United States. The university was established in 1865 as a land grant college and is referred to as the flagship university of the University of Maine System...
(the founding chapter), University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
, and Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
. There was considerable debate among the three existing chapters regarding the purpose and naming of the society. Pennsylvania State University's President George W. Atherton cautioned that using Greek letters to label the society would be "too much like aping other organizations", and President Charles W. Dabney of the University of Tennessee did not want to accept institutions that already had a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Nonetheless, on June 12, 1900, the Society changed its name to Phi Kappa Phi, drawing from the initial letters of the Greek words forming its motto (see article lede). The year 1900 also saw the first national convention of Phi Kappa Phi, which was held in New Haven, Connecticut and attended by delegates representing the three original chapters. In 1915, Phi Kappa Phi continued to struggle to earn a reputation. The then Secretary of the organization, L.H. Pammel, pointed out that institutions that were seeking to establish a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa were often hesitant about establishing a chapter of Phi Kappa Phi. To this, the society continued to make its case:
Phi Beta Kappa, it was repeated time after time, represented the literary side of education such as history, literature, and economics."The Phi Kappa Phi on the other hand stands not only for the democracy of education, making no distinction between different lines of investigation, such as literature, history, science, home economics, agriculture, veterinary medicine, law, but for sound scholarship based on four years of collegiate work."
It would later be asserted that the Society's aim is not to replace older societies, but to "help raise the broader educational program inittiated by our government when it established the land-grant system, to appreciation of scholarly worth whether the subject matter be strictly academic or of a more vocational type."
1915 was the same year the first issue of The Phi Kappa Phi Journal was published and also the year the society established an association with the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
that would last until 1962. In 1919, Phi Kappa Phi still struggled with securing growth and in the spirit of "the unity and democracy of education" the leadership took the stance that "although certain honor societies like Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi are unwilling to venture out into these technical schools", Phi Kappa Phi should push to become part of those institutions. In 1922, the question of admitting African-Americans into the society was raised openly, and the leadership decided that although the constitution did not debar African-Americans, the society would not "urge the election of colored people" because the "southern institutions would resent it." Nonetheless, in 1925 the Society as a whole formally took the position that it would not discriminate on color or race. Yet it would take until 1976 for Phi Kappa Phi to successfully establish a chapter at a Historically Black College or University, when one was established at Jackson State University
Jackson State University
Jackson State University is a historically black university founded in 1877 in Natchez, MS by the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York. The Society moved the school to Jackson in 1882, renaming it Jackson College, and developed its present campus in 1902. It became a state supported...
. Also in 1925, Phi Kappa Phi would be instrumental in creating the Association of College Honor Societies
Association of College Honor Societies
The Association of College Honor Societies , founded in 1925, is a predominantly American organization that serves a number of functions with respect to national collegiate and post-graduate honor societies...
(ACHS), being one of its six charter members.
In 1933, while the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
was still an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
, the first chapter outside of the continental United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was founded at the University of the Philippines
University of the Philippines
The ' is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No...
. About this time, President of the Society Frank D. Kern stated that "integrity, moral courage, spirited discernment, and concern for human welfare" were equally important for membership in the society.
During the two world wars and into the 1960s, Society membership numbers and finances struggled. In 1963, Chapter 105 was chartered at the oldest and largest university system in the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
territory of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, Universidad de Puerto Rico. By 1969, new member numbers were triple what they were in 1960. That year, the Phi Kappa Phi Foundation was incorporated to promote academic excellence and achievement by means of scholarships and fellowships. To support first-year graduate work, the Society now offers annually through the Foundation 60 Fellowships and 30 Awards of Excellence, 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.
In a 1969 Special Convention, the motto devised in 1900, "The Love of Learning Rules all Mankind", was changed to "Let the Love of Learning Rule Mankind" due to membership insistence that the former was, in the words of one member, "the most barefaced lie that had ever been cast in bronze."
By 1971, 74 years after its founding, Phi Kappa Phi numbered 120 chapters. In the next 12 years, that number would double to 239.
