School of Social Work

Phi Alpha Honor Society

 

 

A National Honor Society for Social Work Students 

 

Purposes
"Through knowledge - the challenge to serve"
The purposes of Phi Alpha Honor Society are to provide a closer bond among students of social work and promote humanitarian goals and ideals. Phi Alpha fosters high standards of education for social workers and invites into membership those who have attained excellence in scholarship and achievement in social work.

 

History of Phi Alpha Honor Society

The concept of a national social work honor society came from a group of undergraduate social work students at Michigan State University in 1960. Investigation revealed that local chapters existed at three schools. Those three schools along with a few other schools formed a National Honor Society Committee in November 1960. For more than a year this committee worked on the constitution and other administrative matters. The name Phi Alpha and the key were adopted from the local chapter which existed at Florida State University. The constitution and formal organization were completed in 1962, and six chapters qualified to become "charter chapters." They were: Florida State University, Michigan State University, Ohio Northern University, Central State College, University of Dayton and the University of Tennessee. Over 110 chapters are now in existence, and the addition of new chapters is continuing.

Phi Alpha offers membership to social work students and faculty, and each chapter is free to develop a program to meet local needs. The National Council is the policy-making body and meets each year at the time and place of the Annual program meeting of CSWE. Each chapter has one voting representative on the Council.

National Qualifications for Individual Membership

  1. An undergraduate student is eligible for membership after achieving the following national requirements and meeting local chapter requirements.
    1. Declared social work as a major.
    2. Achieved sophomore status.
    3. Completed 8 semester hours or 12 quarters hours of required social work courses.
    4. Achieved an overall grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). 
    5. Achieved a 3.25 grade point average in required social work courses.
    6. Local chapters may establish higher eligibility requirements.
  2. A graduate student is eligible for membership after achieving the following national requirements and meeting local chapter requirements.
    1. Completed one term of course work with the minimum number of social work credits determined by the local chapter.
    2. Achieved a minimum grade point average of 3.5 (based on a 4.0 scale).
    3. Local chapters may establish higher eligibility requirements.
      • BSW Students: Must be graduating seniors with an overall GPA of 3.5.
      • MSW Students: Must have earned 30 credit hours, entered field practicum, be in capstone and have an overall GPA of 3.75.
  3. Membership is available to all full time social work faculty.
  4. Each chapter may select two persons each year for honorary membership. This recognition is available to persons outside the program who have made a significant contribution to the program and/or society. Membership certificates for honorary members are provided by the National Office without cost to local chapters.
Membership Dues
  1. A charter fee of $20 for each new chapter.
  2. A lifetime membership fee of $8 for each individual member.
  3. One-third of the amount paid for individual memberships is returned to the local chapter to be used at the discretion of the chapter.
  4. Membership dues are subject to change, but an increase within the next few years is not anticipated.
Services Provided by the National Office
  1. Annual meeting in conjunction with the CSWE-APM.
  2. A chapter membership certificate.
  3. Phi Alpha banner for each chapter.
  4. Individual membership certificates.
  5. A Phi Alpha ribbon and button for each member.
  6. Brochures.
  7. Information about ordering items with the Phi Alpha logo. Pins, pendants, medallions, plaques, shirts, caps, and other items are available from outside vendors.
  8. Consultation from the National Office.

National Advisor - Robert G. Lewis
East Tennessee State University
Box 70645
Johnson City, TN. 37614-0645
Phone: (423) 439-4372
Fax: (423) 439-4471

GVSU Advisors -
Mary Banghart Therrien
Jamie Langlois

School of Social Work
DeVos Center, 391C
401 W Fulton Street
Grand Rapids, MI. 49504
Phone: (616) 331-6550
Fax: (616) 331-6570