Kappa Psi

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Kappa Psi
ΚΨ
FoundedMay 30, 1879; 144 years ago (May 30, 1879)
Russell Military Academy in New Haven, Connecticut
TypeProfessional
AffiliationPFA
EmphasisPharmacy
ScopeNational (formerly International)
Colors  Scarlet and   Cadet gray
FlowerRed Carnation
PublicationThe Mask
Chapters110 collegiate, 75 graduate
Headquarters2060 N Collins Boulevard Suite 128
Richardson, TX 75080
USA
WebsiteKappa Psi homepage

Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Incorporated (ΚΨ) is the largest professional pharmaceutical fraternity in the world with more than 6,000 student members and more than 87,000 alumni members.[1] It was founded in 1879 at Russell Military Academy in New Haven, Connecticut as the Society of Kappa Psi.

History[edit]

The Society of Kappa Psi was founded on May 30, 1879, at the Russell Military Academy in New Haven, Connecticut as an academic society for college preparatory schools. The society's founder was Franklin Harvey Smith. An additional chapter was formed at the Cheshire Military Academy in Cheshire, Connecticut in 1879. While these two early units failed, another chapter formed at Hillhouse Academy of New Haven, Connecticut in 1894.[2] Hillhouse too, died as a chapter on 30 June 1895.[3]

However, the founders of these chapters, many having graduated and entered college, sought a collegiate level re-establishment of the order. Representatives, now alumni without an active chapter from these three early prep school chapters formed a grand chapter called Alpha chapter on December 10, 1895, deeming it an essential step for rebuilding the fraternity and for expansion nationally. These men, reforming the organization as Kappa Psi Fraternity chartered its first collegiate chapter, Delta, at the University of Maryland in the fall of 1898 when former members of the Hillhouse chapter entered that school in the study of medicine. Others, who had opted for the study of pharmacy, formed a Gamma chapter at the College of Pharmacy at Columbia University in that same year. A third group of advancing students formed the Beta chapter at the University College of Medicine in Richmond, Virginia, in 1900.[2]

By 1902 the young organization had formed six chapters and already held four conventions. In 1903 the Society incorporated as a national fraternity, operating jointly as both a medical and pharmaceutical fraternity.[2] On November 17, 1917, the fraternity merged with Delta Omicron Alpha fraternity.[4] It merged with Phi Delta on January 26, 1918.[4]

By mutual agreement, in 1924, the fraternity split into Kappa Psi, which retained its pharmacy component, and Theta Kappa Psi, which became strictly a medical fraternity.[5] Theta Kappa Psi later struggled; it would go on to merge with Phi Beta Pi in 1961, but this union was again dissolved in 1992. A single chapter carries on the Theta Kappa Psi name today.

Kappa Psi Fraternity would later incorporate under the name of Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity.[2] In 1977, Kappa Psi first welcomed women into the fraternity.[3]

Today there are 110 active collegiate chapters and 75 graduate chapters across the United States, Canada, and the Bahamas, and over 80,000 people have been initiated into the fraternity since its inception.[2] The Central Office of Kappa Psi is located in Richardson, Texas.[3]

Provinces[edit]

Nationally, Kappa Psi is divided into provinces, which the majority meet biannually. Historically, the provinces had geographic names that have changed over the years. The provinces were reorganized and renamed numbers in June 2011.[6] Following are the current provinces:

Province Established Original name Chapters in References
Province I March 6, 1914 North Atlantic Province Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont [6][a]
Province II June 3, 1917 Middle Atlantic Province Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia [6][b]
Province III June 3, 1917 Middle Atlantic Province Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. [6][c]
Province IV March 5, 1917 South Atlantic Province Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and the Bahamas [6][d]
Province V January 19, 1918 Delta Omicron Alpha Province Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Western New York, Ohio, and Wisconsin [6][e]
Province VII March 5, 1917 South Atlantic Province Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas [6][f]
Province VIII February 1, 1938 Provinces X and XI Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota [6][g]
Province IX November 27, 1920 Pacific Province Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah [6][h]
Province X February 6, 1929 Northwest Province Alaska, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming [6][i]
  1. ^ Includes most of the former Northeast Province.
  2. ^ Includes most of the former Northeast Province.
  3. ^ Includes part of the former Mountain East Province and the Southeast Province.
  4. ^ Includes part of the former Southeast Province.
  5. ^ Incorporates the former Great Lakes Province and the Middle America Province.
  6. ^ Incorporates part of what was previously the Gulf Coast Province and Southwest Province.
  7. ^ Includes the former Northern Plains Province.
  8. ^ Incorporates part of what used to be the Southwest Province and the Pacific West Province.
  9. ^ Includes part of the former Northwest Province.

