The Alpha Chi Difference
MAKING SCHOLARSHIP EFFECTIVE FOR GOOD
ALPHA CHI’S MISSION
Founded in 1922 Alpha Chi National College Honor Society has distinguished itself as one of the top multidisciplinary academic honor societies in the nation. Inviting to membership the top 10% of a university’s upper division students, Alpha Chi’s mission is to recognize and promote academic excellence, and by encouraging a spirit of service and leadership, to nurture those elements of character that make scholarship effective for good.
With hundreds of collegiate chapters across the country, Alpha Chi is a thriving, nationally recognized community of emerging scholars making scholarship effective for good in their lives, in their communities, and in the world.
Channeling creativity into scholarship
creativity and curiosity scholarship and service
VALUES OUR
The name Alpha Chi comes from the first letters of the Greek words ALETHEIA (truth) and XAPAKTHP (character), and these are our core values:
• Emerging Scholars—recognizing and supporting emerging scholars excelling in their academic journeys.
• Interdisciplinary Innovation—supporting interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation.
• Integrity and Diversity—encouraging integrity and celebrating diversity in academic disciplines and personal worldviews.
• Service to Others—fostering service to the global community.
• A Lifelong Growth Mindset—facilitating opportunities for academic, professional, and personal growth for a lifetime.
A GREAT PARTNER ALPHA CHI
Our member institutions enjoy the benefit of a relationship with a prestigious honor society with a century of experience in interdisciplinary scholarship. Alpha Chi encourages highachieving students to value their potential to make a difference in the world by using the knowledge and skills obtained in their college years, and we partner with each institutional chapter to accomplish this with:
Our Focus on Undergraduate Research and Creativity
• Annual national and regional scholarship competitions and awards
• A national stage on which to present original research and creative work to a multidisciplinary audience of their peers with a chance to win cash prizes in 30 different disciplines
• Undergraduate publication opportunities in Aletheia, Alpha Chi’s peer-reviewed, undergraduate research journal, and Kalo, our member community magazine
Multidisciplinary Collaboration
• Unlike discipline-specific organizations, Alpha Chi encourages student members to work collaboratively with students of all majors. Each fall chapters can enter a team in our collaborative research project competition where the top team prizes are $5,000 and $2,500.
Service Opportunities & Academic Engagement
• National service initiatives annually
• Activity grants (up to $500 per chapter annually) for creative, on-campus academic or service programs
• Combined activities and events with other nearby chapters; virtual events also supported
Experience-Based Learning
• Access to academic and professional networking and learning from professionals making a difference in their areas of expertise
• Biennial opportunities for travel to a large city for life-changing experiences
• Broadened learning with access to presentations from young scholars and creatives outside their own disciplines from a variety of colleges to lessen the impact of the silo syndrome
Professional Development
• Student, faculty, and staff opportunities for service and leadership roles from the chapter to the national level
• Experiences as elected representatives, session speakers, moderators, manuscript editors, and judges
• Travel and housing grants for national convention participation
Embedded Networking and Mentoring
• Getting involved with an Alpha Chi chapter is a wonderful way to foster long-lasting connections from induction to graduate school and beyond.
• Chapter advisors and leadership teams serve your students as personal and academic mentors.
• From in-person conventions to online events, the opportunity to build friendships and collaborate with others who share intellectual curiosity is crucial.
• A mentoring program through Ambition In Motion is offered in the fall and spring semesters.
On-Campus Recognition
• Alpha Chi members receive recognition as distinguished students and members of one of the most prestigious college honor societies in the world. Inductees receive a membership certificate suitable for framing and a recognition pin (both distributed by the chapter advisor upon induction).
• On most campuses, Alpha Chi members receive special cognition in their commencement program and by wearing their blue and green honor cords, honor stole, or the member medallion.
CHAPTER LEADERSHIP
Exceptional students deserve exceptional advisors. Each chapter is led by a primary advisor, a position appointed triennially by the institution’s president or chief academic officer. However, many of our chapter advisors serve 20 years or more and shows how rewarding it is.
Impactful Chapter Advisors are:
• Invested in the success of a diverse group of highly motivated students
• Willing to mentor student research, creativity, and leadership.
• Ready to add value to campus and professional life
• Willing to collaborate with co-advisors, other academic departments, and campus organizations
A CHAPTER ADVISOR’S KEY
RESPONSIBILITIES
INVITE
Identify and invite eligible students chapter of Alpha Chi.
INDUCT
Organize a public induction ceremony members at least once per academic
PROMOTE
Promote Alpha Chi on campus, and through media releases.
CULTIVATE
Foster student research by making nominations and selecting presenters biennial convention.
