Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa, an honorary scholastic society. Members are chosen from undergraduates who distinguish themselves for scholarship while studying liberal arts or sciences at colleges having high academic standards. The letters are the initials of the Greek words meaning “Philosophy, the Guide of Life.” The society's emblem is a gold key. The society publishes The American Scholar, a quarterly. Headquarters are in Washington, D.C.
Phi Beta Kappa was founded at the College of William and Mary in 1776 and chapters were soon established at other colleges. It was the first Greek-letter society and at first was mainly a social and debating club. Gradually, the society dropped its secret rites and became honorary rather than social. Women were first admitted in 1875. There are some 240 active chapters and about 500,000 members.