A Prestigious History: As the oldest and most prestigious academic honor society in the United States, The Phi Beta Kappa Society was founded on December 5, 1776 at the College of William and Mary. At the heart of its mission, Phi Beta Kappa celebrates excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, champions freedom of thought, recognizes academic excellence, advocates for the value and benefits of a liberal arts and sciences education, and connects members to a diverse network of high achievers.

Our Mission: To cultivate a passion for learning and the pursuit of wisdom among our students while acknowledging and celebrating their dedication and perseverance.

A High Honor and An Exclusive Membership: To become a member of The Phi Beta Kappa is a distinct honor that follows students for the rest of their lives. We honor the best and brightest liberal arts and sciences undergraduates through a highly selective, merit-based invitation process. Membership in the society is by invitation only and is a rare honor. There are no applications. Only 10% of U.S. Colleges and universities (293 top schools across the nation), including the Pennsylvania State University – University Park Campus, have Phi Beta Kappa chapters. We only select about 10 percent of our most outstanding junior and senior liberal arts and sciences graduates to join our prestigious chapter.

Members include 17 U.S. Presidents, 42 Supreme Court Justices, elected officials, more than 150 Nobel Laureates, civil rights activists, journalists, authors, actors, artists, and more.