Phi Beta Kappa at the George Washington University

Note from the President of the DC Area Phi Beta Kappa Association

To the Members of GW Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa:

Congratulations on being elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society. As a current student at GW and a proud member of Phi Beta Kappa myself, I am aware that this is no small feat. By joining the Society you demonstrate great promise to positively shape the world. In your efforts to find opportunities to leverage your talents, I encourage you to seek out your fellow "Phi Betes" for inspiration.

If you happen to be located in a major U.S. city, consider joining a local Phi Beta Kappa Association. Joining an association will allow you to participate in a wide array of educational and social events with your peers of all ages, with many opportunities to network. Wherever you decide to go after graduation though, try to cherish and cultivate your love of learning, because a life propelled by passion and discovery is of considerable importance to your own happiness and the happiness of others.

Good luck!

Paul Lubliner President DC Area Phi Beta Kappa Association

New PBK Video featuring Paul Lubliner

About PBK at GWU

On February 22, 1938 The Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for the Washington area was founded at the George Washington University.

Phi Beta Kappa celebrates and advocates excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. Our campus chapter invites for induction the most outstanding arts and sciences students at the George Washington University. The Society sponsors activities to advance these studies -- the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences -- in higher education and in society at large.

Membership in Phi Beta Kappa shows commitment to the liberal arts and sciences, and to freedom of inquiry and expression -- and it provides a competitive edge in the marketplace. Potential employers regularly contact the national office of Phi Beta Kappa to confirm the membership of job seekers who have listed Phi Beta Kappa among their credentials. About one college senior in 100, nationwide, is invited to join Phi Beta Kappa. Seventeen U.S. Presidents, thirty-eight U.S. Supreme Court Justices, and one hundred and thirty-six Nobel laureates can be counted among the ranks of Phi Beta Kappa members.

In the process of electing and initiating new members, the George Washington University chapter holds a ceremony each year in the spring. The occasion is conducted according to long-standing tradition and often features speakers and special award presentations. The number of new members inducted each year depends on the class size and pool. Usually students in their senior year of undergraduate work are elected, and students in their junior year are sometimes eligible as well. Phi Beta Kappa members are members for life.

Phi Beta Kappa sets high standards for the selection of students elected to membership. To learn more about the criteria for membership, please click here.