Phi Beta Kappa

“The key that opens doors to lifelong opportunity”

Since its founding in 1776, Phi Beta Kappa has celebrated excellence in the liberal arts and sciences and championed freedom of thought. As America’s most prestigious academic honor society, it is uniquely equipped to advocate for the value and benefits of liberal arts and sciences education. Phi Beta Kappa believes the curiosity and creativity cultivated by a liberal arts and sciences education are essential to making the most of life’s experiences. 17 U.S. Presidents, 40 U.S. Supreme Court Justices, and more than 130 Nobel Laureates have been inducted as members, along with countless authors, diplomats, athletes, researchers, actors, and business leaders. Click here to read more about the national organization of Phi Beta Kappa.

On February 23, 1971, the Zeta Chapter of Indiana, also known as the Purdue University Chapter, with 98 charter members and 11 foundation members, was installed with appropriate ceremony. The Purdue Chapter is constitutionally authorized to elect each year highly qualified members of the senior class and the junior class on the basis of scholarly performance, broad cultural interests, variety in courses, and balance within the degree program as a whole. We at Purdue are pleased to be able to recognize many of our finest students this way.

The society:

• Honors the best and brightest liberal arts and sciences undergraduates from 286 top schools across the nation
• Grants lifelong membership through a highly selective, merit-based invitation process that takes into consideration academic success and breadth of study
• Connects members to a diverse network of high achievers who are active in science and health care, business and technology, the arts and humanities, and law and philanthropy
• Advocates for the importance of liberal arts education through our National Arts & Science Initiative
• Provides opportunities to participate in engaging events, programs, and community service projects
• Equips members with information and tools to thoughtfully engage in American society as leaders, volunteers, and citizens

Selection Criteria

• Students must be true juniors or above (third year) based on the number of semester hours (90) on campus, not just the total number of credit hours.
• Juniors must have a 3.9 GPA or above; seniors must have a 3.8 GPA or above.
• Students must have a minimum of 90 hours in liberal arts, science, and humanities.
• Students must have at least 4 semesters of a foreign language.

2023-2024 PBK Initiates

Class of 2024 Seniors

Class of 2025 Juniors

December 2023 Graduates