Vouloir, c’est pouvoir! Exploring Pi Delta Phi: The National French Honor Society

Vouloir, c’est pouvoir! Exploring Pi Delta Phi: The National French Honor Society

Melissa W.1 comment

Il est possible d'exceller dans une nouvelle langue! Avez-vous essayé? -- It is possible to excel in a new language! Have you tried?

According to their website, the organization was originally founded as a departmental honor society at the University of California, Berkeley in 1906, Pi Delta Phi is the oldest collegiate academic honor society for a modern foreign language in the United States. It continued as a local chapter, but members declared itself as the National French Honor Society in 1920. 

The purpose of Pi Delta Phi is:

  • To recognize outstanding scholarship to the French language literature
  • To increase the knowledge and appreciation of Americans for the cultural contributions of the French-speaking world
  • To stimulate and to encourage French cultural activities

Their national website states that qualified applicants need not be a French language major, but must have excelled in an upper-level French class with a 3.0 standing along with an overall GPA of 3.0, and rank in the top 35% of his/her class. Graduate students must maintain a 3.5 GPA in order to qualify.

The organization states they saw a slow expansion early-on, but eventually saw a rise in popularity and membership after WWII. There are currently 380 chapters across the US with two in France. You can spot a Pi Delta Phi graduate by their red, white, and blue honor cords.

Below is an example of a product offered at Senior Class Graduation Products, though students are recommended they check with their chapters for specific purchasing information.

red white and blue honor cord from senior class graduation products

Are you a member of Pi Delta Phi? If so, toutes nos félicitations! 

1 comment

Pi Delta Phi
Pi Delta Phi
The honor cords displayed as part of this article–the majority of which was simply cut and pasted from the national website of Pi Delta Phi–are not the honor cords officially approved or recognized by Pi Delta Phi; they are instead a cheap imitation. Official Pi Delta Phi cords are quite different, and include an attached Pi Delta Phi key that bears our trademark. Pi Delta Phi is not affiliated with Senior Class Graduation Products. Only honor cords sold by Pi Delta Phi are official PDP cords. Pi Delta Phi and ΠΔΦ are trademarks registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. www.pideltaphi.org

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