Florida Tech Receives Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society Chapter of Merit Recognition
MELBOURNE, FLA.—The Florida Institute of Technology Phi Kappa Phi Chapter was recently recognized as a Chapter of Merit by the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. The award is given to chapters that excel in recognizing and promoting academic excellence in all fields of higher education and engaging the community of scholars in service to others.
The Chapter of Merit distinction is a part of the society’s Chapter Recognition Program, which acknowledged 69 chapters with recognition this year, including 50 as Chapters of Merit.
“Such recognition is greatly appreciated as it enhances our visibility and thus makes it easier for us, in the long run, to provide opportunities and resources to Florida Tech’s outstanding students, faculty and alumni,” said Florida Tech Chapter President Steven Lazarus, professor in the Department of Marine and Environmental Systems.
By receiving the Chapter of Merit distinction, the Florida Tech chapter is recognized as a thriving organization that meets regularly, holds annual initiations and applies frequently for Phi Kappa Phi’s select awards, grants and fellowships.
Chapters achieving this distinction receive a commendation letter from the society, which is also sent to campus administration; special recognition on the society’s website and publications; a specially designed logo for use in chapter communications recognition advertisements in local media and educational journals; and a $100 award.
Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. The society has chapters in more than 300 select colleges and universities in North America and the Philippines.
About Phi Kappa Phi
Phi Kappa Phi inducts annually approximately 32,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni. Membership is by invitation only to the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students and 7.5 percent of juniors. Faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction also qualify. Since its founding, more than 1 million members have been initiated. Some of the organization’s more notable members include former President Jimmy Carter, NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence, novelist David Baldacci and YouTube cofounder Chad Hurley. The Society has awarded approximately $14 million since the inception of its awards program in 1932. Today, $1 million is awarded each biennium to qualifying students and members through graduate fellowships, undergraduate study abroad grants, member and chapter awards and grants for local and national literacy initiatives. The Society’s mission is “To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.”
