Phi Sigma Pi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Motto |
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|---|---|
| Colors | Purple █ and Gold █ |
| Founded | February 14, 1916 at Central Missouri State University |
| Type | Honor |
| Scope | National USA |
| Headquarters | 2119 Ambassador Circle Lancaster, PA, USA |
| Chapters | 99 |
| Members | ca. 20,000 currently lifetime |
| Philanthropy | Teach for America |
| Tripod of Ideals |
Leadership, and Fellowship |
| Homepage | Phi Sigma Pi website |
Phi Sigma Pi (ΦΣΠ) is a national coeducational honor fraternity based in the United States. The fraternity is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization incorporated in the state of Pennsylvania, with the purpose of fostering the ideals of scholarship, leadership and fellowship. Phi Sigma Pi is organized into approximately one hundred collegiate chapters at four-year collegiate institutions and several regionally established alumni chapters and associations serving a membership of approximately 20,000. Although collegiate chapters may fall under the purview of university student governing bodies, Phi Sigma Pi maintains no affiliation with the North-American Interfraternity Conference.
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[edit] Membership
Membership in Phi Sigma Pi is open to students at four-year collegiate institutions who have earned a 3.00 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.00 scale, where 4.00 is equivalent to a grade of "A") for at least one semester or quarter of collegiate work.
[edit] History
Phi Sigma Pi was founded at Central Missouri State University on February 14, 1916, by E.L. Hendricks, C.A. Phillips, and C.H. McClure. The fraternity became national in 1921 when a second chapter was founded at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. The fraternity has since evolved from an honorary professional fraternity to a professional education fraternity, and then, in 1966, to an honor fraternity for all disciplines. Phi Sigma Pi became coeducational in 1977.
[edit] Of What Was To Come
During World War I, from 1914 to 1918, Americans were struggling for their own identities, recognition, and increased potential for professional advancement.
State Teacher’s College at Warrensburg, Missouri was one of almost 200 institutions across the United States with the purpose of preparing educators for the growing country. The Missouri Beta Chapter of Phi Lambda Epsilon, a fraternity founded in 1892 with chapters located on normal and high school campuses, was organized in 1894 as the first fraternity on Warrensburg’s campus. In 1914 the faculty of Warrensburg investigated Phi Lambda Epsilon and found that it only emphasized the social side of college life, the chapter was disbanded.
During the 1914-1915 school year, a group of students who had been members of Phi Lambda Epsilon, and a group of other male students attending the college collectively went before the faculty with the idea of a new fraternity. These men all had high ideals regarding the teaching profession and the social needs of the students.
The faculty at first disapproved of a new fraternity on campus. The support of President Eldo L. Hendricks, Dean Claude A. Phillips, and Professor C. H. McClure led the faculty to approve the establishment of a new fraternity on campus. Each of these men had been a member of Phi Delta Kappa, an education fraternity that operated in larger universities and colleges with graduate departments of education. The three men concluded that the quality of the students at Warrensburg’s campus should be affiliated with and receive the membership benefits of a national fraternal organization.
[edit] Phi Sigma Pi Was Born
The academic records of students at Warrensburg College led Hendricks, Phillips and McClure to believe that the students should be affiliated with a nationally recognized fraternal organization stressing scholarship. The three then contacted what was the most prestigious honorary scholastic fraternity existing in the United States, Phi Beta Kappa, and requested permission to establish a chapter. Phi Beta Kappa advised that chapters could only be established on campuses of qualified liberal arts colleges and universities, not on campuses of teacher’s colleges, teacher training schools, or normal schools.
Hendricks, Phillips and McClure then determined that since many of the students were campus leaders they should be affiliated with a national fraternal organization stressing leadership. The three then contacted what was the most prestigious honorary leadership fraternity in the United States, Omicron Delta Kappa. Omicron Delta Kappa had the same requirements for chapter establishment as Phi Beta Kappa, therefore Warrensburg could not have a chapter.
The three then contacted nationally recognized social fraternities stressing fellowship. They received the same answer.
Hendricks, Phillips and McClure concluded that if no fraternal organization would recognize students at Warrensburg then they would create a new and unique fraternal organization. This new fraternity would be built on a tripod that equally stressed the three qualities of scholarship, leadership and fellowship. On February 14th, 1916 Phi Sigma Pi was founded and officially named “Phi Sigma Pi Honorary Professional Fraternity”.
Dr. Hendricks was the first person to sign a Phi Sigma Pi rollbook and is therefore known as “Alpha 1”. Dean Phillips ‘and Professor McClures’ signatures follow Hendricks’. Together, Hendricks, Phillips and McClure are known as the founding fathers of the fraternity.
