Phi Beta Delta
A BRIEF HISTORY
1. The idea for Phi Beta Delta was first conceived of in 1985 on the campus of California State University, Long Beach, by Dr. Edward S. Blankenship, then Director of International Programs and Exchanges in the Center for International Education, and by Dr. Karl W.E. Anatol, then Dean of the School of Humanities.
2. The purpose was to formally recognize the achievement of international students, U.S. students returning from study overseas, international scholars, staff involved in international education, and faculty engaged in scholarly international endeavors.
3. The activities and intents of existing national honor societies were examined and none was found which appropriately addressed these populations or specifically focused on the international experience. Therefore, it was decided to develop an honor society which would focus on international education and exchange, and which would serve as a catalyst for international programming.
4. As a result, Phi Beta Delta, the Honor Society for International Scholars, was officially founded on the campus of California State University, Long Beach, on the 27th of February, 1986, and it was designated as the Alpha Chapter. Thirty-eight other institutions nationwide were invited to join as Charter Chapters. These chapters met together for the first National Conference on the 22nd of May, 1987 in Long Beach, California, and officially established Phi Beta Delta as a – then – national honor society.
5. The Greek letters in Phi Beta Delta stand for the following:
Φ- Phi (philomatheia) - love of knowledge;
Β-Beta (biotremmonia) - valuing of human life; and
Δ- Delta (diapheren) - achieving excellence.
The colors chosen for the honor society were red and gold. Red symbolizes the strength and diversity of humankind and gold is a symbol for the sun from which all people and cultures draw strength and life.
The Crest of the Society was designed with a globe, a torch, the sun, a book, and a shield.
The globe represents the international perspective of the Society's members. The torch symbolizes the leadership and influence of the Society. The sun stands for the energy from which all cultures draw strength. The book symbolizes the coining and sharing of knowledge. The shield represents the preservation of academic freedom.
The Society's motto -- "Scientia Mutua Mundi "(World's Shared Knowledge) -- is inscribed at the base of the crest.
6. The following are some significant dates and events in the Society’s history:
1988: The establishment of the Society’s National Office in Long Beach, CA., with Karl Anatol as the first Executive Director; and the holding of the second annual Conference in Washington, D.C.
1989: The Society was incorporated as a non-profit association under the laws of the State of California; and the Third Annual Conference was held at the Kellogg West Center on the campus of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
1990: The Fourth Annual Conference was held in Forth Worth, Texas; and the first edition of the Society’s peer reviewed journal the Phi Beta Delta International Review was published
1991: the Fifth Annual Conference was held in Columbus, Ohio; the Executive Office of the Society was moved to the Ohio State University with Dr. John Greisberger succeeding Karl Anatol as Executive Director
1992: the Sixth Annual Conference was held in Boston, Massachusetts; by this time the Society has almost 3,500 active members and 64 chapters
1993: the Seventh Annual Conference was held in Long Beach, California and CSULB’s Dr. James Sauceda was the keynote speaker
1994: the Eighth Annual Conference was held in Atlanta, Georgia; there were now 79 chapters with over 3,600 active members
1995: The Ninth Annual Conference was held in San Antonio, Texas; the keynote speaker was Dr. Enrique Cardenas, President of the Universidad de las Americas, soon to become the first non-U.S. chapter and the Society’s 90th chapter.
1996: The Tenth Annual Conference was held in Long Beach, California, with the Executive Director of NAFSA: the International Educators as the keynote speaker.
1996: Dr. Richard Reiff succeeded John Greisberger as Director and the Executive Office was moved to the University of Georgia. The Society then had 99 chapters and over 5,000 active members.
1997: The eleventh annual conference was held again in Washington, DC, and the Keynote Speaker on this occasion was Mrs. Harriett Fulbright, widow of the late Senator Fulbright, after whom the international scholarships are named.
1998: The twelfth annual conference was held in Cholula, Mexico, near the city of Puebla; this was the Society’s first annual conference to be held outside of the United States; there are now over 100 chapters in the Society.
1999: The thirteenth annual conference took place in San Diego California. The Society now has 108 chapters in the United States and Mexico, and efforts are underway to bring in educational institutions from other countries as well.
