Phi Eta Sigma () is an American freshman

honor society In the United States, an honor society is a rank organization that recognizes excellence among peers. Numerous societies recognize various fields and circumstances. The Order of the Arrow, for example, is the National Honor Society of the Boy S ...

. Founded at the

University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the Uni ...

on March 22, 1923, it is the oldest and largest freshman

and has chartered three hundred and eighty-six chapters throughout the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

and inducted more than 1,250,000 members since its founding.

Eligibility

Any first-year student with a GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale at the end of a full curricular period is eligible for membership, provided that student has taken normal academic coursework. Once inducted, membership is conferred for life, and members are not required to maintain a 3.5 GPA. At certain universities, including

Emory University Emory University is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1836 as "Emory College" by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory, Emory is the second-oldest private institution of ...

, the minimum GPA is a 3.9 on a 4.0 scale.

Scholarships

Annually, Phi Eta Sigma provides $300,000 total in scholarships to members across the country. There are $1,000 awards and $5,000 scholarships for

undergraduate Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, an entry-le ...

study, as well as $7,000 scholarships for the first year of graduate study. Members of Phi Eta Sigma must apply to receive these awards. Phi Eta Sigma also awards the

Thomas Arkle Clark Thomas Arkle Clark ( 1862 – July 18, 1932), born Thomas Arkle Metcalf and known as Tommy Arkle, was an American academic who was first to hold the position of dean of men at an American university. Born and raised in rural Illinois, Clark was or ...

Graduate Scholar Leader of the Year Endowed Scholarship, named in honor of the founder and first Grand President of Phi Eta Sigma. This scholarship is a $10,000 award presented yearly to the member whom the Scholarship Committee determines to best exemplify the ideals of Phi Eta Sigma. In 2020, the first ever $10,000 James E. Foy - John W. Sagabiel Undergraduate Scholar Leader of the Year Award will be presented to an undergraduate student member of the society whom the Scholarship Committee determines to best exemplify the ideals of Phi Eta Sigma.

Publications

Phi Eta Sigma has two publications which it distributes to its members each year. ''The Forum'' is a magazine published each year containing updates of Phi Eta Sigma's activity, as well as announcements and biographies of scholarship recipients. ''Hints on Studying and Learning'' is a popular pamphlet distributed by Phi Eta Sigma to its members. It addresses effective study habits such as preparation for studying; productive reading, note taking, and memorizing skills; as well as suggestions for the successful preparation of term papers and preparing for exams.

National convention

Phi Eta Sigma organizes a biennial convention for its members, advisers, and special guests. Attendee expenses, excluding transportation, are paid for by the national office for a chapter adviser and a student delegate from each chapter. The most recent convention was held in 2018 in Washington, D.C.

Executive officers

The executive officers are elected at the biennial conventions. The positions include national officers and executive committee advisers and students. They oversee the business of the society, and the national office staff manages general operations. The current executive officers for the 2018–2020 term are: *''Grand President'': Mrs. Molly Lawrence, The University of Alabama *''Grand President Emeritus'': Dr. B.J. Alexander,

Tarleton State University Tarleton State University is a public university with its main campus in Stephenville, Texas. It is a founding member of the Texas A&M University System and enrolled over 14,000 students in the fall of 2020. History John Tarleton Agricultural ...

*''Grand President Emeritus'': Mr. John Harrell,

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. *Indiana Universi ...

*''Grand President Emeritus'': Dr. John W. Sagabiel

Western Kentucky University Western Kentucky University is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It was founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a quarter-century earlier. It operates regional campuses in Glasgow, Elizabethtow ...

*''Grand Vice President'': Mr. Timothy A. Lemper, Esq.,

*''Grand Historian'': Ms. Mary Jo Custer,

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...

*''Executive Director'': Dr. Mary Lee Caldwell, Phi Eta Sigma National Office *''Executive Committee Members'': Jennifer Miller, McKendree University; Mr. Tony Kemp, Mercer University; Mr. Alex Belisle,

Boise State University Boise State University (BSU) is a public research university in Boise, Idaho. Founded in 1932 by the Episcopal Church, it became an independent junior college in 1934 and has been awarding baccalaureate and master's degrees It became a p ...

*''Student Executive Committee Members'': Ms. Alyssa Kane IUPUI; Mr. Kody Klumb, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay; Mr. Kyle Klumb, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay; Michaela Mahekey,

Georgia Southern University Georgia Southern University (GS or Georgia Southern) is a public research university in the U.S. state of Georgia. The flagship campus is in Statesboro, and other locations include the Armstrong Campus in Savannah and the Liberty Campus in H ...

List of universities with a present or former chapter

Region I (
Northwestern United States The Northwestern United States, also known as the American Northwest or simply the Northwest, is an informal geographic region of the United States. The region consistently includes the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. ...
except
Wyoming Wyoming () is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the southwest, and Colorado to t ...
)

Region II (
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
and
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
)

Region III (
Southwestern United States The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural region of the United States that generally includes Arizona, New Mexico, and adjacent portions of California, Colorado, N ...
)

Region IV (
Midwestern United States The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...
except
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over t ...
)

Region V

Region VI

Region VII

Region VIII

Region IX (
Mississippi Valley The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it ...
)

Region X (
Southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...
)

Region XI

Region XII (
Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...
)

Region XIII (
Northeastern United States The Northeastern United States, also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast, or the American Northeast, is a geographic region of the United States. It is located on the Atlantic coast of North America, with Canada to its north, the Southe ...
except
New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
)

Region XIV ( Mid-Atlantic states)

Notes :1.Phi Eta Sigma at these institutions are coupled with Alpha Lambda Delta. :2.Gainesville State College merged into the

University of North Georgia The University of North Georgia (UNG) is a public senior military college with multiple campuses in Georgia. It is part of the University System of Georgia. The university was established on January 8, 2013 by a merger of North Georgia Coll ...

on January 8, 2013

References

External links

Phi Eta Sigma official siteLike Phi Eta Sigma on FacebookFollow Phi Eta Sigma Tweets on Twitter
{{authority control Student societies in the United States Honor societies 1923 establishments in Illinois Student organizations established in 1923 Association of College Honor Societies