Phi Gamma Nu
Encyclopedia
Phi Gamma Nu is a co-ed professional business fraternity
with the intent to prepare its members for professional endeavors in a business workplace. The organization cultivates professional behavior in it members through a variety of activities and committees. The organization promotes professional excellence through activities such as resume critiques, mock interviews, and etiquette dinners. Phi Gamma Nu requires members to spend time on philanthropic endeavors. Along with these activities, the organization also stresses the importance of social interaction and camaraderie of its members. It is this last organizational feature that helps differentiate Phi Gamma Nu from the other national business fraternities. Currently, Phi Gamma Nu has 14 active collegiate chapters nationwide, spanning 10 states.
. The original founder members were Sylvia Pekar Arnold, Elizabeth Conroy Fleming, Marge McInerney Hawes, Mary Chard Nalbach, Helen Vogel Purcell, and Celeste Weyl.
Phi Gamma Nu was founded as a sorority for women pursuing studies in business. The sorority spent the next 50 years operating much the same way, but the dynamics of the organization changed to a co-ed format in 1974 due to the Title IX
act. While Phi Gamma Nu began accepting male members in 1974, it was not until 1981 that the National Chapter Congress changed the name of Phi Gamma Nu Sorority to Phi Gamma Nu Fraternity to comply with Title IX.
Some famous members from this fraternity include Dr. Lillian C. Budd, Dr. Virgil Loughbred, Robert E.J. Snyder, Joe Higgens, Nancy Barker, Honorable Barbara J. Hackett, Linda Batway, and Kate Rand Loyd (Phi Gamma Nu 2006, 14).
1. Professional
“To foster the study of business in colleges and universities.”
“To promote professional competency and achievement in the field of business.”
Professionalism is a standard of behavioral guidelines for a business atmosphere. This standard includes concrete actions and speech etiquette, but it also encompasses a mindset guiding ones mannerisms. Phi Gamma Nu builds active professionalism through the following activities resume critiques, etiquette dinners, business presentations, cover letter workshops, company information sessions, mock interviews, and recruiter question and answer sessions.
2. Social
“To uphold the interests of our Alma Mater
throughout the encouragement of high scholarship, participation in school activities, and the association of students for their mutual advancement.”
To ensure the stability and well-being of the chapter, social events are an important aspect of Phi Gamma Nu. A variety of different activities help build strong brotherhood. Some activities include movie nights, game nights, study hours, scavenger hunts, apple picking, and bags tournaments.
3. Philanthropy
“To further a high standard of business ethics and culture in civic and professional enterprise.”
Beyond social and professional pursuits, Phi Gamma Nu encourages its members to actively participate in philanthropy. Active community service helps build a sense of communal ethics and culture. Activities to build this pillar include participating in Adopt-a-Highway
, animal shelter
s, soup kitchens, women's shelter
s, and food pantries.
The recruitment period for Phi Gamma Nu occurs once each semester. During membership selection, rushes participate in a series of interviews with Phi Gamma Nu actives and are evaluated on their professional mannerisms, speech skills, and logical reasoning. Phi Gamma Nu actives must vote on whether a rush satisfies these requirements before a rush initiates. To be considered for Phi Gamma Nu, a rush must either major or minor in the college of business. While doing so, the rush must have a cumulative GPA at least 2.5.
2. Participation
Once initiated into Phi Gamma Nu, an active must still maintain several responsibilities. Varying from chapter to chapter, a point system requirement enforces an active participation and attendance at Phi Gamma Nu events. Furthermore, the active must attend at least one event from every pillar of Phi Gamma Nu. Financial obligations must also be met. If any of these criteria are not fulfilled, the active must appear before the executive board and face expulsion from the fraternity. On the founding date each year, Founder’s Day is observed. Celebration and attendance of Founder’s Day ritual is required for all chapters. At ritual, the National President reads the annual message to the chapters, and all present members renew the oath of Phi Gamma Nu (Phi Gamma Nu 2006, 17).
3. Scholarship
2. Beta Pi Chapter
3. Alpha Psi Chapter
Professional fraternity
Professional fraternities, in the North American fraternity system, are organizations whose primary purpose is to promote the interests of a particular profession and whose membership is restricted to students in that particular field of professional education or study...
with the intent to prepare its members for professional endeavors in a business workplace. The organization cultivates professional behavior in it members through a variety of activities and committees. The organization promotes professional excellence through activities such as resume critiques, mock interviews, and etiquette dinners. Phi Gamma Nu requires members to spend time on philanthropic endeavors. Along with these activities, the organization also stresses the importance of social interaction and camaraderie of its members. It is this last organizational feature that helps differentiate Phi Gamma Nu from the other national business fraternities. Currently, Phi Gamma Nu has 14 active collegiate chapters nationwide, spanning 10 states.
