Pi Kappa Phi
| Pi Kappa Phi | |
|---|---|
| ΠΚΦ | |
 |
|
| Founded | December 10, 1904 College of Charleston |
| Type | Social, Secret |
| Scope | United States |
| Mission statement | To create an uncommon and lifelong brotherhood that develops leaders and encourages service to others for the betterment of our communities. |
| Vision statement | A future where every Pi Kappa Phi embraces his role as a leader, puts service before self and improves the world around him. |
| Motto |
OΥΔΕΝ ΔΙΑΣΠΑΣΕΙ ΗΜΑΣ "Nothing shall ever tear us asunder" |
| Colors | White, Gold, Royal Blue |
| Symbol | Bell, Star & Lamp |
| Flower | Red Rose |
| Jewel | Diamond |
| Publication | The Star and Lamp |
| Philanthropy | The Ability Experience |
| Chapters | 231 (187 active) |
| Colonies | 19 |
| Members | 9,892 (as of 2013) collegiate 113,148 (as of 2013) lifetime |
| Headquarters |
2015 Ayrsley Town Blvd Ste #200 P.O. Box 240526 Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Homepage | www |
Pi Kappa Phi (ΠΚΦ; also Pi Kapp or PKP) is an American Greek Letter secret and social fraternity. It was founded by Andrew Alexander Kroeg Jr., Lawrence Harry Mixson, and Simon Fogarty Jr. on December 10, 1904 at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina. The fraternity has 179 active chapters (160 chartered chapters and 19 associate chapters), and more than 113,000 initiated members.
Pi Kappa Phi operates its own philanthropy, The Ability Experience (formerly known as Push America), which works with individual chapters to serve people with disabilities.
Pi Kappa Phi was founded in 1904 by Andrew Alexander Kroeg Jr., a 19-year-old senior at the college; Simon Fogarty Jr., a 17-year-old junior; and Lawrence Harry Mixson, a 16-year-old sophomore. All three of the men were from Charleston.
In 1904, the College of Charleston was a small, municipal college. The all-male college was the first to be supported solely by city funds, and the eleventh oldest in the United States. The school had a campus literary society called the Chrestomathics, which held activities such as debates. The college's monthly magazine was staffed by the officers of the Chrestomathics, forming the equivalent of a modern-day student government.
The three men set a goal to obtain officer positions within the Chrestomathic Literary Society. At that time, the organization was dominated by the three chapters of national fraternities on campus. All fraternity men were sworn to vote for their candidates, making it virtually impossible for any non-fraternity men to win election.
Kroeg, Mixson, Fogarty, and a group of their friends, all non-fraternity men, began forming an opposition party. Several meetings were held at Mixson's home on Wentworth Street leading to the formation of Nu Phi, which stood for "non-fraternity." The group of 15 men developed an opposing slate and began campaigning. Nu Phi adopted the outline of a hand as its secret symbol. A sketched hand on a classroom chalkboard signified an upcoming meeting. Inside the hand was written the meeting time and the host's last name.
The Nu Phi group assigned a member to kidnap those who might vote for the fraternity ticket on election day. However, the Nu Phi ticket lost the elections. Later, it was revealed that several disloyal members cast their votes for the opposing fraternity slate. Kroeg, determined to see his friends have a chance at winning elections, decided that the only way to gain the influence of the fraternity men on campus was to begin his own fraternity.
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