Pi Alpha Alpha ( or PAA) is the national

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 Sc ...

for students of

public administration Public Administration (a form of governance) or Public Policy and Administration (an academic discipline) is the implementation of public policy, administration of government establishment (public governance), management of non-profit establ ...

. It is administered by the

National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

in 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 primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...

. The organization was formed to promote excellence in the study and practice of

and public affairs. There are 167 Pi Alpha Alpha chapters, with more than 30,000 members.

Purpose

"The purpose of Pi Alpha Alpha is to encourage and recognize outstanding scholarship and accomplishment in public affairs and administration. Its objectives, such as fostering integrity, professionalism, and effective performance, promote the advancement of quality in the education and practice of the art and science of public affairs and administration. PAA membership identifies those with the highest performance levels in educational programs preparing them for public service careers."

History

Pi Alpha Alpha was established in 1974 by

NASPAA The Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization. It is an international association of public affairs schools (schools of public policy and administration) at unive ...

under the leadership of the first PAA president Don L. Bowen. This honor society began with the goal to encourage excellence and recognize students who have gone above and beyond in the study of public policy and administration.

Membership

Types

There are three different membership types: student, faculty/staff, and honorary. Students are required to have 50% of NASPAA degree program coursework completed and a GPA of 3.7. Memberships dues are set at $50 by PAA, and local chapters may collect additional dues for programming costs. Membership is for life.

Oath

"I pledge my support for the intellectual and professional advancement of the art and science of public administration and public affairs. I shall honor and respect the virtues and values of public service and those who serve. "I shall uphold the eternal need for education that imbues public administrators with traditions of democratic governance. "Moreover, as a member of Pi Alpha Alpha, I shall uphold the highest ethical standards applying to public service and will endeavor to encourage and engage in meaningful interaction with other members."

NASPAA

Pi Alpha Alpha is a program within

, the global standard in public service education. NASPAA owns the registered trademark for PAA (U.S. Reg. No. 4,708,021). PAA is a sponsor of the annual NASPAA Student Simulation Competition.Se
NASPAA website
accessed 17 Jul 2022.

References

External links

*
National Association of Schools of Public Affairs & Administration - about Pi Alpha Alpha
Public administration Honor societies Educational organizations based in the United States Student organizations established in 1974 Former members of Association of College Honor Societies {{honor-stub