Phi Zeta

Phi Zeta is the only honor society of veterinary medicine in the United States.

History

Phi Zeta was established at Cornell University in 1925 with the assistance of Dr. Veranus Alva Moore ^[1]

Name and Symbols of the Society

Greek Scholar, Dr. George P. Bristol of Cornell University, suggested that the organization use the Greek word, spelled in its Latin form: PHILOZOI; meaning “love for animals”.

The emblem was designed by the great artist and naturalist Louis Agassiz Fuertes

Purpose

The purpose of Phi Zeta is to promote, acknowledge, and reward scholarship in the profession of veterinary medicine.

Membership

Third-year students ranking in the top 10% of the class and fourth-year students ranking in the top 25% of the class are invited to become members.^[2]

Honorary membership may also be bestowed upon interns, residents, faculty, and non-veterinary field related persons who have made significant contributions to veterinary medicine.

Chapter

Every veterinary school in the United States now has a chapter.

• Alpha, Cornell University, 1925
• Beta, University of Pennsylvania, 1929
• Gamma, Iowa State University, 1931
• Delta, The Ohio State University, 1934
• Epsilon, Auburn University, 1948
• Zeta, Michigan State University, 1950
• Eta, Texas A&M University, 1950
• Theta, Colorado State University, 1950
• Iota, Washington State University, 1952
• Kappa, University of Minnesota, 1952
• Lambda, University of California, 1953
• Mu, University of Illinois, 1953
• Nu, Oklahoma State University, 1958
• Xi, University of Georgia, 1959
• Omicron, Purdue University, 1962
• Pi, University of Missouri, 1965
• Rho, Tuskegee University, 1967
• Sigma, Kansas State University, 1969
• Tau, Louisiana State University, 1977
• Upsilon, University of Florida, 1979
• Phi, University of Tennessee, 1979
• Chi, Virginia-Maryland Regional CVM, 1984
• Psi, North Carolina State University, 1984
• Alpha Alpha, University of Wisconsin, 1987
• Alpha Gamma, Oregon State University, 1987
• Omega, Mississippi State University, 1988
• Alpha Beta, Tufts University, 1991
• Alpha Delta, St. George University, 2006
• Alpha Epsilon, Western University of Health Sciences, 2006

References