Pi Delta Phi
Encyclopedia
Pi Delta Phi is the French National Honor Society for undergraduate and graduate students at accredited public and private colleges and universities in the United States. The society was admitted to membership in the Association of College Honor Societies
in 1967.
Pi Delta Phi was founded as a departmental honor society for French
at the University of California, Berkeley
, in 1906. After twenty years as a local chapter, Pi Delta Phi declared itself the National French Honor Society and chartered the Beta Chapter at the University of Southern California
in 1925, and the Gamma Chapter at the University of California, Los Angeles
, in 1926.
The society expanded slowly during the next fifteen years, but enjoyed renewed interest and growth during the 1940s and 1950s . It currently numbers more than 340 chapters established at representative public and private colleges and universities in almost every state, as well as chapters in Paris
and Aix-en-Provence
.
(1) to recognize outstanding scholarship in the French language and francophone literatures,
(2) to increase the knowledge and appreciation of Americans for the cultural contributions of the French-speaking world, and
(3) to stimulate and to encourage French and francophone cultural activities.
Honorary members include: the French faculty of the sponsoring institution who are not already members of Pi Delta Phi; members of the faculty at large; students who do not meet the requirements for regular membership; college or university alumni who did not become members while attending the sponsoring institution; and diplomats, community and business leaders who have demonstrated a strong support of French language, and/or of the cultures and literatures of the French-speaking world.
Association of College Honor Societies
The Association of College Honor Societies , founded in 1925, is a predominantly American organization that serves a number of functions with respect to national collegiate and post-graduate honor societies...
in 1967.
Pi Delta Phi was founded as a departmental honor society for French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, in 1906. After twenty years as a local chapter, Pi Delta Phi declared itself the National French Honor Society and chartered the Beta Chapter at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
in 1925, and the Gamma Chapter at the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, in 1926.
The society expanded slowly during the next fifteen years, but enjoyed renewed interest and growth during the 1940s and 1950s . It currently numbers more than 340 chapters established at representative public and private colleges and universities in almost every state, as well as chapters in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
.
Purpose
As stated in the by-laws, the purpose of the Society is:(1) to recognize outstanding scholarship in the French language and francophone literatures,
(2) to increase the knowledge and appreciation of Americans for the cultural contributions of the French-speaking world, and
(3) to stimulate and to encourage French and francophone cultural activities.
Organization
The Society's Executive Board, comprising elected regional Vice Presidents, is chaired by an elected President who appoints the Executive Director and Newsletter Editor. All Board positions are volunteer. The official publication of Pi Delta Phi is the Newsletter. The Society awards scholarships for summer study in France and Québec to Regular undergraduate members of active chapters.Membership
Regular members include undergraduate students at the sponsoring institution who are nominated in recognition of their academic achievement in French. Requirements for regular membership are: completion of at least one course of upper division French (i.e. beyond the intermediate-level series of courses); 3.0 GPA in French, 2.8 GPA overall, AND rank in the top 35% of their class; sophomore standing. Graduate students who are candidates for an advanced degree in French are eligible for regular membership.Honorary members include: the French faculty of the sponsoring institution who are not already members of Pi Delta Phi; members of the faculty at large; students who do not meet the requirements for regular membership; college or university alumni who did not become members while attending the sponsoring institution; and diplomats, community and business leaders who have demonstrated a strong support of French language, and/or of the cultures and literatures of the French-speaking world.
Chapters
A list of all of the chapters of Pi Delta Phi is available on the organization's website hereSee also
- Société Honoraire de Français, the National French Honor Society (for high school students).