History
Phi Gamma Nu was originally founded on February 17, 1924 at the Chicago campus of Northwestern UniversityNorthwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
. The original founder members were Sylvia Pekar Arnold, Elizabeth Conroy Fleming, Marge McInerney Hawes, Mary Chard Nalbach, Helen Vogel Purcell, and Celeste Weyl.
Phi Gamma Nu was founded as a sorority for women pursuing studies in business. The sorority spent the next 50 years operating much the same way, but the dynamics of the organization changed to a co-ed format in 1974 due to the Title IX
Title IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a United States law, enacted on June 23, 1972, that amended Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 2002 it was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, in honor of its principal author Congresswoman Mink, but is most...
act. While Phi Gamma Nu began accepting male members in 1974, it was not until 1981 that the National Chapter Congress changed the name of Phi Gamma Nu Sorority to Phi Gamma Nu Fraternity to comply with Title IX.
Some famous members from this fraternity include Dr. Lillian C. Budd, Dr. Virgil Loughbred, Robert E.J. Snyder, Joe Higgens, Nancy Barker, Honorable Barbara J. Hackett, Linda Batway, and Kate Rand Loyd (Phi Gamma Nu 2006, 14).
Three Pillars
Three pillars form the organizational goals of Phi Gamma Nu. Each organization event is directed towards a pillar. Overall, four aims and purposes reflect the intent of the Phi Gamma Nu pillars.1. Professional
“To foster the study of business in colleges and universities.”
“To promote professional competency and achievement in the field of business.”
Professionalism is a standard of behavioral guidelines for a business atmosphere. This standard includes concrete actions and speech etiquette, but it also encompasses a mindset guiding ones mannerisms. Phi Gamma Nu builds active professionalism through the following activities resume critiques, etiquette dinners, business presentations, cover letter workshops, company information sessions, mock interviews, and recruiter question and answer sessions.
2. Social
“To uphold the interests of our Alma Mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
throughout the encouragement of high scholarship, participation in school activities, and the association of students for their mutual advancement.”
To ensure the stability and well-being of the chapter, social events are an important aspect of Phi Gamma Nu. A variety of different activities help build strong brotherhood. Some activities include movie nights, game nights, study hours, scavenger hunts, apple picking, and bags tournaments.
3. Philanthropy
“To further a high standard of business ethics and culture in civic and professional enterprise.”
Beyond social and professional pursuits, Phi Gamma Nu encourages its members to actively participate in philanthropy. Active community service helps build a sense of communal ethics and culture. Activities to build this pillar include participating in Adopt-a-Highway
Adopt a Highway
The Adopt-a-Highway program, also known as Sponsor-a-Highway , is a promotional campaign undertaken by U.S. states, Provinces and Territories of Canada, and national governments outside North America to encourage volunteers to keep a section of a highway free from litter...
, animal shelter
Animal shelter
An animal shelter is a facility that houses homeless, lost, or abandoned animals; primarily a large variety of dogs and cats.Parrots, for example, are the third most common pet owned by people...
s, soup kitchens, women's shelter
Women's shelter
A women's shelter is a place of temporary refuge and support for women escaping violent or abusive situations, such as rape, and domestic violence....
s, and food pantries.
Membership
1. SelectionThe recruitment period for Phi Gamma Nu occurs once each semester. During membership selection, rushes participate in a series of interviews with Phi Gamma Nu actives and are evaluated on their professional mannerisms, speech skills, and logical reasoning. Phi Gamma Nu actives must vote on whether a rush satisfies these requirements before a rush initiates. To be considered for Phi Gamma Nu, a rush must either major or minor in the college of business. While doing so, the rush must have a cumulative GPA at least 2.5.
2. Participation
Once initiated into Phi Gamma Nu, an active must still maintain several responsibilities. Varying from chapter to chapter, a point system requirement enforces an active participation and attendance at Phi Gamma Nu events. Furthermore, the active must attend at least one event from every pillar of Phi Gamma Nu. Financial obligations must also be met. If any of these criteria are not fulfilled, the active must appear before the executive board and face expulsion from the fraternity. On the founding date each year, Founder’s Day is observed. Celebration and attendance of Founder’s Day ritual is required for all chapters. At ritual, the National President reads the annual message to the chapters, and all present members renew the oath of Phi Gamma Nu (Phi Gamma Nu 2006, 17).
