ZETA PHI CHAPTER

at

of the

PHI ALPHA THETA

National Honor Society

for History

WHAT ARE WE?

     The Zeta Phi Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta recognizes NGCSU students who have distinguished themselves as scholars of history.  Once a year--at the Honor Societies' Initiation Banquet on Honors Day in April--our chapter initiates students who have qualified for membership.  The chapter is an affiliate of NGCSU's Council of Honor Societies.

WHAT ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP?

     An undergraduate or graduate student is eligible if he or she has 12 semester credits in history with at least a 3.1 GPA in those courses along with a 3.0 cumulative GPA in all courses.

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF PHI ALPHA THETA?

     The National Honor Society in History, Phi Alpha Theta, was established at the University of Arkansas on March 17, 1921, by Nels Andrew N. Cleven.

     Nels Andrew Nelson Cleven was born on December 21, 1874, in Lake Mills, Iowa.  He began his teaching career in public schools in 1894 before receiving two bachelor's degrees (PhB and EdB) from the University of Chicago in 1906.  Nels Andrew Nelson Cleven earned his PhD from the university of Munich in 1913, and taught at San Diego High School and Junior College until 1918.  From 1918 to 1919 he worked as a research assistant for the War Trade Board's Bureau of Research and Statistics in Washington, D. C.

     In September 1919, Dr. Cleven moved to Fayetteville after accepting an assistant professorship from Dr. David Yancey Thomas, head of the Department of History and Political Science at the University of Arkansas.  Dr. Cleven and his wife Hilma soon found Fayetteville and this unique region of the Ozarks to their liking.  They frequently chaperoned the social activities of campus fraternities and sororities, organizations for which Dr. Cleven previously had little regard.  These gatherings would inspire what he termed "the Phi Alpha Theta idea."

     The possibility of "diffusing information through socialized avenues," he wrote later, "was due to the kindly cooperation of my students in Arkansas."  He came to regard fraternities as "an essential spirit of the age . . . searchers all for Truth in History."  Such societies were crucial because "the human side of scholarship needs to be nurtured and thought made articulate."  Despite the national proliferation of social and professional fraternities during this period, he discovered there were no societies in history, a deficiency he was determined to remedy.  In his mind he envisioned a secret fraternity, open to women as well as men, which would embrace the "entire History of Mankind."  By chance, a painting depicting ancient Assyria and featuring a six-pointed Star of Divinity hung on the wall of his classroom.  The star became the central symbol for the history fraternity.

     On March 14, 1921, Dr. Cleven presided over a meeting in his classroom with a group of history students.  Those present voted to create the University Historical Society.  Officers were elected and Constitutional, Program and Membership committees were appointed.  Even though Dr. Cleven regarded this meeting as the anniversary date for the founding of Phi Alpha Theta, it was not until a month later that the name Phi Alpha Theta was formally adopted.

HOW IS PHI ALPHA THETA GOVERNED?

     Phi Alpha Theta is governed by a National Council on which the five executive officers and the seven elected councillors serve.  The officers are the president, vice president, executive director (who also serves as secretary-treasurer), historian, and immediate past president (who chairs the Advisory Board).

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE ZETA PHI CHAPTER?

     Phi Alpha Theta was brought to North Georgia College when the Zeta Phi Chapter was established on December 5, 1958.  The charter members were T. Tonn Bryan, Sarah Drew, James C. Kidd, Charles H. Nicholas, Leonard C. Parks, John H. Peterson, William P. Roberts, Sue Scott, Frank M. Smith, Donald R. White, and Will D. Young.

ACTIVITIES OF THE ZETA PHI CHAPTER

WHO ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE ZETA PHI CHAPTER?

Top row (L to R):  Brian Aycock, Francisco Barreto, Amy Grundhoefer, Ben Everett, Matt Hardy, Jeremy Farr, Robert Dodd, Joseph Miller, Lori White, Zach Poole, and Justin Beaulieu.  Bottom row (L to R):  Dr. Georgia Mann and Hamp Chauncey.

Officers of the Zeta Phi Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta (2006-2007):

Members of the Zeta Phi Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta:

     Note:  ® = Retiree / Emeritus / Emerita

Faculty -- Full-time

     Dr. Marc J. Gilbert

     Dr. T. Christopher Jespersen

     Dr. Catherine M. Jones®

     Dr. Georgia A. Mann

     Dr. K. Michael Reese

Staff

Alumni

      Justin L. Beaulieu (History, ____)

     Amy M. Grundhoefer (History, ____)

     Karen E. Knapp (M.Ed., 1997)

     Robert W. Rennie (History, ____)

Students

     Carole G. Barker

Others

     Dr. Jeffrey W. Sommers

     Dr. Carl R. Weinberg

LINKS

     Phi Alpha Theta national Web site

     NGCSU Council of Honor Societies home page

     Personal disclaimer:  This page is not a publication of North Georgia College & State University and NGCSU has not edited or examined the content of the page.  The author of the page is solely responsible for the content.


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This site created in August 2000 and updated in March 2008 by Webmaster Barry D. Friedman .