The PHI ETA SIGMA Freshman Honor Society
General Information
The primary objective of the national Honor Society of PHI ETA SIGMA is the recognition and encouragement of superior scholarship in all academic disciplines. The Society is convinced that in recognizing and honoring those persons of good character who have excelled in scholarship, in whatever field, it will stimulate others to strive for excellence. Moreover, the Society serves the interests of the student capable of excellence by insisting that in order to aquire a chapter of PHI ETA SIGMA, an institution provide the means and atmosphere conducive to academic excellence.
The criteria and limits observed in electing persons to membership are determined by each individual chapter, but always withing the framework of the Society's Bylaws. The conditions are set forth in the Bylaws may be summarized as follows:
Undergraduate students may be considered who have senior status and are scholastically in the upper 10 percent (or less, if the chapter's bylaws so provide) of their class; or who have reached the final period of their junior year and are scholastically in the upper five percent (or, again, less if the chapter's bylaws so stipulate) of their class. In no case, however, may the total number of undergraduates elected in any one year exceed 10 percent of the candidates for graduation that year.
Each year a BYU freshman student as well as faculty member will be honored from each academic college with the Phi Eta Sigma Freshman Student Excellence Award or Phi Eta Sigma Faculty Excellence Award as appropriate.
An occasional honorary or distinguished member may be elected by a chapter, with the approval of the Phi Eta Sigma Executive Committee.
Admission to the Honor Society of PHI ETA SIGMA is by invitaiton only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter in accordance with the bylaws of both the chapter and the national Society. Both require superior scholarship and good character as criteria for membership.
The Society is governed ultimately by the Biannual Convention, supplemented by any interim - though rare - special conventions deemed necessary. Each chapter may send one official delegate to a convention. Between conventions, the business of the Society is conducted by the Executive Committee, composed of Grand President, Grand President Emeritus, Grand President Emeritus, Grand Vice President, Grand Secretary-Treasurer, Grand Historian, Grand Historian Emeritus, Three Chapter Advisors and Three Student Officers.
Every chapter must hold at least two meetings a year and is encouraged to be active in various ways. Many chapters cite students for excellence during the freshman year. Some sponsor an annual Honors Day Events. Many of them grant awards or give scholarships to students and researchers doing work of scholarly quality. Some also extend recognition to superior teachers. The aim, however, is not to give the recipient something which may encourage complacency, but to challenge the member to continued excellence.
The Society publishes a quarterly journal for distribution to its active membership. Each issue of National 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 National Forum contains features and news items of interest to members on both the national and local levels.
The PHI ETA SIGMA updates its Founders fund scholarship program that currently awards $125,000 to ninety-three (93) deserving members. This total will be raised to $160,000 for our academic scholarship receipients. Foundation was incorporation to promote academic excellence and acheivement by means of scholarships and fellowships. To support first-year graduate work, the Society offers these annual scholarships on a competitive basis, to undergraduate and graduating students who have been initiated into the Society and who have also been nominated by their chapters for the competition.
Brigham Young is developing an endowed Phi Eta Sigma scholarship which is currently valued at $13,000+.
In 1823 a group of 3 students at the University of Illinois, who perceived a need for an honor society on broader lines than any then in existence, was assisted by interested professors to organize the Freshman Honor Society. in 1972, it was transformed into a natinal co-educational society . The Illinois chapter was the founding chapters. The Society was renamed PHI ETA SIGMA, from the initial letters of the Greek words forming its adopted motto: Philosophia Krateito Photon, "Let the love of learning rule humanity." PHI ETA SIGMA currently has chapters in institutions from Maine to the Philippines and from Alaska to Puerto Rico.
The history of the Society has been recorded in two volumes, The Honor Society of PHI ETA SIGMA. Both are available from the National Office.
For further information contact:
Dr. Jack Sagabiel, /Grand Secretary
The Honor Society of PHI ETA SIGMA
Post Office Box 16000
Western Kentuck University
Bowling Green, Kentucky
(504) 388-4917