3. Scholarship
- Scholarship Key is awarded to the senior business major to be graduated with the highest scholastic average (Phi Gamma Nu 2006, 17).
- Scholarship Certificate is awarded annually to the senior member of each collegiate chapter who has attained the highest scholastic average in their respective chapter (Phi Gamma Nu 2006, 17).
Chapters
Although Phi Gamma Nu has chartered more than 100 chapters in its history, only 14 are currently active. The most recent chapter was opened at the University of California - Berkeley on April 10, 2011. The following chapters are currently active:- Alpha Psi - Ohio UniversityOhio UniversityOhio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
- 1969 (active) - Beta Delta - Dillard UniversityDillard UniversityDillard University is a private, historically black liberal arts college in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded in 1930 incorporating earlier institutions that went back to 1869, it is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church....
- 1972 (active) - Beta Iota - Troy UniversityTroy UniversityTroy University is a public university that is located in Troy, Alabama, United States. It was originally founded in 1887 as Troy Normal School. Its main campus enrollment is 7,194 students. The total enrollment of all Troy University campuses is 29,689...
- 1974 (active) - Beta Kappa - Ball State UniversityBall State UniversityBall State University is a state-run research university located in Muncie, Indiana. It is also known as Ball State or simply BSU.Located on the northwest side of the city, Ball State's campus spans and includes 106 buildings...
- 1974 (active) - Beta Pi - University of Illinois - 1974 (active)
- Gamma Xi - Indiana University of PennsylvaniaIndiana University of PennsylvaniaIndiana University of Pennsylvania is a public university in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, USA. The university is northeast of Pittsburgh. It is the largest university in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and is the commonwealth's fifth largest university...
- 1979 (active) - Delta Theta - Pennsylvania State UniversityPennsylvania State UniversityThe Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
- 1987 (active) - http://www.clubs.psu.edu/up/pgn/ - Delta Lambda - University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of PennsylvaniaThe University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
- 2003 (active) - University of Pennsylvania Phi Gamma Nu Webpage - Delta Xi - University of California - Los Angeles - 2008 (active)
- Delta Omicron - Cornell UniversityCornell UniversityCornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
- 2008 (active) - Delta Pi - Portland State UniversityPortland State UniversityPortland State University is a public state urban university located in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1946, it has the largest overall enrollment of any university in the state of Oregon, including undergraduate and graduate students. It is also the only public university in...
- 2008 (active) - - Delta Rho - University of Maryland, College ParkUniversity of Maryland, College ParkThe University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
- 2009 (active) - Delta Sigma - Miami University of Ohio - 2010 (active)
- Delta Tau - University of California - Berkeley - 2011 (active)
Notable Chapter and Member Accomplishments
1. Delta Theta Chapter- The Pennsylvania State University's Dance Marathon (THON) is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. As of 2006, the Delta Theta chapter of Phi Gamma Nu has been the top independent (non-paired) fundraising organization of the event for 16 years. In 2006 alone, PGN Delta Theta raised more than $61,000 to benefit children with pediatric cancer and pediatric cancer research. In 2011, PGN raised $58,797.80 winning 3rd place among all General Organizations, outearning the next closest professional business fraternity by over $10,000.
2. Beta Pi Chapter
- On November 18, 2008, the Beta Pi chapter of Phi Gamma Nu ran the first annual "Mr. Business" competition at the University of Illinois. This event was a College of Business-wide program, which featured two male members of Business Council and the four business fraternities on campus: Alpha Kappa Psi, Delta Sigma Pi, Phi Gamma Nu and Phi Chi Theta. Proceeds of the event were donated to Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Champaign County, an organization that mentors children in the community ages 6 through 18.
3. Alpha Psi Chapter
- The Alpha Psi Chapter of Phi Gamma Nu at Ohio University started Business Olympics within the College of Business. The Business Olympics is a day-long competition where teams of 3-5 students from College of Business Organizations go head-to-head in five different business related competitive activities. Alumni and company recruiters will judge each of the events. The event has most recently been sponsored by companies such as: Northwestern Mutual, KPMG, Parker Hannifin, and IGS Energy.