The Eastern Kentucky University chapter of Phi Kappa Phi is one of only 29 campus chapters nationally to earn Chapter of Excellence honors, the highest commendation a chapter can receive from the organization.
In making the announcement, the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines – said the award is given to chapters that excel in recognizing and promoting academic excellence in all fields of higher education and engaging the community of scholars in service to others.
“The Chapter Recognition program offers Phi Kappa Phi the opportunity to say a special thank you to chapters who go above and beyond in promoting academic excellence on their campuses,” said Society Executive Director Dr. Mary Todd.
The distinction marks EKU as a thriving organization that meets regularly, holds annual initiations and applies frequently for Phi Kappa Phi’s select award and grant programs.
“The Eastern Kentucky University chapter is honored to receive the Phi Kappa Phi Chapter of Excellence award,” said Chapter President Dr. Russell Carpenter, also director of EKU’s Noel Studio for Academic Creativity and associate professor of English. “We have an outstanding chapter with unparalleled student and faculty involvement.
“Each year, we initiate the very best on campus,” he continued. “Our student vice presidents are some of the most committed students at EKU. Through their leadership, the chapter has organized several highly successful book drives as we continue to promote the love of learning on campus and in the community. The Phi Kappa Phi Chapter of Excellence award is a great way to celebrate the chapter’s accomplishments this year.”
The EKU Phi Kappa Phi chapter has inducted 3,290 members since it was chartered in 1971.
Chapters achieving the Chapter of Excellence distinction receive:
· a commendation letter from the Society sent to chapter officers and campus administration.
· special recognition on the Society’s website, publications and at the biennial convention.
· specially designed logo for use in chapter communications.
· recognition advertisements in local media and educational journals.
· a $500 award.
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 has chapters on the campuses of more than 300 select colleges and universities in North America and the Philippines.
The Society inducts annually approximately 32,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni. Membership is by invitation only to the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students and 7.5 percent of second-term juniors. Faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction also qualify. Since its founding, more than 1.25 million members have been initiated into Phi Kappa Phi, and the Society has awarded approximately $15 million since the inception of its awards program in 1932. Today, more than $1 million is awarded each biennium 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, visit www.PhiKappaPhi.org.