North Carolina State University, Student and Other Organizations, Phi Beta Kappa, Zeta of North Carolina Chapter Records 1976-2024

The Zeta of North Carolina Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa was founded at North Carolina State University on April 17, 1995 reflecting a tremendous achievement for the University. The organization encourages acquisition of knowledge and the cultivation of understanding, support for intellectual honesty and tolerance, and the development of intellectual interests. The Zeta of North Carolina Chapter remained active as of 2010.

Phi Beta Kappa was founded in 1776 at the College of William and Mary in Virginia. As the first Greek-letter organization, it established a number of important traditions for such societies. The original society granted charters at Yale and Harvard before its demise four years later when the college was closed due to the approach of the British army. The Yale and Harvard chapters preserved the hallmarks of the society and more chapters were gradually added at other colleges and universities. In 1883, the National Council of the United Chapters of Phi Beta Kappa was created and in 1988, the official name of the organization was changed to The Society of Phi Beta Kappa.

The Zeta of North Carolina Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa records include chapter applications, application committee business, and correspondence relating to attempts to establish a chapter of the society at North Carolina State University, as well as materials related to the creation of the chapter and induction of the original undergraduate members in 1995 and subsequent years. The collection also includes materials from two Triennial Council meetings and some photographs of the organization's officers and ceremonies.

The records of the Phi Beta Kappa, Zeta of North Carolina Chapter (North Carolina State University) are arranged in the order received. Born-digital materials are integrated into series based on content. The original order of the files has been retained.

The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.

[Identification of item], North Carolina State University, Student and Other Organizations, Phi Beta Kappa, Zeta of North Carolina Chapter Records, UA 021.483, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Transferred from Phi Beta Kappa, Zeta of North Carolina Chapter

Processed by Kellie Strickland, 2008 August; Encoded by Kellie Strickland, 2008 August; Finding aid updated by Cate Putirskis, 2009 April, July; 2010 June; 2011 January; and Todd Kosmerick, 2013 April.