Envisioning a Better World
“It was a privilege for me to have the opportunity to work with the national fellowship program for a number of years. It became evident through that experience that the focus of the young people who were nominated for the fellowship will make a significant contribution to our future.
Contributing to their future brings me a sense of satisfaction that is deeply personal. The longer one lives, the clearer it becomes that we can never obtain enough personal pleasure and accumulation of ‘things’ to result in the enrichment of one’s soul in the way that serving others brings.”
RUTH BRASHER BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY
better world
Phi Kappa Phi has a deep and storied history, and an aspirational vision to extend our Society’s ideals to a new generation of scholars and leaders.
Phi Kappa Phi’s national office, through the support of generous donors like you, recently developed a new strategic plan to illuminate the path forward, expanding Phi Kappa Phi’s impact, so that together, we can create a better world driven by the love of learning.
The plan renews the commitment to our core values — excellence, community, service, and inclusion, while committing Phi Kappa Phi to:
Grow our membership.
• Raise the Society’s profile among academics, businesses, and the community.
• Guarantee a high quality and consistent member experience, available to all.
• Ensure a robust future for our Society.
As we strive to innovate, Phi Kappa Phi’s original mission to celebrate and advance a love of learning—just as it was when you were initiated—remains unchanged.
ACHIEVING THESE GOALS WILL REQUIRE:
• A collective effort to provide our members with the resources and tools needed to accomplish great things in the coming decades and beyond
• A greater level of philanthropic commitment from our members
INVES T FO R W DRA
We invite you to read on to learn more about how you can continue to invest forward as an honored scholar and change-maker.
HARD TRUTHS AND MISSED OPPORTUNITIES
• Within our publications, readers can always find student and faculty stories that attest to the value of Phi Kappa Phi. Unfortunately, fewer students nationwide are joining honor societies. Of the qualified scholars who are invited to join Phi Kappa Phi, about 8% accept the invitation to join. Cost is a major factor in this decision when evaluated alongside the rising costs of higher education.
• With fewer members, the rich exchange of ideas among the best and brightest is less robust, and our base of support is shrinking.
• Our world today needs more crossdisciplinary, creative problem-solving, not less.
STRENGTH IN UNIQUENESS
• Phi Kappa Phi’s unique position as an honor society that includes all academic disciplines, and scholars with an expansive array of lived experiences, makes it the perfect platform for discussing and solving big problems today and in the future.
• Investment is needed to enhance the value of our Society to members, qualified scholars, and all those they will influence in the future.
• With a network of approximately 100,000 active members—including great minds in science, government, law, the military, education, business, sports, literature, the arts, and more—we’re in a unique position to bring together a remarkable community to solve problems and embrace opportunities.
THE CHALLENGES
• Financial barriers to membership
• Limited awards in amounts that are insufficient to cover the full costs of the learning opportunity (travel, income replacement, etc.)
• Variable recognition, programming, networking, professional development, and service opportunities among campus chapters, providing inconsistent student experiences
VISIONARY GOALS REQUIRE VISIONARY ACTION.
By continuing to support the Society with your membership, you have demonstrated your belief in the power of the Society to inspire a lifelong love of learning that can change the world. However, your membership alone will not lead to the kind of transformational change needed to fully achieve our mission and support today’s scholars in their pursuit of learning.
We invite you to consider the value you have gained from your association with Phi Kappa Phi and invest forward in our vision to unleash creativity and innovation in the next generation of scholars and change-makers. With support from forward-thinking donors like you, this vision can be realized.
“I think my role has been that of a member of a perpetual relay team. Receive the baton, carry it for a meaningful time, pass it on to the successor, and so forth, all the while making positive strides. I like to think I was more about process and progress than legacy.”
WENDELL MCKENZIE NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
“I am grateful for the fellowship as it will contribute greatly in furthering my passion and curiosity for medicine. I am now one step closer to fulfilling my dream of becoming a physician.”
PRERANA KATIYAR CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
THE OPPORTUNITIES
With your gifts and guided by two overarching goals, Phi Kappa Phi is endeavoring to support future generations of scholars, leaders, teachers, and change-makers.
GOAL ONE seeks to encourage and enable all eligible scholars to join the Society. This will be accomplished by increasing the value proposition of membership through enhanced award opportunities, further elevating the stature of Phi Kappa Phi among other honor societies and making membership financially accessible to all qualified scholars.
