Phi Kappa Sigma () is an international all-male college

secret society A secret society is a club or an organization whose activities, events, inner functioning, or membership are concealed. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence ...

and social

fraternity A fraternity (from Latin ''frater'': "brother"; whence, "brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club or fraternal order traditionally of men associated together for various religious or secular aims. Fraternity in ...

. While nicknames differ from institution to institution, the most common nicknames for the fraternity are Skulls, Skullhouse, Phi Kap, and PKS (the first two because of the

skull and crossbones A skull and crossbones is a symbol consisting of a human skull and two long bones crossed together under or behind the skull. The design originated in the Late Middle Ages as a symbol of death and especially as a ''memento mori'' on tombstones. ...

on the fraternity's badge and

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in it ...

). Phi Kappa Sigma was founded by Dr. Samuel Brown Wylie Mitchell at the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universit ...

. Mitchell recorded the initial ideas and concepts of Phi Kappa Sigma on August 16, 1850. He then began to discuss the idea with other students, first Charles Hare Hutchinson, and then Alfred Victor du Pont (son of Alfred V. du Pont), John Thorne Stone, Andrew Adams Ripka, James Bayard Hodge, and Duane Williams. The seven men formally founded the fraternity on October 19, 1850 becoming the founding fathers of Phi Kappa Sigma Phi Kappa Sigma is a charter member of the

North American Interfraternity Conference The North American Interfraternity Conference (or NIC; formerly known as the National Interfraternity Conference) is an association of intercollegiate men's social fraternities that was formally organized in 1910, although it began at a meeting ...

, and since 2017, is headquartered in

Carmel, Indiana Carmel is a suburban city in Indiana immediately north of Indianapolis. With a population of 100,777, the city spans across Clay Township in Hamilton County, Indiana, and is bordered by the White River to the east; the Hamilton-Boone county ...

. Prior to that, starting with its founding in 1850, the fraternity was based out of Philadelphia, Valley Forge and Chester Springs, Pennsylvania.

Badge

The fraternity's badge was designed by its founder, Dr. Samuel Brown Wylie Mitchell. Outside of changes in size, its official design has remained the same. In the shape of a

cross pattée A cross pattée, cross patty or cross paty, also known as a cross formy or cross formée (french: croix pattée, german: Tatzenkreuz), is a type of Christian cross with arms that are narrow at the centre, and often flared in a curve or straight ...

, the badge is old gold with black decoration. The center of the cross is anchored by a skull and crossbones. The four leaves of the cross display, individually, the Greek letters

Phi Phi (; uppercase Φ, lowercase φ or ϕ; grc, ϕεῖ ''pheî'' ; Modern Greek: ''fi'' ) is the 21st letter of the Greek alphabet. In Archaic and Classical Greek (c. 9th century BC to 4th century BC), it represented an aspirated voiceles ...

Kappa Kappa (uppercase Κ, lowercase κ or cursive ; el, κάππα, ''káppa'') is the 10th letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the voiceless velar plosive sound in Ancient and Modern Greek. In the system of Greek numerals, has a value ...

, and

Sigma Sigma (; uppercase Σ, lowercase σ, lowercase in word-final position ς; grc-gre, σίγμα) is the eighteenth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 200. In general mathematics, uppercase Σ is used ...

, starting at the left leaf and rotating counter-clockwise. The fourth and top leaf display a

six-pointed star Star polygons and polygonal compounds are the basis for numerous figures of significance in arts and culture. The figure may be the border or interior of the polygon, or one or more closed polygonal paths that include all of the border and also ...

. The back of the badge has an engraved serpent echoing the serpent from the fraternity's

Chapter listing

''See

List of Phi Kappa Sigma chapters A list of Phi Kappa Sigma chapters Active Chapters *Zeta, Franklin & Marshall College *Mu, Tulane University *Sigma, University of Texas-Austin *Psi, Pennsylvania State University *Alpha Beta, University of Toronto *Alpha Delta, University of M ...

Notable members

Skip Bayless Skip Bayless (born John Edward Bayless II) is an American sports columnist, commentator, and television personality. He is well-known for his work as a commentator on the ESPN2 show '' First Take'' with Stephen A. Smith, a show which he left ...

, sports journalist; ESPN anchor * Jorge Andres, Award Winning sports anchor; Former Sportscenter anchor *

Dalton Bales Dalton Arthur Bales (February 21, 1920 – October 30, 1979) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1963 to 1975 who represented the riding of York Mills. He was ...

, Canadian Politician *

Derek Bok Derek Curtis Bok (born March 22, 1930) is an American lawyer and educator, and the former president of Harvard University. Life and career Bok was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Following his parents' divorce, he, his mother, brother and siste ...

, 25th President of

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; 7th Dean of

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* J.M.S. Careless, Canadian Historian *

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, Founder Green & Black’s chocolate *

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, Navy pilot; NASA astronaut; killed during

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training exercise. (Alpha Xi Chapter, Purdue University) * James A. Champy, member of the

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Corporation, Board of Trustees, and Board of Directors of

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, author of ''Among the Missing'' and ''Await Your Reply''; finalist for the National Book Award *

Denny Crum Denzel Edwin "Denny" Crum (born March 2, 1937) is an American former men's college basketball coach at the University of Louisville from 1971 to 2001, compiling a record. He guided the Cardinals to two NCAA championships ( 1980, 1986) and six ...

, basketball head coach, University of Louisville (NCAA Champions, 1980 and 1986) *

John Curley John Curley is a Professor, Distinguished Professional in Residence, and Co-Director of the Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State. He was head of Gannett News Service, during which time the news service won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Ser ...

, first editor of ''

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''; former head of

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, producer of ''

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''; producer and director of the ''Jack Benny Show'' and ''My Three Sons'' * Alexis F. du Pont, Director of DuPont de Nemours (currently DuPont) *

Pierre S. du Pont Pierre Samuel du Pont (; January 15, 1870 – April 4, 1954) was an American entrepreneur, businessman, philanthropist and member of the prominent du Pont family. He was president of DuPont from 1915 to 1919, and served on its board of directors ...

, Director of DuPont de Nemours (currently DuPont); former CEO of General Motors *

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, helicopter pioneer; one of the world's three principal developers of vertical flight * George David Low, NASA astronaut;

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executive * Dan Leal, pornographic film star and director'' *

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, comedian and actor; appeared on the game show ''

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'' as the "center square;" played Uncle Arthur on ''

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'' * John A. McCone,

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Director during Cold War *

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, head basketball coach at the University of South Carolina *

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, Nobel Prize Winning Chemist * Scott A. Muller, Olympian (1996) *

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, founder of the US Libertarian Party; inventor of the Nolan chart * Lewis F. Powell Jr., former

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Justice *

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, winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics *

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, politician; former Governor of Alabama *

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, 20th

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* Cyrus Wadia, Senior Policy Analyst, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; winner of ''Technology Review''s "top innovators under 35" award in 2009 *

Tom Wolfe Thomas Kennerly Wolfe Jr. (March 2, 1930 – May 14, 2018)Some sources say 1931; ''The New York Times'' and Reuters both initially reported 1931 in their obituaries before changing to 1930. See and was an American author and journalist widely ...

, author of ''

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'' * Steven Zierk, 2010 World Under 18 Chess Champion

References

External links

Home page of Phi Kappa Sigma
{{Authority control International student societies North American Interfraternity Conference Student organizations established in 1850 1850 establishments in Pennsylvania

Badge

Chapter listing

Notable members

See also

References

External links