Phi Kappa Theta
Phi Kappa Theta (ΦΚΘ), commonly known as Phi Kap, is a national social fraternity that has over 50 active chapters and colonies at universities across the United States. The fraternity was founded on April 29, 1959 at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio with the agreed upon merger of two older Catholic Christian fraternities, Phi Kappa and Theta Kappa Phi. Phi Kappa was founded exactly 70 years prior in 1889 at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, while Theta Kappa Phi was founded later in October 1919 at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
| Phi Kappa Theta | |
|---|---|
| ΦΚΘ | |
 | |
| Founded | April 29, 1889 (Phi Kappa) Brown University October 1, 1919 (Theta Kappa Phi) Lehigh University April 29, 1959 (merger to Phi Kappa Theta) Ohio State University |
| Type | Social |
| Scope | United States |
| Motto | "Give, expecting nothing thereof" |
| Colors | Cardinal Purple Gold White |
| Flag |  |
| Flower | Red Tea Rose |
| Publication | The Temple |
| Philanthropy | Children's Miracle Network Hospital |
| Chapters | 50+ |
| Headquarters | 3901 W86th Street Indianapolis, Indiana United States |
| Website | http://www.phikaps.org/ |
Although Phi Kappa Theta membership is not currently exclusive to any one faith, it and the two fraternities that united to form it were historically Catholic fraternities.[1]
History
Phi Kappa Theta was established by the merger of two fraternities on April 29, 1959: Phi Kappa and Theta Kappa Phi. In 1889, Phi Kappa was founded by a group of Catholic students at Brown University who were refused entrance to other fraternities because of their faith. Later, on October 1, 1919, Theta Kappa Phi (an acronym for "The Catholic Fraternity") was founded by a similar group of students at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. The merger of the two fraternities in 1959 was the first of its kind in the history of the American fraternal system. The merger between the two fraternities occurred at The Ohio State University with the first chartered chapter of Phi Kappa Theta located at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina. Although historically Catholic, Phi Kappa Theta is open for membership to men of any religion, and many of its members are not Catholic. Phi Kappa Theta is currently the only fraternity in the American Fraternal system that is considered a true "merger" of two separate Greek letter organizations.
The ideals
Phi Kappa Theta is a national social fraternity founded on five ideals: Fraternal Engagement (duty to man), Intellectual (duty to self and parents), Social Impact (duty to society), Spiritual (duty towards God), and Leadership.
Phi Kappa Theta today
As of 2014, Phi Kappa Theta lists 46 chapters and 6 colonies in the United States,[2] ranking them in the middle, in terms of size, of all national fraternities.
Notable Phi Kaps
Government:
| Name | Fame | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| John F. Kennedy | 35th President of United States (Honorary) | [3] |
| Eugene McCarthy | U.S. Senator (1959-1971), U.S. Congressman (1949-1959) | |
| Eligio "Kika" de la Garza, II | US Congressman, 15th Congressional District (1965-1997) (Texas) | |
| Richard J. Hughes | Governor of New Jersey (1962-1970); Chief Justice, New Jersey Supreme Court (1973-1979) | |
| John J. Barton | Former Mayor of Indianapolis (1964-1968) | |
| Joseph M. Barr | Former Mayor of Pittsburgh (1959-1970) | |
| Alfonso J. Cervantes | Former Mayor of St. Louis (1965-1973) | |
| Paul Hardy | Former Lt. Gov. of Louisiana (1988-1992), Secretary of State Louisiana (1976-1980) |
Business:
| Name | Fame | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Allen | Co-Founder Microsoft, Owner of Portland Trail Blazers & Seattle Seahawks | |
| Paul Galvin | Founder Motorola | |
| Paul Allaire | Former President, Chairman and CEO, Xerox | |
| Joseph Perella | Co-Founder Perella Weinberg Partners |
Media:
| Name | Fame | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| Ed McMahon | Actor: Announcer Tonight Show, Host Star Search | |
| Gene Kelly | Actor: Singin' in the Rain, Anchors Aweigh | |
| Bob Hope | Actor/Comedian and Famous United Service Organizations Performer (Honorary) | |
| Keegan-Michael Key | Comedian: MADtv, Key & Peele | |
| Brian Baker (actor) | Actor: Sprint PCS Commercials | |
| Craig Shoemaker | Actor/Comedian PA PSI |
Sports:
| Name | Fame | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| Vince Dooley | Former head coach and athletic director at the University of Georgia. Ninth coach in NCAA Division I history to win over 200 games. Coached the University of Georgia to the 1980 National Championship and six SEC titles. Member of the College Football Hall of Fame. | |
| Dan Devine | College Football Hall of Fame. Arizona State University, University of Missouri, University of Notre Dame and Green Bay Packer head coach. Coached Notre Dame to the 1977 National Championship. | |
| Ray Meyer | DePaul men's basketball coach, 1945 NIT Championship, Basketball Hall of Fame | |
| Ed Macauley | AP Player of the Year, All-American at St. Louis University, member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, played for: St. Louis Hawks, Boston Celtics, NBA All-Star | |
| Jim Stillwagon | Lombardi Trophy and Outland Trophy winner @ Ohio State University, CFL All-Star | |
| Bob Aspromonte | (3rd baseman) Brooklyn Dodgers/ LA Dodgers, Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves, & New York Mets | |
| Theo Tran | (Professional poker player) 4 WSOP final tables, 1.8 million in cash finishes, University of Pittsburgh | |
| Paul Giel | (Pitcher) New York/San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Athletics | |
| Ed Don George | Professional wrestler and promoter, member of Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum |
Academia:
| Name | Fame | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| Patrick Ellis | Former President of La Salle University (1977-1992) and The Catholic University of America (1992-1998) | |
| William C. McInnes | Former President of Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (1977-1989), University of San Francisco (1972 to 1977) and Fairfield University (1964 to 1973) |
Religion:
| Name | Fame | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| John Joseph Wright | Cardinal, Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy | |
| David Allen Zubik | Bishop, Bishop of Pittsburgh | |
| John Krol | Cardinal, Archbishop of Philadelphia | |
| Donald Wuerl | Cardinal, Archbishop of Washington |
References
- "XICLONE" (PDF). Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity. Summer 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
The four ideals of Phi Kappa Theta (fraternal, intellectual, spiritual, and social) resonated with me, as well as its roots as a Christian fraternity.
- "Chapters and Colonies - Phi Kappa Theta, Incorporated". phikaps.org. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
- "JFK honorary fraternity brother at Worcester school". Retrieved 2018-08-05.
