About

Founded in 1776 at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest and most respected honorary society in the United States with chapters at 293 of the foremost institutions of higher education across the country. The organization recognizes and encourages a commitment to excellence in the liberal arts.

One cannot apply for membership to Phi Beta Kappa. Rather, almost all members are elected from candidates for degrees in the liberal arts and sciences who are in the top 5 to 10 percent of the graduating class at institutions that have a Phi Beta Kappa chapter.

The Alpha of Nebraska Chapter was chartered at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln in 1895 and elected its first members in 1896. The membership and activities of the organization have reflected their respective times. The local chapter has held meetings, sponsored occasional programs, talks, and lectures, and elected a full slate of new members.

The Alpha chapter is an unusual combination of an academic chapter and a community association. The chapter has always operated with that dual capacity, and members are proud to have a combination chapter in which officers and support for our activities come from both groups. New members are elected by the academic chapter members.