Mission
Phi Kappa Phi's mission is "to recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others." In honoring "those persons of good character who have excelled in scholarship, in whatever field, it will stimulate others to strive for excellence." To this end, the Society insists that "in order to acquire a chapter...an institution provide the means and atmosphere conducive to academic excellence." Furthermore, the Society awards more than $700,000.00 in national and local scholarshipScholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
s annually, as well as grants and graduate fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
ships. According to Baird's Manual of College Fraternities, the aim of these awards "is not to give the recipient something which may encourage complacency, but to challenge the member to continued excellence."
According to the website of the National Association of Fellowships Advisors, "The multidisciplinary nature of Phi Kappa Phi is reflected in its Fellowship and Award of Excellence recipients. Awardees represent a variety of fields including biology, chemistry, engineering, political science, mathematics and psychology. Likewise, the professions they select are equally diverse: law, medicine, business, education, science, or the arts". This multidisciplinary nature is represented by the rays of light on the Phi Kappa Phi badge (see "Society Symbols" below). In addition, Phi Kappa Phi aims to foster community service and leadership through its grants for local and national literacy initiatives, promotion of excellence grants, and training and leadership opportunities available to its membership.
Some chapters of Phi Kappa Phi also sponsor conferences and campus speakers.
Publications
Phi Kappa Phi publishes for its active membership a quarterly journal, The Phi Kappa Phi Forum and the triannual Honor Chord e-zine, both of which have won awards. The Society also publishes the Monthly Mentions newsletter. Each issue of The Phi Kappa Phi 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 The Phi Kappa Phi Forum contains selected poetry and reviews of current books and periodical literature. The Honor Chord e-zine and Phi Kappa Phi Newsletter feature professional advice columns and news items of interest to members on both the national and local levels.Notable people who have contributed to The Phi Kappa Phi Forum include Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, Bob Dole
Bob Dole
Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996...
, Edward Kennedy
Edward Kennedy
Edward Kennedy may refer to:*Ted Kennedy, Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy , United States Senator from Massachusetts*Edward Kennedy , journalist who first reported the German surrender in World War II*Edward Kennedy, Jr., son of U.S...
, Jesse Jackson, Sr., Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich
Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is a U.S. Republican Party politician who served as the House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995 and as the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999....
, Myrlie Evers-Williams
Myrlie Evers-Williams
SynopsisEarly LifeLife with MedgarMedgar Evers MurderLife After Medgar'NAACP/ HonorsAccomplishmentsWhoopi Goldberg played her in Ghosts of Mississippi...
, Michael Dukakis
Michael Dukakis
Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...
, Thomas "Tip" O’Neill
Tip O'Neill
Thomas Phillip "Tip" O'Neill, Jr. was an American politician. O'Neill was an outspoken liberal Democrat and influential member of the U.S. Congress, serving in the House of Representatives for 34 years and representing two congressional districts in Massachusetts...
, Annette Kolodny
Annette Kolodny
Annette Kolodny is a feminist literary critic and activist, and currently holds the position of College of Humanities Professor of American Literature and Culture at the University of Arizona in Tucson...
, Warren E. Burger
Warren E. Burger
Warren Earl Burger was the 15th Chief Justice of the United States from 1969 to 1986. Although Burger had conservative leanings, the U.S...
, Ellis Marsalis, Jr.
Ellis Marsalis, Jr.
Ellis Marsalis is an American musician. He can usually be seen performing on Fridays at Snug Harbor jazz bistro in New Orleans.- Life and career :...
, and Molefi Kete Asante
Molefi Kete Asante
Molefi Kete Asante is an African-American scholar, historian, and philosopher. He is a leading figure in the fields of African American studies, African Studies and Communication Studies...
.
Organization and governance
Phi Kappa Phi is governed ultimately by the Triennial Convention, supplemented by any interim – though rare – special conventions deemed necessary. Each chapter may send two official delegates to a convention, which is held at a major city in the United States. Between conventions, the business of the Society is conducted by the Board of Directors, composed of 12 people, of whom nine are elective (president, president-elect, a national vice president, five regional vice presidents, and the immediate past president) and three are appointive (executive director of the Society, regent and director of fellowships). The executive director is in charge of the Society's national office.Each of the 300 active chapters of Phi Kappa Phi elect their own set of chapter officers and is governed by the chapter constitution and by-laws. Chapters are numbered chronologically based on their date of founding, with the oldest chapter at the University of Maine identified as Chapter 001.
