Phi Beta Kappa was the first Greek society founded in the United States and today remains the most prestigious of scholarly organizations.
By Cara Carlson ’08
On April 7, the Gustavus Eta chapter of Phi Beta Kappa celebrates its 25th anniversary. The special anniversary event is being held on the exact date the prestigious honor society chapter was founded at Gustavus in 1983.
Phi Beta Kappa began during colonial times, in 1776, when its members secretly met to discuss revolution against the British throne. It was the first Greek society founded in the United States and today remains the most prestigious of scholarly organizations. Out of the nearly 5,000 colleges and universities in the country, only about 300 hold a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa distinction.
“It’s great to know that the efforts of the founders years ago are continuing today. So many people wanted a chapter and tried numerous times to start one,” said Gustavus’s Elizabeth Jenner. Jenner, assistant professor of sociology and anthropology, is president, secretary, and treasurer of the Gustavus Eta chapter.
The application process for a chapter charter is long and tedious. The national board looks at a college’s ratio of Ph.D. faculty members, test scores, endowment, and the number of books in the library, among other things. A team then comes to do a physical inspection of the campus.
They walk through the library, meet with faculty, and decide whether or not to recommend chapter status. Gustavus applied five times before it was recommended for a chapter. After a year of planning, Gustavus members were first initiated in 1983.
While grade point average is a starting place for membership, it is not the sole requirement. According to Jenner, Phi Beta Kappa looks for students with intellectual curiosity who embrace the moment. “These students want to learn, they want to know, and they are willing to risk their G.P.A. to try a class outside their ‘zone’,” Jenner said. Many of the current members do research for their respective departments and are involved in numerous other campus activities—both curricular and co-curricular.
Looking toward the future, Jenner hopes to integrate Gustavus Phi Beta Kappa alumni into current chapter activities. More student-faculty interaction outside of the classroom is another goal: “Many of our members would like to move toward old traditions, to debate and discuss ideas outside of the classroom without worrying about grades or evaluations. We think it’s fun to argue about what most people would consider nothing,” Jenner commented.
The anniversary celebration begins at 10 a.m. April 7 In Christ Chapel with philosopher John Churchill speaking. Churchill is Secretary of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, based in Washington, D.C. Following daily chapel, Churchill and the Gustavus Library Associates will host a lunch for current Phi Beta Kappa members. A public lecture by Churchill will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the Heritage Room of the C. Charles Jackson Campus Center. All are invited to the free chapel talk and afternoon lecture.
Phi Beta Kappa celebrates and advocates excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. Its campus chapters invite for induction the most outstanding arts and sciences students at America’s leading colleges and universities. The Society sponsors activities to advance these studies—the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences—in higher education and in society at large.