Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society Receives Chapter of Merit Award

MELBOURNE, FLA.—The Florida Institute of Technology chapter of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (PKP) received the Chapter of Merit Award at the Society’s national biennial convention in Kansas City, Mo. Florida Tech is one of only 19 campus chapters nationwide to receive the award, which comes with a $100 gift. Florida Tech was approved in the fall of 2008 to shelter a chapter of the nation’s oldest, largest, and most selective all-discipline honor society.

The award is given to outstanding PKP chapters that meet the society’s national standards and demonstrate an active commitment to its standards of excellence. Florida Tech is recognized as a thriving organization that is active, meets certain criteria, and complies with PKP documentation requirements in a timely manner.

Representing the university at the convention was Randall Alford, associate provost of Florida Tech’s graduate school and international programs and past, founding chapter president. Current officers are Mary Bonhomme, president; Dwight Pate, student vice president; Leslie Savoie, secretary; John Trefry, treasurer; and Robert Taylor, public relations.

Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Baton Rouge, La., PKP’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. The society annually inducts more than 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni. It has chapters on more than 300 select college and university campuses in North America and the Philippines. 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, PKP has initiated more than one million members into its ranks, which comprise the best and brightest professionals and scholars from all academic disciplines.