Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi to install Chapter 361 at WSSU on Jan. 30

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi will install its 361st chapter at Winston-Salem University this month. Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society recognizing academic excellence.

The program will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 30 in the Donald J. Reaves Center, Room 100.

The installation of the Winston-Salem State chapter comes after a thorough petitioning process, site visit 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.

“Congratulations to the dedicated individuals supporting the Winston-Salem State University chapter of Phi Kappa Phi. Your commitment to academic excellence, transformative scholarship, and impactful engagement exemplifies our values,” said Society Executive Director and CEO Dr. Bradley R. Newcomer. “May your chapter support your institution’s continued pursuit of unleashing the genius of individuals and empowering them to transform the world!”

Officers elected by the chartering group to serve the newly installed chapter include president Jeremiah Shipp; president-elect Sara Migliarese; secretary and treasurer Jon Kapell; awards officer Leslie Winbush; and public relations officer Nancy Smith.

Phi Kappa Phi was founded when Marcus L. Urann 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 325 select campuses in the United States, its territories and the Philippines and inducts approximately 25,000 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.

Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. The Society’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. 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. Each year, Phi Kappa Phi awards $1.3 million to qualifying students and members through graduate fellowships, undergraduate study abroad grants, member and chapter awards, and grants for local and national literacy initiatives. For more information about Phi Kappa Phi, visit www.PhiKappaPhi.org.