FACILITATE
Facilitate student leadership student officers and helping members regular academic and service
COMMUNICATE
File the Annual Chapter Report communication with Alpha Chi’s to stay abreast of opportunities student members.
students to join your ceremony for new academic year. campus, on social media, making scholarship presenters for the by mentoring members plan service events. Report and maintain Chi’s national office opportunities to share with
IMPACT THE ALPHA CHI
“I was nominated and voted in as President of Alpha Chi at CarsonNewman University, where we were just named a Star Chapter. We have been able to donate books to Appalachian children in need, provide celebratory dinners for students on the Dean’s list, and be a sponsor for our research day on campus. With many more plans for the rest of the school year, I hope to leave my mark on our chapter.”
- Kylee C., student member
“Serving both regionally and nationally for Alpha Chi, I was able to be hands-on in planning conferences, managing and promoting membership, and being actively involved in community service. My time serving as the student representative for Region VI helped shape me into the leader I am today.”
- Ande M., alumni member
“Becoming a published author is certainly a milestone event in my academic career. I am honored to be counted among the Aletheia authors, and I look forward to seeing my work posted in the Alpha Chi online library.”
- Daniel L., alumni member
“In 2024 I was thrilled when my students were awarded nearly $9,000 in Alpha Chi scholarships and competition prizes, and my chapter was granted $900 to help us attend the national convention. Seeing my students supported like this makes being an advisor so rewarding!”
- Dr. Teddi Deka, chapter advisor
“Alpha Chi rewards academic efforts in ways that are both meaningful and tangible, and this fellowship is a powerful example of that. I cannot even begin to describe how grateful I am for having received it and how truly impactful it will be in helping me pursue my graduate studies.”
- Becca S., alumni member
$75,000 in annual student academic scholarships
$29,150 in annual student grants & awards
$75,000 in biennial national convention grants
CERTIFIED NATIONALLY
The Association of College Honor Societies, or ACHS, sets standards for national honor society excellence and serves as the only certifying agency for college and university honor societies in the nation. Alpha Chi has been a certified member of ACHS since 1955.
Maintaining high standards is a top priority for ACHS. It operates in compliance with the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) and regularly evaluates its members through a compliance and certification process. This ensures that its member societies uphold the credibility and legitimacy essential to the honor society movement.
Not long after accepting the role as Alpha Chi’s executive director in 2018, Lara Noah was nominated and elected to serve on the ACHS Board of Directors. After fulfilling terms as secretary and vice president, she was elected president in January 2025 to finish six years in ACHS leadership. Alpha Chi is honored to support ACHS and its mission through board and committee service.
To learn more about ACHS and the importance of collegiate honor society certification, visit https://www. achshonor.org/honor-societystandards-of-excellence
HOW TO PARTNER WITH ALPHA CHI
If you are interested in adding Alpha Chi as a valuable partner in the work of your institutional mission, the chapter chartering process is outlined below. To speak with someone or request the Chapter Charter Petition Form, please contact:
Lara Q. Noah, Executive Director
Alpha Chi National College Honor Society 8 Shackleford Plaza, Ste. 319 Little Rock, Arkansas 72211 lnoah@alphachihonor.org | 800-477-4225 AlphaChiHonor.org
CHARTER PETITION PROCESS
ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for consideration for a chapter of Alpha Chi, an institution must offer, at minimum, the baccalaureate degree and must be a member in good standing of a regional accrediting agency. Only petitions from not-forprofit institutions will be considered at this time.
PROCEDURE
Send the required items by mail to the address above, and the executive director will prepare a ballot by email to the National Council, Alpha Chi’s board of directors, for approval by an affirmative two-thirds vote of its members. After charter approval and receipt of the onetime $300 charter fee (covers an engraved charter and ceremonial materials), the chapter installation process will begin.
REQUIRED ITEMS
• Identification of a Primany Chapter Advisor
• Chapter Charter Petition Form
• Letter of support from institution’s chief academic officer or other academic or
SUPPORT NATIONAL OFFICE
• Toll-free support Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central: 800-477-4225 or office@alphachihonor.org
• Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas
• Online portal for invitation management and collection of new member fees
• Invitation and induction ceremony support
• Chapter event planning resources
• Convention participation grants
• Scholarship and publication assistance
• Advisor and student officer onboarding
“Throughout my life, I’ve faced numerous challenges, from growing up with limited opportunities to finding my path through education despite the odds. Alpha Chi embodies the values that have guided me—dedication, persistence, and a deep belief in the transformative power of education. As a Texas Teacher of the Year, I’ve experienced firsthand the importance of being part of a community that values education and recognizes those who go above and beyond to inspire others.”
- Martha S. Texas Psi Member
Alpha Chi National College Honor Society is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Once an application is received, the chapter approval process takes approximately two months. Upon the granting of a charter, the National Office will work with the university to facilitate an installation ceremony and induction of inaugural members.
The National Office will work with the new Chapter Advisor as they invite eligible students to become members of the chapter. The national one-time fee for individual membership is $60.
A national representative to install the chapter may be requested when the cost of such representation can be covered by the institution.