The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi to Install Chapter 348 at Frostburg State University

Mar 12, 2018 2:15 PM

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi to Install Chapter 348 at Frostburg State University

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi will install its 348th chapter at Frostburg State University on Friday, March 16. Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society.

The installation of the Frostburg chapter comes after a thorough chartering process and approval from the Society’s board of directors. To be eligible, an institution must be a regionally accredited four-year college or university with an established reputation of excellence and an expressed commitment to upholding the values of the Society.

“The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is pleased to welcome Frostburg State University to its community of scholars,” said Society Executive Director Dr. Mary Todd. “Frostburg stands out as a public institution focused on developing civic learning and democratic engagement in its students.”

Officers elected by the chartering group to serve the newly installed chapter include President Dr. Gregory Wood, President-elect Dr. Natalie Schuster, Secretary Dr. Cindy Herzog and Treasurer Dr. Heather Gable.

Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 under the leadership of Marcus L. Urann who had a desire to create a different kind of honor society – one that recognized excellence in all academic disciplines. Today, the society has chapters on more than 300 select campuses in the United States and the Philippines and inducts approximately 30,000 new members each year. Membership is by invitation only to the top 7.5 percent of juniors and the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students, along with faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction. Faculty and administration invitees will be installed at this ceremony; a student ceremony will occur in May.

Frostburg’s Phi Kappa Phi chapter is coordinated by Dr. Gregory Wood, associate professor of history and director of FSU’s Honors Program. For more information, email him at gwood@frostburg.edu.

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.” Since its founding, more than 1.5 million members have been initiated into Phi Kappa Phi. Some of the organization's more notable members include former President Jimmy Carter, NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence, novelist John Grisham and YouTube cofounder Chad Hurley. You can get more information on the Phi Kappa Phi web site.