Phi Kappa Phi is a 501(c)(3) organization under the United States Internal Revenue Code. Its national headquarters is located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Presidents
The following served as President of the Society since its founding:- Abram Winegaard Harris, 1897-1903
- George E. Fellows, 1903-1911
- Edwin Erle Sparks,1911-1919
- James S. Stevens, 1919-1924
- Louis Hermann Pammel, 1924-1927
- Clifton Roswell Gibbs, 1927-1931
- Aven Nelson, 1931-1935
- Homer LeRoy Shantz, 1935-1939
- Rufus B. Von Klinesmid, 1939-1947
- Frank D. Kern, 1947-1951
- Roy M. Swinton, 1951-1956
- Charles A. Davis, 1957-1961
- Kenneth Munford, 1961-1971
- Theodore Zillman, 1971-1972
- Albertine Krohn, 1972-1977
- Albert Fisher, 1977-1980
- John McDow, 1980-1983
- Walter Hohenstein, 1983-1986
- Roger Yoerger, 1986-1989
- Ilona M. Herlinger, 1989-1992
- Lawrence M. Sommers, 1992-1995
- E. Ann Nalley, 1995-1998
- Neil Luebke, 1998-2001
- Wendell Mackenzie, 2001-2004
- Paul J. Ferlazzo, 2004-2007
- Robert Rogow, 2007-2010
- William Bloodworth III, 2010-2012
The Badge
The Seal
The Seal of the Society has at its center the badge. This in turn is surrounded by a crenelated line which represents the battlements and walls of TroyTroy
Troy was a city, both factual and legendary, located in northwest Anatolia in what is now Turkey, southeast of the Dardanelles and beside Mount Ida...
as well as a technological aspect of the ancient Greek culture. In the space between this line and the periphery of the seal appear three stars just above the badge, one for each of the three original chapters. Just below the badge is the phrase "Founded 1897."
The Ribbon
Notable members
- H. Gardner Ackley, economistEconomistAn economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
and former United States AmbassadorAmbassadorAn ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Italy - Jonathan S. Adelstein, former Commissioner of the Federal Communications CommissionFederal Communications CommissionThe Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
- Stephen AmbroseStephen AmbroseStephen Edward Ambrose was an American historian and biographer of U.S. Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard Nixon. He was a long time professor of history at the University of New Orleans and the author of many best selling volumes of American popular history...
, historian and professor - Ellis ArnallEllis ArnallEllis Gibbs Arnall was an American politician, a progressive Democrat who served as the 69th Governor of the U.S. state of Georgia from 1943 to 1947.-Education:...
, 69th Governor of GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788... - David BaldacciDavid BaldacciDavid Baldacci is a bestselling American novelist.-Biography:Baldacci received a B.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University and a law degree from the University of Virginia. As a student, Baldacci wrote short stories in his spare time, and later practiced law for nine years near Washington, D.C....
, novelist - James Barksdale, president and CEO of Netscape Communications Corporation
- Kathleen BlancoKathleen BlancoKathleen Babineaux Blanco was the 54th Governor of Louisiana, having served from January 2004 until January 2008. She was the first woman to be elected to the office of governor of Louisiana....
, 54th Governor of Louisiana - John R. BrazilJohn R. BrazilJohn R. Brazil is an American professor of history and English. He was the president of Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas from 2000 until his retirement in January 2010. Prior that he was president of Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois from 1992 until 2000.-Career:He is a native of...
, President of Trinity UniversityTrinity University (Texas)Trinity University is a private, independent, primarily undergraduate, university in San Antonio, Texas. Its campus is located in the Monte Vista Historic District and adjacent to Brackenridge Park.... - Jimmy CarterJimmy CarterJames Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
, 39th President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.... - Turner CatledgeTurner CatledgeTurner Catledge was an American journalist, best known for his work at The New York Times. He was Managing Editor from 1952-1964, at which time he became the paper's first Executive Editor. After his retirement in 1968, he served briefly on the board of the New York Times company as a vice president...
