Fall is a busy time as many of Phi Kappa Phi’s campus chapters hold initiation ceremonies for new members. Those events are a way to affirm and renew Phi Kappa Phi’s basic principles. We’re a vital community of scholars, one that’s sustained by finding the best and brightest learners, celebrating their talent and initiative, and welcoming them into our ranks.

We want to reward ambition and curiosity, and Phi Kappa Phi’s national office is committed to removing barriers to membership for bright, deserving scholars who would make ideal new members. With that in mind, the Society recently launched a pilot project, the Student Opportunity Fund, to help candidates who might not otherwise be able to afford the entry costs for Phi Kappa Phi membership.

I’m happy to report that we reached our initial target of 588 awards to help deserving scholars join Phi Kappa Phi through the Student Opportunity Fund. Those new members come from diverse backgrounds and many walks of life. They are almost exactly split between graduate and undergraduate students. Award recipients were pulled from 176 campuses across the United States. While most of those helped by this pilot project were in their 20s, nearly 100 of them were past 40. Those numbers reflect the changing face of higher education as older returning learners play a bigger role in campus life.

We learned a lot from this pilot project, which we hope to continue annually in the years ahead. We also hope to grow the Student Opportunity Fund so that other deserving scholars can benefit from Phi Kappa Phi membership and, in turn, contribute to our future growth.

Supporting scholars has always been at the center of Phi Kappa Phi’s mission. Each year, we award more than $1 million in awards and grants to help scholars advance groundbreaking research that touches all disciplines. In challenging times, we’re an abiding force for progress in science, the arts, business, and public policy.

That good work wouldn’t be possible without the support of our members, and each of us has a chance to play a role. One big way to help is maintaining your active Phi Kappa Phi membership, which is easy to do at phikappaphi.org. At the same website, you can also find giving options for supporting our mission, including direct support for the Student Opportunity Fund.

I’m grateful to each of you for your membership in Phi Kappa Phi, and I look forward to our shared work in growing the Society for future generations. Please feel free to reach me with any questions, suggestions, or concerns at bnewcomer@phikappaphi.org.