Pi Beta Phi
The Illinois Beta-Delta chapter of Pi Beta Phi (ΠΒΦ) is one of the four national sororities on Knox College's campus in addition to Delta Delta Delta, Kappa Kappa Gamma and Alpha Sigma Alpha (ATP).
International Fraternity Awards The Illinois Beta-Delta Chapter was chosen out of Pi Phi’s 134 active collegiate chapters across the nation and Canada for the Excellence In Servant Leadership and Spirit Award in 2008.
Campus Greek Awards 2012
- Outstanding Chapter President
- Outstanding IFC/Panhel Delegate
- Outstanding Philanthropy
- Highest Sorority GPA
- Second Place in Greek Week Talent Show
- Second Place in Greek Week Overall
Campus Greek Awards 2011
- Outstanding New Member Programming
- Alumni Relations Award
- Third Place in Greek Week Overall
- First Place in Greek Week Talent Show
Campus Greek Awards 2010
- Greek Woman of the Year: Maddy Eaton
Campus Greek Awards 2009
- Outstanding New Member Orientation
- Second place in Greek Week talent show
Campus Greek Week 2007
- Campus Involvement Award
- Alumni Relations Award
- New Member Education Award
- Most Service Hours Per Member: Honorable Mention
- Best Service Project: Cure-a-palooza
- Advisor of the Year: Jean Tulin
- Greek Woman of the Year: Casey Norton
Contents
The History of Pi Beta Phi[edit]
Pi Beta Phi was founded on April 28, 1867, becoming the first women's fraternity based on the men's Greek system. Initially named I.C. Sorosis, the organization initially consisted of 12 founders:
Emma Brownlee Kilgore, Clara Brownlee Hutchinson, Fannie Thomson, Libbie Brook Gaddis, Nancy Black Wallace, Jennie Nicol MD, Inez Smith Soule, Fannie Whitenack Libbey, Margaret Campbell, Rosa Moore, Ada Bruen Grier, and Jennie Horne Turnbull
The organization was founded at the Holt House on the campus of Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois. Today the Holt House is used for small weddings, receptions, meetings and social gatherings. Nearby Pi Phi chapters and alumnae clubs use it for meetings, initiations and ceremonies. The Knox College chapter of Pi Beta Phi has the privilege of using the house for initiation and other events.
Pi Phi Firsts[edit]
- First women's college secret organization based off of the men's Greek-letter system
- First Fraternity for Women (1867)
- First national (multi-chapter) Women's fraternity
- First to have a national philanthropy, Settlement School (now the Arrowmont School for the Arts and Crafts)
- First to have a Canadian philanthropy, Northern Libraries Project (now Arrow in the Arctic)
- First to establish an alumnae department
- First to form Alumnae Advisory Committees to support collegiate chapters
- One of seven founders of the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC)
Knox Chapter[edit]
- Knox College's Illinois Beta-Delta Chapter is the only dually chartered Pi Beta Phi Chapter in the world. The Great Depression during the 1930s caused Lombard to close down and subsequently the two chapters combined in 1930. The Illinois Beta chapter was founded at Lombard College in Galesburg 1872 only five years after the creation of Pi Phi on the campus of Monmouth College in 1867. The Illinois Delta chapter was founded at Knox College in 1884. In 1930 Lombard College was forced to close due to pressures brought on by the Great Depression and the two chapters subsequently combined to create the current Illinois Beta-Delta chapter.
- Being that Galesburg is in such close vicinity to Monmouth, Illinois where Pi Beta Phi was founded, Beta-Delta members have the opportunity to be initiated in Holt House where their founders themselves first dreamed up Pi Beta Phi.
- The Pi Beta Phi fraternity flower is the wine carnation, which was adopted at the 1890 national convention here on Knox College’s campus at the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity Hall.
Philanthropy[edit]
National Philanthropies[edit]
- Settlement School and Arrowmont:
The Settlement School in Gatlinburg, TN was formed in 1912 to provide education, economic opportunity, and health care to rural areas. The school later began to adapt to the growing community by offering arts and crafts classes in an effort to preserve and promote the region's crafts tradition. The school came to take on the name of Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts which exists today as a world-renowned facility providing college and graduate level courses. Arrowmont continues to be a major philanthropic effort of Pi Phi. Arrowmont
- Arrow in the Arctic
- Champions are Readers (CAR)
- Fraternity Day of Service
Beta Delta Philanthropies[edit]
Pi Phi Beta Delta's make philanthropy one of their chapter's principal causes. Pi Beta Phi’s national philanthropy is literacy, and works to support literacy in a number of ways: through unique partnerships with organizations, through financial backings, through club and chapter programming and so much more. We encourage you to visit the following websites to learn more about First Book and spreading literacy:
First Book
The Literacy Site
The chapter both focuses on literacy and a variety of other causes and philanthropies, including the following:
Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts
Breast Cancer Research
Cystic Fibrosis Research
Discovery Depot
First Book
Fun Fair
Holt House
Lymphoma Research Foundation
Multiple Sclerosis Research
Pi Beta Phi Foundation
Safe Harbor
Scarecrow Festival
Special Olympics of Illinois
Support for school children in Ecuador
Fundraising to build wells in Malawi
Prom Dress Drive for high school girls in Galesburg
AIDS Charities
Girl Scouts of Knox County
Initiative for Girls group for at-risk girls in Galesburg
Pi Phi's strong relationship with the Galesburg community is continually evidenced by their participation in local organizations and philanthropies. Members participate on their own in the Reading Buddies program, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Galesburg Rescue Mission, Humane Society, and the Carl Sandburg Literacy Coalition, contributing 1-40 hours monthly to these causes. Involvement in an organization like Pi Phi provides many of us with the guidance, support, and skills necessary to be successful in their many other endeavors!