, senior executive of The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization... - Thad CochranThad CochranWilliam Thad Cochran is the senior United States Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the Senate in 1978, he is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and was its chairman and 2005 to 2007.-Early life:He was born in Pontotoc,...
, United States Senator - Hillary Clinton, 67th United States Secretary of StateUnited States Secretary of StateThe United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
- Lamar DoddLamar DoddLamar Dodd was a U.S. painter whose work reflected a love of the American South.- Early life and education :Born in Fairburn, Georgia to Rev...
, artist - David Herbert DonaldDavid Herbert Donald- Career :Majoring in history and sociology, Donald earned his bachelor degree from Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. He earned his PhD in 1946 under the eminent, leading Lincoln scholar, James G. Randall at the University of Illinois...
, historian and professor - Peter M. DonohuePeter M. DonohueRev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A. is a Roman Catholic priest who was inaugurated as Villanova University's 32nd President on September 8, 2006. He had served as the Chair of the Theater Department for that institution since 1992....
, President of Villanova UniversityVillanova UniversityVillanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States... - Rita DoveRita DoveRita Frances Dove is an American poet and author. From 1993-1995 she served as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress, a position now popularly known as "U.S. Poet Laureate"...
, Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winning poet - Bob DuPuyBob DuPuyRobert A. "Bob" DuPuy is an attorney and former President and Chief Operating Officer of Major League Baseball . He assumed both titles on March 7, 2002. Prior to joining Major League Baseball in 1998, he was a partner and management committee member of Foley & Lardner, a large Milwaukee-based...
, former President and Chief Operating Officer of Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League... - Doug Engelbart, inventor and internet pioneer
- Leslie ErganianLeslie ErganianLeslie Erganian, is an American artist, television correspondent, and arts education advocate. Her multi-disciplinary work is influenced by the Surrealists and often incorporates found objects and photographic images into collage and assemblage constructions and installations...
, novelist - Henry H. FowlerHenry H. FowlerHenry Hammill Fowler was an American lawyer and politician.Born in Roanoke, Virginia, he graduated from Roanoke College in 1929 and received his law degree from Yale Law School in 1932....
, 58th United States Secretary of the TreasuryUnited States Secretary of the TreasuryThe Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United... - Marye Anne FoxMarye Anne FoxMarye Anne Payne Fox is a physical organic chemist and university administrator. She was the first female chief executive of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. In April 2004, Fox was named Chancellor of the University of California, San Diego.-Early years:Fox was born in...
, Chancellor of the University of California, San DiegoUniversity of California, San DiegoThe University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States... - Robert GatesRobert GatesDr. Robert Michael Gates is a retired civil servant and university president who served as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W....
, 22nd United States Secretary of DefenseUnited States Secretary of DefenseThe Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries... - Ruth Bader GinsburgRuth Bader GinsburgRuth Joan Bader Ginsburg is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Ginsburg was appointed by President Bill Clinton and took the oath of office on August 10, 1993. She is the second female justice and the first Jewish female justice.She is generally viewed as belonging to...
, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United StatesAssociate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United StatesAssociate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are the members of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the Chief Justice of the United States... - Glenna GoodacreGlenna GoodacreGlenna Maxey Goodacre is a sculptor well known for having designed the obverse of the Sacagawea dollar that entered circulation in the United States in 2000...
, artist - John GrishamJohn GrishamJohn Ray Grisham, Jr. is an American lawyer and author, best known for his popular legal thrillers.John Grisham graduated from Mississippi State University before attending the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981 and practiced criminal law for about a decade...
, author - Claude HallClaude HallClaude Hampton Hall, Sr. , was an historian of primarily American diplomacy who spent his entire academic career at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas...
, historian and professor - Nathaniel Edwin HarrisNathaniel Edwin HarrisNathaniel Edwin Harris was an American lawyer and politician, and the 61st Governor of Georgia.-Early life:...
