Ole Miss Welcomes Fall 2020-21 Phi Kappa Phi Initiates

Nearly 400 University of Mississippi students have recently been welcomed into one of the oldest and most prestigious honor societies in the world.

The Phi Kapa Phi honor society’s mission is “to recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.”

This year, the UM chapter, like many others around the country, had to take the celebration online. 

“We chose to celebrate our 380 initiates via social media this year because we wanted the chance to spread the word of their accomplishment as widely as possible. These are amazing students who represent the best of what college students can be, and the world just needs a little more to celebrate right now,” Dr. Debora Wenger, UM Phi Kappa Phi board member said.

At the University of Mississippi, notable inductees include former chancellor Robert Khayat, the late Senator Thad Cochran and bestselling author John Grisham. Presidents, senators, Supreme Court Justices, governors, Pulitzer Prize winners, even astronauts count themselves as members of Phi Kappa Phi. 

Phi Kappa Phi has a long and impressive history. In 1897 at the University of Maine, 10 senior students, two faculty members, and the school president created an honor society that was different from the few others then in existence- one that recognized and honored excellence in all academic disciplines. Under the leadership of undergraduate student Marcus L. Urann, the group formed the Lambda Sigma Eta Society, which was later renamed Phi Kappa Phi from the initial letters of the Greek words forming its adopted motto: Philosophìa Krateìto Photôn, “Let the love of learning rule humanity.”

Please join the university in welcoming these 2019-2020 students to the Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society:

Staff report