Phi Sigma Pi

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Phi Sigma Pi

Founded:	1916 at Central Missouri State University (Warrensburg, Missouri)
Founders:	E.L. Hendricks C. A. Phillips C.H. McClure
Brotherhood Pin:
Colors:	Purple and Gold with White as the auxiliary color for Gold
Philanthropy:	Teach for America
Songs	Brothers Are We Brother

Phi Sigma Pi (ΦΣΠ) is a coeducational honor fraternity. It currently has over one hundred undergraduate and alumni chapters across the United States. Its membership includes nearly 5,000 undergraduate members and over 25,000 alumni and faculty members. All collegiate chapters maintain affiliation with Student Government or the Honor Groups on their campuses. Phi Sigma Pi maintains no affiliation with the Social Greek System.

1 History
- 1.1 Of what was to come
- 1.2 Phi Sigma Pi was born
2 Mission
3 National vision
4 Eligibility
5 Philanthropy
6 Scholarships
- 6.1 The Richard Cecil Todd and Clauda Pennock Todd Tripod Scholarship
- 6.2 Rolla F. Wood Graduate Scholorship
7 Publications
8 National headquarters
9 Collegiate chapters
10 External links

[edit] History

Phi Sigma Pi was founded at Central Missouri State University on February 14, 1916, by E.L. Hendricks, C.A. Phillips, and C.H. McClure. The fraternity became national in 1921 when a second chapter was founded at Bradley University in [[Peoria, Illinois]]. The fraternity has since evolved from an honorary professional fraternity to a professional education fraternity, and then, in 1966, to an honor fraternity for all disciplines. Phi Sigma Pi became coeducational in 1977.

[edit] Of what was to come

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World War I raged in Europe from 1914 to 1918. Meanwhile, another struggle was occurring in the American Midwest. Unlike the war, this American struggle was not one of nationalism, expansionism, or alliances, but rather a fight for identity, recognition, and increased potential for professional advancement. The theater for this encounter was the State Teachers College at Warrensburg, Missouri, one of almost 200 institutions across the United States dedicated to the task of preparing educators for the ever-growing country. The Missouri Beta Chapter of Phi Lambda Epsilon—a fraternity founded in 1892, with chapters located on normal and high school campuses— was organized in 1894 as the first fraternity on the Warrensburg campus. This chapter was a thriving organization until the spring of 1914. At this time, the faculty of the institution thoroughly investigated the fraternity and found that it only emphasized the social side of college life. The fraternity was disbanded. During the 1914–15 school year, a group of students with strong academic values, who also had been members of Phi Lambda Epsilon, and a group of other male students attending the college, who from an educational standpoint had in mind high ideals regarding the teaching profession and the social needs of the students, brought together their concerns and presented them to the faculty. The faculty at first disapproved of a new fraternity but through the encouragement and support of President Eldo L. Hendricks, Dean Claude A. Phillips, and Professor C. H. McClure, the faculty approved the establishment of a new fraternity on campus. All three men had been members of Phi Delta Kappa, an education fraternity which operated in larger universities and colleges with graduate departments of education. The three men concurred that due to the quality of these students, they should be affiliated with and receive the membership benefits of a national fraternal organization.

[edit] Phi Sigma Pi was born

Upon reviewing the academic records of each of the students,Hendricks, Phillips, and McClure felt that the group should ffiliate with a nationally recognized fraternal organization stressing scholarship. They therefore contacted the most prestigious honorary scholastic fraternity existing in the United States, Phi Beta Kappa, requesting permission to establish a chapter on their campus. They were advised immediately by Phi Beta Kappa that chapters could only be established on campuses of qualified liberal arts colleges and universities, not on campuses of teachers colleges, teacher training schools, or normal schools. The professors were distressed to receive this information, but undaunted, they decided that since many of the club’s members were campus leaders they should be affiliated with a national fraternal organization stressing leadership.

To this end, the professors contacted the most prestigious honorary leadership fraternity existing in the United States, Omicron Delta Kappa. Again, they were advised immediately by Omicron Delta Kappa that chapters could only be established on campuses of qualified liberal arts colleges and universities, not on the campuses of teachers colleges, teacher training schools, or normal schools. The professors were greatly disturbed by this information, but believing that outstanding young men preparing for the teaching profession should not be denied membership in a national fraternal organization primarily because they were matriculating at teachers colleges, they decided to contact nationally recognized social fraternities stressing fellowship. Since the local club was social in nature, this seemed like a reasonable alternative. Once again, the professors received the same answer to their request.

