AUSTIN, Texas—The 100-year anniversary of the creation of the Alpha of Texas Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa—the oldest and most prestigious honor society in the United States—will be celebrated at The University of Texas at Austin on Feb. 5.
Chapter members, invited guests and Phi Beta Kappa members from other chapters will celebrate with a brunch reception at 11 a.m. in the Life Science Library reading room on the second floor of the Main Building. Dr. Elizabeth M. Richmond-Garza, chapter president and member of the university’s liberal arts faculty, will preside over a brief program that will include remarks from Dr. Larry R. Faulkner, president of the university, and Dr. Richard W. Lariviere, dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
Feb. 2, 1905 was the day when founding faculty members of the Phi Beta Kappa chapter at The University of Texas at Austin elected the first group of students into the organization. It was the first Phi Beta Kappa chapter in the state.
Since its founding in 1776 at the College of William and Mary, Phi Beta Kappa has recognized not only students with distinctive intellectual capacities, but also students who have undertaken especially ambitious courses of study in the liberal arts and sciences.
For more information contact: Paul Pedersen, Phi Beta Kappa, 512-232-3993, or Robert D. Meckel, Office of Public Affairs, 512-475-7847.