The first chapter also consisted of ten undergraduate and honorary members: Fred Thayer, J. A. Leach, R. W. Grinstead, Ray F. Pankins, Wade C. Fowler, Roy G. Bigelow, Arthur Kresse, John A. Doak, Harold Patterson, and Harry Hill. In the next year the chapter inducted twelve new members.
[edit] Mission
In carrying out the purpose of the National Fraternity, Phi Sigma Pi shall strive to personify and encourage three ideals:
- The acquisition and dissemination of information and knowledge through scholarship,
- The application of professional skills and the fostering of leadership qualities by promoting and advancing the welfare of humanity, and
- The fostering of non-discriminatory, fraternal fellowship within Phi Sigma Pi's ranks.
These three goals are known by members as "The Tripod". These ideals are most often referred to in their abbreviated form: Scholarship, Leadership, and Fellowship.
[edit] National vision
Over the years, it has become increasingly apparent that Phi Sigma Pi needs to have a vision—a formalized statement of legitimacy for the many changes that are occurring. A national vision is not new to Phi Sigma Pi. Hendricks, McClure, and Phillips envisioned the day when our fraternity would have a chapter at over 200 teaching colleges throughout the United States. That was their vision, their ultimate goal, their finish line. It requires a tremendous amount of effort, planning, leadership, time, money, and commitment to achieve a vision—to make the hundreds of changes and improvements necessary to turn aspirations into reality. With that in mind, Phi Sigma Pi aspires to be the leader in the fraternity world, as evidenced by:
- international chapter representation;
- nationwide name recognition;
- world class member education and services;
- quality lifelong contacts and continued opportunities for member participation;
- a nationwide network of employers and associations;
- pioneering efforts in fraternity marketing, advertising, recruiting,communication, and mass media;
- a persistence in fostering the integrity of Phi Sigma Pi;
- a continued commitment to the ideals of scholarship, leadership, and fellowship through training and participating in supporting events.
[edit] Philanthropy
The national philanthropy of Phi Sigma Pi is Teach for America. Teach For America is the national corps of outstanding recent college graduates who commit two years to teach in urban and rural public schools. Their mission is to build the movement to eliminate educational inequity.
[edit] Scholarships
[edit] The Richard Cecil Todd and Clauda Pennock Todd Tripod Scholarship
In September 1991, Dr. and Mrs. Richard Todd established the Richard Cecil Todd and Clauda Pennock Todd Tripod Scholarship to promote the future academic opportunity of Phi Sigma Pi brothers who have excelled in embodying the ideals of scholarship, leadership, and fellowship. While both Dr. and Mrs. Todd had died in the 1990s, their memory and innumerable contribution to both Phi Sigma Pi and education will not be forgotten. Eligibility for the Todd Tripod Scholarship is available to all active undergraduate members of Phi Sigma Pi who meet the criteria outlined in the scholarship's charter and award criteria. For the past several years chapter members have been contributing to the Todd Tripod Scholarship. One example of this generosity is through the "Miles for Todd" campaign. Grand Chapter Conference Delegates have been donating their chapter's mileage reimbursement to have the scholarship to flourish.
| Year | Name | Chapter |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | David Batts | Tau |
| 1994 | Amanda Hines | Tau |
| 1995 | Adam Feinberg | Alpha Beta |
| 1996 | Mari Morimoto | Beta Nu |
| 1997 | Nicole Gray David Rosengrant |
Tau Alpha Omega |
| 1998 | Mandy Younger | Gamma Xi |
| 1999 | Anthony Teasdale | Beta Omicron |
| 2000 | Tabitha O’Connor | Alpha Chi |
| 2001 | David Newton | Gamma Upsilon |
| 2002 | Mandy Large | Upsilon |
| 2003 | Meghan Shannon | Sigma |
| 2004 | Brittany Bodart | Tau |
| 2005 | Erik Walschburger | Alpha Lambda |
| 2006 | Dennis Yoon | Beta Eta |
[edit] Rolla F. Wood Graduate Scholarship
In 1928, Rolla F. Wood became national president, and with his tenure came changes to our brotherhood. Wood made the National Council a more cohesive unit and helped increase expansion. The fraternity grew from four chapters to seven during his presidential term.
Following his successful term Wood exemplified true brotherly dedication in ways many don’t—he continued to serve. He went on to volunteer as part of council for the next six years as vice-president of chapter development (formerly national counselor) for a year, senior vice-president for a year and historian from 1931 through 1935. During his years on council, his push for expansion resulted in a total of 14 new chapters joining the original four.
Wood, a brother at Alpha chapter, attended graduate school at Vanderbilt University, where he founded Epsilon Chapter. In honor of Wood’s national contributions, dedication and continued pursuit of knowledge, the fraternity now has its graduate scholarship named for him.
[edit] Publications
"Purple and Gold" collegiate magazine and "The Lampadion" alumni magazine.
[edit] National headquarters
The fraternity's national office is located in Lancaster, PA.
