Volume 3, No. 5 December 6, 2002
First Greek letter society established in 1776 Did you know that it was on Dec. 5, 1776, that Phi Beta Kappa, America’s most prestigious undergraduate honor society, was founded at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va.? Membership in the organization is based on outstanding achievement in the liberal arts and sciences and is typically limited to students in the upper 10th of their graduating class. Organized by a group of enterprising undergraduates, Phi Beta Kappa was the nation’s first Greek letter society. Today, Phi Beta Kappa has more than 250 chapters and about half a million living members, including six of the current Supreme Court justices and presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton. Compiled by Weihua Zhang, professor of liberal arts, from the Library of Congress Web site.
Home | Accolades | What’s the Buzz | Art and About | The Reel Deal Book Marks | On the Safe Side | The Bee Line | Classifieds | Contact the Chronicle | Chronicle Archives