The three professors decided that if no fraternal organization would recognize these fine men simply because they were enrolled in a teachers college, then they would create a fraternal organization unique unto itself. They would not create one that would stress only scholarship, or leadership, or fellowship, but one that would be built on a tripod which equally stressed all three qualities of scholarship, leadership, and fellowship. So on February 14, 1916, Phi Sigma Pi was founded and originally named Phi Sigma Pi Honorary Professional Fraternity. Dr. Hendricks, the leading force behind the creation of Phi Sigma Pi, was the first person to sign a Phi Sigma Pi rollbook and is therefore known as Alpha 1. He was followed by Dean Phillips and Professor McClure. Together, Hendricks, Phillips, and McClure are known as the founding fathers of the fraternity. In addition to the three faculty members, the first chapter also consisted of ten undergraduate and honorary members. They were Fred Thayer, J. A. Leach, R. W. Grinstead, Ray F. Pankins, Wade C. Fowler, Roy G. Bigelow, Arthur Kresse, John A. Doak, Harold Patterson, and Harry Hill. Within one year, the chapter had elected another twelve members into its ranks.

[edit] Mission

In carrying out the purpose of the National Fraternity, Phi Sigma Pi shall strive to personify and encourage three ideals:

The acquisition and dissemination of information and knowledge through scholarship,
The application of professional skills and the fostering of leadership qualities by promoting and advancing the welfare of humanity, and
The fostering of non-discriminatory, fraternal fellowship within Phi Sigma Pi's ranks.

These three goals are known by members as "The Tripod". These ideals are most often referred to in their abbreviated form: Scholarship, Leadership, and Fellowship.

[edit] National vision

Over the years, it has become increasingly apparent that Phi Sigma Pi needs to have a vision—a formalized statement of legitimacy for the many changes that are occurring. A national vision is not new to Phi Sigma Pi. Hendricks, McClure, and Phillips envisioned the day when our fraternity would have a chapter at over 200 teaching colleges throughout the United States. That was their vision, their ultimate goal, their finish line. It requires a tremendous amount of effort, planning, leadership, time, money, and commitment to achieve a vision—to make the hundreds of changes and improvements necessary to turn aspirations into reality. With that in mind, Phi Sigma Pi aspires to be the leader in the fraternity world, as evidenced by:

international chapter representation;
nationwide name recognition;
world class member education and services;
quality lifelong contacts and continued opportunities for member participation;
a nationwide network of employers and associations;
pioneering efforts in fraternity marketing, advertising, recruiting,communication, and mass media;
a persistence in fostering the integrity of Phi Sigma Pi;
a continued commitment to the ideals of scholarship, leadership, and fellowship through training and participating in supporting events.

[edit] Eligibility

Membership in Phi Sigma Pi is open to those with a minimum 3.00 cumulative grade point average and one semester or one quarter of coursework completed at the college/university level. Honorary memberships are also available, though these are somewhat rare.

[edit] Philanthropy

The national philanthropy of Phi Sigma Pi is Teach for America. Teach For America is the national corps of outstanding recent college graduates who commit two years to teach in urban and rural public schools. Their mission is to build the movement to eliminate educational inequity.

[edit] Scholarships

[edit] The Richard Cecil Todd and Clauda Pennock Todd Tripod Scholarship

In September 1991, Dr. and Mrs. Richard Todd established the Richard Cecil Todd and Clauda Pennock Todd Tripod Scholarship to promote the future academic opportunity of Phi Sigma Pi brothers who have excelled in embodying the ideals of scholarship, leadership, and fellowship. While both Dr. and Mrs. Todd had died in the 1990s, their memory and innumerable contribution to both Phi Sigma Pi and education will not be forgotten. Eligibility for the Todd Tripod Scholarship is available to all active undergraduate members of Phi Sigma Pi who meet the criteria outlined in the scholarship's charter and award criteria. For the past several years chapter members have been contributing to the Todd Tripod Scholarship. One example of this generosity is through the "Miles for Todd" campaign. Grand Chapter Conference Delegates have been donating their chapter's mileage reimbursement to have the scholarship to flourish.

[edit] Rolla F. Wood Graduate Scholorship

In 1928, Rolla F. Wood became national president, and with his tenure came changes to our brotherhood. Wood made the National Council a more cohesive unit and helped increase expansion. The fraternity grew from four chapters to seven during his presidential term.

Following his successful term Wood exemplified true brotherly dedication in ways many don’t—he continued to serve. He went on to volunteer as part of council for the next six years as vice-president of chapter development (formerly national counselor) for a year, senior vice-president for a year and historian from 1931 through 1935. During his years on council, his push for expansion resulted in a total of 14 new chapters joining the original four.

Wood, a brother at Alpha chapter, attended graduate school at Vanderbilt University, where he founded Epsilon Chapter. In honor of Wood’s national contributions, dedication and continued pursuit of knowledge, the fraternity now has its graduate scholarship named for him.