• Philanthropic gifts, in addition to the yearly membership fee, provide resources to expand award offerings, expand Phi Kappa Phi to new institutions of higher learning, and reduce the financial cost of becoming a member.
GOAL TWO seeks to provide student, faculty, and alumni members with high quality, consistent Society activities at the national and local level, while developing our future leaders through enhanced professional development, career, and networking opportunities.
• Philanthropic gifts provide resources to improve technology, chapter volunteer assistance/ training, programmatic offerings, and the impact of service projects.
success What Will Success Look Like?
AN AWARDS PROGRAM THAT OFFERS MORE FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS IN AMOUNTS THAT ARE MEANINGFUL
Philanthropic contributions in all amounts are critical for increasing the number of students and faculty who can follow their academic pursuits with less financial burden through Phi Kappa Phi Fellowships and graduate research, professional development, sabbatical, undergraduate, and study abroad awards.
Your gifts will enable a greater number of award opportunities in higher amounts and will improve the overall value proposition of membership, while enhancing the outcomes scholars can achieve.
AN INCREASE IN THE PERCENTAGE OF SCHOLARS WHO ACCEPT THEIR INVITATION TO BECOME A MEMBER OF PHI KAPPA PHI
• In 2025, $2 million in philanthropic gifts annually would cover all new members’ join fees, initiation fees, and national and chapter dues.
• A single gift of $2,500 would create an opportunity fund for one national/chapter membership for a new member each year. $1,000 would create an opportunity fund for a renewing member.
Your gifts represent a binding tie from one generation of honored scholars to another, enabling those who meet our high standards to share in the benefits and ideals of Phi Kappa Phi membership, regardless of financial circumstances.
FRESH, CONSISTENT, HIGH QUALITY, NATIONAL PROGRAMMING THAT ENGAGES ALL MEMBERS (STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND ALUMNI) AND CREATES A MORE CONSISTENT PHI KAPPA PHI MEMBERSHIP EXPERIENCE, REGARDLESS OF CHAPTER AFFILIATION OR AGE
With philanthropic support, the following are examples of visionary possibilities for new member experiences:
• National speaker series Standardized leadership training for faculty, chapter officers, and students to facilitate a continuous leadership pipeline
• National professional development and mentoring opportunities using sophisticated technology platforms
• Virtual induction ceremonies Technology training to help facilitate connection between every generation of Phi Kappa Phi members and expand access to a rich exchange of ideas among honored scholars
• Regional events hosted by the national office
Your philanthropic gifts enable Phi Kappa Phi to create an environment where scholars can begin to internalize our shared ideals, which they will carry with them for a lifetime.
Together with donors, Phi Kappa Phi can elevate the member experience, reinforce the foundational values of our Society, spread the ideals of Phi Kappa Phi through action, and ensure a robust future.
“As an undergraduate and graduate student many years ago, who relied heavily on scholarships and grants to complete my degrees through the Ph.D. in genetics at the University of Arizona, I recognize the importance that Phi Kappa Phi plays in helping students achieve their educational goals. I consider it an honor to help students by contributing to the many fellowships and awards that Phi Kappa Phi provides. Both the financial reward and the recognition that Phi Kappa Phi gives to its recipients strongly justifies my continued support.”
MARGARET JEFFERSON , CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LOS ANGELES
For more than 125 years, the Phi Kappa Phi community has demonstrated a passion for learning, creativity, and service – a passion that remains strong today. It’s been sustained by members and donors representing a wide variety of disciplines, talents, and backgrounds from across the globe who drive real-world solutions to the challenges of our time.
BY EMPOWERING THE WORLD’S BEST MINDS TO CHART FRESH DISCOVERIES, PHI KAPPA PHI IS HELPING TO CREATE A BOLD NEW FUTURE.
But if the legacy of those 10 senior students, two faculty members, and the president at the University of Maine in 1897 is to be passed on, we must be vigilant in our belief in the power of learning to change the world. Further, it is our responsibility to act upon that belief.
Phi Kappa Phi’s honored scholars are innovating, discovering, and serving worldwide, fueled by the awards and support we are currently able to provide. They are leveraging their love of learning to change the world. Imagine how much more could be accomplished if we join together to invest forward
Today, we see the excellence in you, an honored scholar and leader, and invite you to invest in the future of our Society, so that Phi Kappa Phi will be known as a change agent for perpetual generations. Thank you.