2000: The fourteenth annual conference was held in Kansas City, Missouri, with 115 chapters represented.
2001: The site of the fifteenth annual conference was Montreal, Canada, the second time that the conference was held outside of the United States. A reception was held at the Hotel de Ville, and Phi Beta Delta was warmly welcomed to the city by the Mayor of Montreal.
2002: The sixteenth conference , took place in Lafayette, Louisiana, and emphasized both the local and regional cultures within that part of Louisiana, as well as the countries and parts of the world which helped create this unique blend of cultures and languages within the United States.
2003: Conference was held once again on the beautiful campus of the Universidad de las Americas in Cholula, Mexico. It was also held in conjunction with a mainly Latin American session of the Model United Nations organization.
2004: Our 18th annual conference was this year at the new headquarters of the Association, in Washington, D.C.
2005: The 19th annual conference was held in mid Februrary, also in Washington, D.C. The theme, in keeping with the motto of the Society, was Scientia Mutua Mundi – the Shared Knowledge of the World.
2006: The 20th annual conference took place in San Diego, CA, held in conjunction with the meeting of the International Studies Association. The Alpha Chapter received the "Outstanding Regional Chapter and Best West Region Award."
Alpha Chapter in 2006
Currently, there are approximately 100 active PBD members at CSULB. This year, Alpha Chapter's Induction Banquet of new members will take place during International Education Week (November 13-17, 2006). Last year's event occurred on November 15, and it featured guest speaker, Dr. Oleh W. Gerus, Professor of East European History at the University of Manitoba, Canada. Dr. Gerus gave an exciting presentation on “Ukraine Today.”
Throughout the year, Alpha Chapter members will be invited to participate in an exciting array of events, including: monthly Brown Bag presentations that focus on a recent international experience; Chinese New Year Celebration; international films; talks by visiting international dignitaries, and, the largest event of the year, a week-long celebration of "international," during International Education Week (IEW) from November 13-17. During IEW, the annual Alpha Chapter Induction Banquet (with wine and cheese reception and formal sit-down dinner) will take place, and it will feature a special guest presentation. As members of Alpha Chapter, you will be receiving invitations to all of these events.
While Alpha Chapter is currently inactive, we look forward to its reactivation in the near future. For more information, please contact: Linda Olson-Levy, Assistant Chapter Coordinator, Center for International Education, BH-201, (562) 985-8440 or email: llevy@csulb.edu.
The website for Phi Beta Delta National Headquarters is: http://phibetadelta.org/.
Alpha Chapter Board Members:
Roman Kochan, President (Dean of University Library)
Elaine Haglund, Vice-President (Professor of Educational Psychology, Administration & Counseling)
Paul M. Lewis, Chapter Coordinator (Assistant Vice President, International Programs, Academic
Affairs)
Linda Olson-Levy, Asst. Chapter Coordinator (Coordinator, Int'l Programs, Events, & Scholarships-
Center for International Education)
Teresa Hagen-Crowder, Secretary (Editor/Writer—University Publications)
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Phi Beta Delta International Conference--March 21-25, 2006 in San Diego
The 2006 Phi Beta Delta Interntional Conference was held in San Diego, California on March 21-25, 2006 at the San Diego Convention Center. Phi Beta Delta's convention was held in conjunction with the meeting of the International Studies Association, which has over 3,000 members worldwide belonging to over 50 international studies associations in 32 countries. ISA is a non-governmental consultant with the United Nations. ISA hosted several hundred panels. Registered attendees werel able to attend any panel they wished.
At the Conference, the following new national officers were elected:
President-Elect: Dr. Harrell Rodgers, University of Houston.
Vice-President-Elect: Dr. Monica Freeman, CSU Sacramento.
Change in elegibilty requirements: The minimum gpa for undergraduates has been raised from 3.0 to 3.2 the minimum gpa of 3.5 for graduate students remains the same.
The 2007 national Phi Beta Delta Conference will also be folded within the ISA National Conference, and it will take place in Chicago, Illinios during the month of February. There will be opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to make presentations, and also to apply for travel grants to help with conference expenses. More information will be forthcoming.
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