Phi Theta Kappa

Kappa Phi Omicron honor society was established in 1910 at Stephens College, a two-year college for women in Columbia, Missouri. After similar honor societies formed in Missouri, the college presidents and students of eight Missouri women's colleges met at Stephens College in the spring of 1918 to create a single honor society—Phi Theta Kappa. The society's second national president, Rod Risley, first joined Phi Theta Kappa as a student, becoming national president in 1974, and subsequently joined as an employee in 1977. His career culminated in over three decades as executive director and CEO, during which he was recognized in the American Association of Community Colleges Hall of Fame in 2008. Today, the society's headquarters are in Jackson, Mississippi. It has initiated more than 4.3 million members. == Symbols ==

The Greek letters Phi Theta Kappa stand the for Greek words (wisdom), (aspiration), and (purity). Phi Theta Kappa's first membership pin was a blue triangle containing the Greek letters "", either plain or surrounded by pearls. Its original pledge pin was a plain sterling silver triangle bearing the Greek letters "". and it was modeled after many aspects of the senior college honor society. The society adopted blue and gold, the golden key insignia, and modeled the name directly after Phi Beta Kappa. While similar in name, color scheme, and symbols, no formal relationship between the two societies has ever existed == Activities ==

Phi Theta Kappa offers transfer scholarships for its members and scholarships to help members complete associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees and to help workforce-bound member pay for certification costs. The society publishes the literary journal Nota Bene, Civic Scholar: Phi Theta Kappa Journal of Undergraduate Research, and Change Makers: Phi Theta Kappa Journal of Student Leadership. PTK also offers an online program to help students develop job skills. == Membership ==

Membership in Phi Theta Kappa is by invitation only. Students must complete twelve hours of coursework toward an associate degree, six hours toward a one-year certificate, or twelve hours toward a bachelor's degree and have a minimum 3.5 grade point average (GPA) according to the society bylaws. Members are required to pay an initial membership fee. == Chapters ==

Phi Theta Kappa has nearly 1,300 chapters in eleven nations. == Notable members ==

Following are some of the notable members of Phi Theta Kappa. == Controversies and member misconduct ==

In 2015, national PTK president Rod Risley took a paid leave of absence following claims of sexual harassment, intimidation, and unprofessional behavior from two former student international officers. These allegations prompted the Phi Theta Kappa board of directors to initiate an investigation. Risley announced his retirement, leading to the termination of the inquiry and his receipt of a multi-million dollar retirement package. In February 2024, Robin Lowe, a former advisor for the PTK chapter at Itawamba Community College, was charged with embezzlement of public funds meant to benefit the PTK chapter. Lowe was the chapter advisor for Phi Theta Kappa for fifteen years, from 2008 to May 2023. In April 2024, Phi Theta Kappa entered into two lawsuits over false advertising, attempted monopoly, and trade dress. Honor Society sued PTK, claiming it misrepresents its membership criteria and potentially deceives students into joining under false pretenses, by falsely asserting that it is limited to the top ten percent of students. In 2025, PTK sought an injunction against Toni Marek, a former employee who wrote a book critical of the organization. The district court of Victoria County granted a temporary restraining order preventing publication of the book on March 26, 2025. == References ==