The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi—the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines—recently recognized the UMKC chapter of Phi Kappa Phi as a Chapter of Merit.  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.

UMKC is one of just 50 chapters honored this year as a Chapter of Merit.

“Phi Kappa Phi is proud of all its chapters, but we are pleased to offer special recognition to those who have achieved the status of Chapter of Merit and Chapter of Excellence,” said Society Executive Director Dr. Mary Todd. “The efforts of chapter officers to promote academic excellence on their campuses demonstrate their strong commitment to the mission of Phi Kappa Phi and to their students.”

By receiving the Chapter of Merit distinction, the UMKC 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.

“The UMKC Chapter (#103) strives to foster and promote an environment of academic accomplishment and a love of learning in service to others among our students, faculty, staff and alumni—and we are pleased to learn that we have been accorded the distinction of being a Chapter of Merit,” said Chapter President Dr. Charles Wurrey. “This honor is the result of much hard work of our Executive Committee and our members.”

Chapters achieving the Chapter of Merit distinction receive:

• a commendation letter from the Society sent to chapter officers and campus administration
• special recognition on the Society’s website and publications
• specially designed logo for use in chapter communications
• recognition advertisements in local media and educational journals
• $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 on more than 300 select colleges and universities in North America and the Philippines.

More 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.”

For more information on Phi Kappa Phi, please visit www.PhiKappaPhi.org.