Leadership[edit]
Officers[edit]
2013
President: Teagan Eastman
VP Member Development: Hannah Schierl
VP Fraternity Development: Kelsey Cullum
VP Membership: Stephanie Schudel
VP Philanthropy: Camille Brown
VP Administration: Gretchen Walljasper
VP Communications: Abby Kravis
VP Event Planning: Anushree Kedia
VP Finance: Olivia Louko
New Member Coordinator: Kaity Hutchcroft
Panhellenic Secretary: Kira Meehan
Leadership Nominating Committee Chair: Areanna Egleston
Standards Chair: Amanda Lee
House Manager: Carli Bogulub
2012
President: Caitlin Harrison
VP Member Development: Randi Sterenberg
VP Fraternity Development: Teagan Eastman
VP Membership: Rachel Zak
VP Philanthropy: Amanda Lee (Winter 2012); Gretchen Walljasper (Spring 2012); Camille Brown (Fall 2012)
VP Administration: Emyle Weimer
VP Communications: Kelsey Cullum
VP Event Planning: Kirsten Bystrom
VP Finance: Anna Goldbeck
New Member Coordinator: Rayann Parkinson (Winter 2012); Stephanie Schudel (Spring and Fall 2012)
Panhellenic Secretary: Carina Tran
Leadership Nominating Committee Chair: Jenna Temkin
Standards Chair: Lisa Blagg (Winter and Spring 2012)
House Manager: Elizabeth Drake
2011
President: Katy Sutcliffe
VP Member Development: Caitlin Harrison
VP Fraternity Development: Amy Miller (Winter and Fall 2011); Areanna Egleston (Spring 2011)
VP Membership: Rachel Hautzinger
VP Philanthropy: Robin Mahung
VP Administration: Rita Mertens
VP Communications: Lizzy Warner
VP Event Planning: Laura Mogilevsky (Winter and Spring 2011); Aparna Kumar (Fall 2011)
VP Finance: Sharon Zhu
New Member Coordinator: Rachel Zak (Winter and Spring 2011); Teagan Eastman (Fall 2011)
Panhellenic Vice-President: Aparna Kumar (Wiinter and Spring 2011)
Panhellenic Exec Member: Amanda Lee (Fall 2011)
Leadership Nominating Committee Chair: Rachel Perez (Winter and Spring 2011)
Standards Chair: Becca Chelton (Winter and Spring 2011); Lisa Blagg (Fall 2011)
House Manager: Kelsey Cullum
Notable Pi Phis[edit]
-Notable Pi Phis Include:
Fay Dunaway (Florida Beta): Academy Award-winning Actress
Jennifer Garner (Ohio Eta): Golden Globe-winning Actress/Producer
Barbra Bush (Alumna Initiate 2003): Former first lady (wife to George H. W. Bush)
Grace Coolidge (Vermont Beta): Wife of Calvin Coolidge
Carrie Chapman Catt (Iowa Gamma): Founded the League of Women Voters.
Anna Fisher (California Epsilon): Astronaut and NASA Physician.
Dr. Gladys Henry Dick (Nebraska Beta): Co-discoverer of the Dick Test for scarlet fever and the antitoxin used in the treatment of scarlet fever.
Dr. Sue Ann Huseman (Missouri Alpha): Monmouth college’s 11th president and first woman to hold the position.
Laurel J. Andrew (Illinois Beta-Delta '86): Secretary of the Knox College Board of Trustees; Director and Treasurer, The Andrew Family Foundation, Orland Park, Illinois. Andrew and her parents, Edward and Edith Andrew of Orland Park, Illinois, and their family members, provided the lead gift for Knox's E. & L. Andrew Fitness Center. Andrew completed an M.B.A. at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Symbols[edit]
Pi Beta Phi's colors are wine and silver blue.
The symbol for Pi Beta Phi is the arrow, worn as a badge over member's hearts. The arrow reminds members to aim high, and aspire to achieve great things.
The official flower of Pi Beta Phi is the wine carnation.
Pi Phi Verbage[edit]
- PiBetaPhilia: A love for Pi Phi ladies, rampant on Knox Campus.
- Picrastination: When Pi Phis get together and procrastinate homework and other productivity with other Pi Phis by baking, crafting, or watching girly tv.