, 61st Governor of GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788... - Bernard A. Harris, Jr.Bernard A. Harris, Jr.Bernard Anthony Harris, Jr. is a former NASA astronaut. On February 9, 1995, Harris became the first African American to perform an extra-vehicular activity , during the second of his two Space Shuttle flights....
, first African AmericanAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
to spacewalk - Milton Stover Eisenhower, President of three major American universities
- Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa, United States Senator
- Marjorie HoltMarjorie HoltMarjorie Sewell Holt , a Republican, was a U.S. Congresswoman who represented Maryland's 4th congressional district from January 3, 1973 to January 3, 1987. She was the first Republican woman elected to Congress from Maryland....
, United States Congresswoman - William Marion JardineWilliam Marion JardineWilliam Marion Jardine was a U.S. administrator and educator. He served as the United States Secretary of Agriculture from 1925 to 1929 and as the U.S. Ambassador to Egypt from 1930 to 1933.-Education:...
, United States Secretary of Agriculture and AmbassadorAmbassadorAn ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
- Robert KhayatRobert Khayat-External links:*...
, former Chancellor of the University of MississippiUniversity of MississippiThe University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the... - William Allen Knowlton, Superintendent of the United States Military Academy
- Alfred Landon, 26th Governor of KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
and United States Presidential Nominee - Wendy Lawrence, NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
astronautAstronautAn astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft.... - Ferdinand MarcosFerdinand MarcosFerdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
, 10th President of the PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam... - Ellis MarsalisEllis MarsalisEllis Marsalis is the name of two people, father and son:*Ellis Marsalis, Sr., New Orleans, Louisiana businessman*Ellis Marsalis, Jr., jazz pianist...
, jazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musician - Ray MabusRay MabusRaymond Edwin "Ray" Mabus, Jr. is the 75th United States Secretary of the Navy. Mabus served as the 60th Governor of the U.S...
, 75th United States Secretary of the NavyUnited States Secretary of the NavyThe Secretary of the Navy of the United States of America is the head of the Department of the Navy, a component organization of the Department of Defense... - James A. McDivitt, Commander of Gemini 4Gemini 4Gemini 4 was the second manned space flight in NASA's Project Gemini, occurring in June 1965. It was the tenth manned American spaceflight . Astronauts James McDivitt and Edward H. White, II circled the Earth 66 times in four days, making it the first US flight to approach the five-day flight of...
and Apollo 9Apollo 9Apollo 9, the third manned mission in the American Apollo space program, was the first flight of the Command/Service Module with the Lunar Module... - Robert A. McDonald, Chairman, President, and CEO of Procter & GambleProcter & GambleProcter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
- George Olah, Nobel PrizeNobel PrizeThe Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
winning Chemist - Linus PaulingLinus PaulingLinus Carl Pauling was an American chemist, biochemist, peace activist, author, and educator. He was one of the most influential chemists in history and ranks among the most important scientists of the 20th century...
, Nobel Peace PrizeNobel Peace PrizeThe Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
and Nobel PrizeNobel PrizeThe Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
in Chemistry - Edward Perkins, former United States AmbassadorAmbassadorAn ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
and Director of the United States Diplomatic CorpsDiplomatic corpsThe diplomatic corps or corps diplomatique is the collective body of foreign diplomats accredited to a particular country or body.The diplomatic corps may, in certain contexts, refer to the collection of accredited heads of mission who represent their countries in another state or country... - Russell Peterson, Governor of DelawareDelawareDelaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
- Fidel V. RamosFidel V. RamosFidel "Eddie" Valdez Ramos , popularly known as FVR, was the 12th President of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. During his six years in office, Ramos was widely credited and admired by many for revitalizing and renewing international confidence in the Philippine economy.Prior to his election as...
, 12th President of the PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam... - Harry ReidHarry ReidHarry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S...
, United States Senate Majority Leader - Carlos P. RomuloCarlos P. RómuloCarlos Peña Rómulo was a Filipino diplomat, politician, soldier, journalist and author. He was a reporter at 16, a newspaper editor by the age of 20, and a publisher at 32...
