Phi Beta Kappa Society

Haverford College Chapter (Zeta of Pennsylvania)

Founded in 1776, Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest undergraduate academic honors society in the United States. Haverford College's chapter, a private organization founded in 1898, is one of about 300 chapters located at some of the most widely-respected institutions of higher learning in the country. The Phi Beta Kappa Society works nationally to promote the liberal arts and sciences and the love of learning.

Each April a selection committee composed of Haverford faculty, staff, and alumni members of the Phi Beta Kappa Society elects a number of graduating seniors to the Society; the number of students chosen is typically about 10 percent of the graduating class. The committee also elects a small number of juniors, ordinarily no more than 5. The selection committee examines the transcripts of about 60 seniors and 15 juniors, seeking to identify those with high academic achievement, and depth and breadth of academic interest. It is the hope that this qualitative analysis of student records will ensure that election represents not just the attainment of strong grades but, more importantly, originality, creativity, and a sense of excitement about the life of the mind.

Recently elected students are included in each year's Commencement program.

The chapter periodically awards a prize recognizing a faculty member for exemplary teaching and mentoring in service of Phi Beta Kappa's ideals of academic excellence and the love of learning, based on nominations from students elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Awardees of this prize have been:

• 2017: Lou Charkoudian
• 2019: Joshua Sabloff
• 2022: Kristin Lindgren
• 2024: Asali Solomon