Chapters[edit]

As of October 8, 2022, Kappa Psi consists of 111 collegiate and 75 graduate chapters organized into 11 regional provinces.

Grand Council Convention[edit]

Kappa Psi holds its international convention biennially. The 61st Grand Council Convention will be held at the Cleveland Renaissance Hotel July 24-28, 2024.

Below is a list of the Grand Council Conventions (along with the year, location, and number of attendees) dating back to the first Grand Council Convention in 1900 in New York City.

Grand Council Convention Year Location Attendance
61st 2024 Cleveland, Ohio
60th 2022 Phoenix, Arizona 498
59th 2019 Washington, District of Columbia 596
58th 2017 Naples, Florida 637
57th 2015 Denver, Colorado 620
56th 2013 St. Pete's Beach, Florida 667
55th 2011 San Francisco, California 560
54th 2009 Clearwater Beach, Florida 460
53rd 2007 Boston, Massachusetts 441
52nd 2005 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 353
51st 2003 San Diego, California 401
50th 2001 Fort Lauderdale, Florida 342
49th 1999 Kalispell, Montana 300
48th 1997 Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 440
47th 1995 North Falmouth, Massachusetts 336
46th 1993 Marco Island, Florida 301
45th 1991 Jackson Hole, Wyoming 197
44th 1989 Williamsburg, Virginia 175
43rd 1987 Orlando, Florida 213
42nd 1985 South Padre Island, Texas 195
41st 1983 Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 191
40th 1981 Detroit, Michigan 125
39th 1979 Scottsdale, Arizona 188
38th 1976 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 240
37th 1974 Kansas City, Missouri 135
36th 1972 New Orleans, Louisiana 105
35th 1969 Buffalo, New York 214
34th 1967 Kansas City, Missouri 204
33rd 1965 San Francisco, California 189
32nd 1963 Atlanta, Georgia 176
31st 1961 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 250
30th 1959 Cincinnati, Ohio 158
29th 1957 Saint Louis, Missouri 181
28th 1955 Chicago, Illinois 195
27th 1953 Washington, D.C. 311
26th 1951 Detroit, Michigan 232
25th 1949 Richmond, Virginia 135
24th 1947 Chicago, Illinois 88
21st 1941 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 83
17th 1928 Portland, Maine 90
16th 1924 Portland, Oregon/Saint Louis, Missouri/New York, New York 108
15th 1920 Portland, Oregon/Louisville, Kentucky/New York, New York 203
14th 1916 Atlanta, Georgia 104
13th 1913 Chicago, Illinois 119
12th 1910 Birmingham, Alabama 109
11th 1908 Charleston, South Carolina 16
10th 1907 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 16
9th 1906 Baltimore, Maryland 13
8th 1905 New York, New York 10
7th 1904 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
6th 1903 Washington, D.C.
5th 1902 Richmond, Virginia
4th 1902 Baltimore, Maryland
3rd 1901 Baltimore, Maryland
2nd 1900 Baltimore, Maryland
1st 1900 New York, New York
  1. The 22nd and 23rd Grand Council Conventions were postponed due to WWII.
  2. The 1932 (18th), 1936 (19th), and 1940 (20th) Grand Council Conventions were cancelled.
  3. The 15th and 16th Grand Council Conventions were held in three separate regional locations with the same business discussed at each.
  4. The 60th Grand Council Convention was delayed 1 year due (from 2021 to 2022) due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "High honors for two Drake pharmacy fraternities". Drake University. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. V-24–25. ISBN 978-0-9637159-0-6.
  3. ^ a b c According to the history of Kappa Psi Society, from its website, accessed 27 Aug 2020.
  4. ^ a b Baird, William Raimond; Taylor, James Taylor, eds. (1923). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities; a Descriptive Analysis of the Fraternity System in the Colleges of the United States, with a Detailed Account of Each Fraternity (10th ed.). New York: James T. Brown, editor and publisher. pp. 515 – via Hathi Trust.
  5. ^ Garner, Dewey (1993). The History of Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Our History". Kappa Psi. Retrieved 2023-04-06.