, President of the Fourth Session of United Nations General AssemblyUnited Nations General AssemblyFor two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation... - Shlomo SawilowskyShlomo SawilowskyShlomo S. Sawilowsky is professor of educational statistics and Distinguished Faculty Fellow at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, where he has received teaching, mentoring, and research awards.- Academic career :...
, Rabbi and professor - Edward Terry SanfordEdward Terry SanfordEdward Terry Sanford was an American jurist who served as an Associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court from 1923 until his death in 1930. Prior to his nomination to the high court, Sanford served as an Assistant Attorney General under President Theodore Roosevelt from 1905 to 1907, and...
, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United StatesAssociate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United StatesAssociate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are the members of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the Chief Justice of the United States... - Bernadotte Everly SchmittBernadotte Everly Schmitt-Biography:He received his Master of Arts from the University of Oxford and his PhD from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In 1916 he gained notice with England and Germany, 1740-1914. His book The Coming of the War, 1914 won him the Pulitzer Prize for History. He was the first editor of the...
, Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winning historian - Theodore SchultzTheodore SchultzTheodore William Schultz was the 1979 winner of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences....
, Nobel Memorial Prize winning economist - Robert Walter Scott, 67th Governor of North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
- James Graves Scrugham, 14th Governor of NevadaNevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
- Claude Shannon, the father of information theoryInformation theoryInformation theory is a branch of applied mathematics and electrical engineering involving the quantification of information. Information theory was developed by Claude E. Shannon to find fundamental limits on signal processing operations such as compressing data and on reliably storing and...
- Robert L. F. SikesRobert L. F. SikesRobert Lee Fulton Sikes was a U.S. Representative from Florida.Born in Isabella, near Sylvester, Georgia, Sikes attended the public schools....
, United States Congressman - Chesterfield SmithChesterfield SmithChesterfield Smith was an American lawyer. He founded the law firm Holland & Knight and served as president of the American Bar Association in 1973-1974, during the Watergate scandal.-Early life and education:...
, President of the American Bar AssociationAmerican Bar AssociationThe American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
during the Watergate scandalWatergate scandalThe Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
. - James Monroe SmithJames Monroe SmithJames Monroe Smith, Sr. , was the president of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, during the 1930s...
, president of Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana State UniversityLouisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
, 1930-1939 - William Howard TaftWilliam Howard TaftWilliam Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
, 27th President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
and 10th Chief Justice of the United StatesChief Justice of the United StatesThe Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices; the other eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States... - Jim TresselJim TresselJames Patrick Tressel is a gameday consultant for the Indianapolis Colts, and former collegiate football head coach at both The Ohio State University from 2001 to 2011 and at Youngstown State University from 1986 to 2000. Tressel is most notable for his time at Ohio State. He was hired by the...
, head football coach at The Ohio State University - Morris Udall, U.S. Representative
- Frank Albert WaughFrank Albert WaughFrank Albert Waugh was an American landscape architect whose career focused upon recreational uses of national forests, the production of a highly natural style of landscape design, and the implementation of ecology as basis for choices in landscape design...
, pioneer of landscape architectureLandscape architectureLandscape architecture is the design of outdoor and public spaces to achieve environmental, socio-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and geological conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions... - John Noble WilfordJohn Noble WilfordJohn Noble Wilford is an author and award-winning journalist for The New York Times.Wilford's professional career began in 1956 at the Wall Street Journal, where he was a general assignment reporter and a medical reporter...
, Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winning journalist - John D. ZeglisJohn D. ZeglisJohn D. Zeglis served as the President of AT&T and the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AT&T Wireless.-Early life:Mr. Zeglis grew up in the farming community of Momence, Illinois. His father, Donald, worked as a lawyer within the town. As a child, Mr. Zeglis enjoyed playing basketball...
, President of AT&TAT&TAT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
and the Chairman and Chief Executive OfficerChief executive officerA chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
(CEO) of AT&T WirelessAT&T WirelessAT&T Wireless Services, Inc., founded in 1987 as McCaw Cellular Communications, Inc., and now legally known as New Cingular Wireless Services, Inc., formerly part of AT&T Corp., is a wireless telephone carrier in the United States, based in Redmond, Washington, and later traded on the New York...