Phi Gamma Nu

Phi Gamma Nu
Phi Gamma Nu
ΦΓΝ
Founded	February 17, 1924; 100 years ago; Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
Type	Professional (Business)
Colors	Cardinal Red and Gold
Flower	Red Rose
Headquarters	11A Sheraton Drive; Ithaca, NY; USA
Website	http://www.phigammanu.com

Phi Gamma Nu (ΦΓΝ) is a co-ed professional business fraternity with the intent to prepare its members for professional endeavors in a business workplace. The organization cultivates professional behavior in it members through a variety of activities and committees. The organization promotes professional excellence through activities such as resume critiques, mock interviews, and etiquette dinners.^[1] Phi Gamma Nu requires members to spend time on philanthropic endeavors. Along with these activities, the organization also stresses the importance of physical interaction and camaraderie of its members. It is this last organizational feature that helps differentiate Phi Gamma Nu from the other national business fraternities. Currently, Phi Gamma Nu has 10 active collegiate chapters nationwide.

History

Phi Gamma Nu was originally founded on February 17, 1924 at the Chicago campus of Northwestern University. The original founder members were Sylvia Pekar Arnold, Elizabeth Conroy Fleming, Marge McInerney Hawes, Mary Chard Nalbach, Helen Vogel Purcell, and Celeste Weyl.^[2]

Phi Gamma Nu was founded as a sorority for women pursuing studies in business. The sorority spent the next 50 years operating much the same way, but the dynamics of the organization changed to a co-ed format in 1974 due to the Title IX act. While Phi Gamma Nu began accepting male members in 1974, it was not until 1981 that the National Chapter Congress changed the name of Phi Gamma Nu Sorority to Phi Gamma Nu Fraternity to comply with Title IX.^[3]

Some famous members from this fraternity include Dr. Lillian C. Budd, Dr. Virgil Loughbred, Robert E.J. Snyder, Joe Higgens, Nancy Barker, Honorable Barbara J. Hackett, Linda Batway, and Kate Rand Loyd (Phi Gamma Nu 2006, 14).

Three Pillars

Three pillars form the organizational goals of Phi Gamma Nu. Each organization event is directed towards a pillar. Overall, four aims and purposes reflect the intent of the Phi Gamma Nu pillars.

1. Professional

“To foster the study of business in colleges and universities.” ^[4]

“To promote professional competency and achievement in the field of business.” ^[4]

Professionalism is a standard of behavioral guidelines for a business atmosphere. This standard includes concrete actions and speech etiquette, but it also encompasses a mindset guiding ones mannerisms. Phi Gamma Nu builds active professionalism through the following activities resume critiques, etiquette dinners, business presentations, cover letter workshops, company information sessions, mock interviews, and recruiter question and answer sessions ^[5]

2. Social

“To uphold the interests of our Alma Mater throughout the encouragement of high scholarship, participation in school activities, and the association of students for their mutual advancement.”^[4]

To ensure the stability and well-being of the chapter, social events are an important aspect of Phi Gamma Nu. A variety of different activities help build strong brotherhood. Some activities include movie nights, game nights, study hours, scavenger hunts, apple picking, and bags tournaments.^[6]

3. Philanthropy

“To further a high standard of business ethics and culture in civic and professional enterprise.”^[4]

Beyond social and professional pursuits, Phi Gamma Nu encourages its members to actively participate in philanthropy. Active community service helps build a sense of communal ethics and culture. Activities to build this pillar include participating in Adopt-a-Highway, animal shelters, soup kitchens, women's shelters, and food pantries.^[6]

Membership

Selection

The recruitment period for Phi Gamma Nu occurs once each semester. During membership selection, rushes participate in a series of interviews with Phi Gamma Nu actives and are evaluated on their professionalism, leadership skills, potential and commitment to the organization. Phi Gamma Nu actives must vote on whether a rush satisfies these requirements before a rush initiates. To be eligible to join Phi Gamma Nu, a candidate must meet the following requirements:

   * Regularly enrolled in an accredited university, college, or its equivalent
   * Completed at least six credit hours
   * A minimum GPA of 2.0 out of a possible 4.0
   * You must not be a member of any other business fraternity in direct competition with this fraternity

Participation

Once initiated into Phi Gamma Nu, an active must still maintain several responsibilities. Varying from chapter to chapter, a point system requirement enforces an active participation and attendance at Phi Gamma Nu events. Furthermore, the active must attend at least one event from every pillar of Phi Gamma Nu. Financial obligations must also be met. If any of these criteria are not fulfilled, the active must appear before the executive board and face expulsion from the fraternity. On the founding date each year, Founder’s Day is observed. Celebration and attendance of Founder’s Day ritual is required for all chapters. At ritual, the National President reads the annual message to the chapters, and all present members renew the oath of Phi Gamma Nu (Phi Gamma Nu 2006, 17).

Expansion

All students interested in starting a new chapter must contact the Phi Gamma Nu National Council to start the process.

Stage 1

Initial phone call with National Council
Identify 20 potential members for the founding class
Schedule regular calls with your expansion mentor
Start recognition process with your college / university

Stage 2

Founders class rush and interview process
PGN Workshop: learn how to run a chapter
Executive Board Interviews
Secure recognition from your school
PGN induction ceremony

Stage 3

Next semester begins, rolling admissions for new class begins
Develop a calendar of events
Select a faculty advisor

^[7]

Chapters

Phi Gamma Nu has chartered more than 100 chapters in its history. Currently, 10 are active but there is a strong initiative to expand to new universities with the new Back to 100 Campaign, which sets a goal of growing to 100 chapters in the next 10 years. The most recent chapter was opened at Washington University in St. Louis on April 13, 2013. The following chapters are currently active:

Beta Delta - Dillard University - 1972 (active)
Beta Iota - Troy University - 1974 (active)
Beta Kappa - Ball State University - 1974 (active)
Beta Pi - University of Illinois - 1974 (active)
Gamma Xi - Indiana University of Pennsylvania - 1979 (active)
Delta Theta - Pennsylvania State University - 1987 (active) - [1]
Delta Lambda - University of Pennsylvania - 2003 (active) - University of Pennsylvania Phi Gamma Nu Webpage
Delta Omicron - Cornell University - 2008 (active)
Delta Tau - University of California - Berkeley - 2011 (active)
Delta Upsilon- Washington University in St. Louis-2013 (active)

Notable Chapter and Member Accomplishments

Delta Theta Chapter

The Pennsylvania State University's Dance Marathon (THON) is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world.^[8] As of 2006, the Delta Theta chapter of Phi Gamma Nu has been the top independent (non-paired) fundraising organization of the event for 16 years. In 2006 alone, PGN Delta Theta raised more than $61,000 to benefit children with pediatric cancer and pediatric cancer research.^[9] In 2011, PGN raised $58,797.80 winning 3rd place among all General Organizations, outearning the next closest professional business fraternity by over $10,000. In 2012, PGN raised $73,988.42 winning 1st among all business fraternities, and 2nd place among all General Organizations.^[10]

Beta Pi Chapter

On November 18, 2008, the Beta Pi chapter of Phi Gamma Nu ran the first annual "Mr. Business" competition at the University of Illinois. This event was a College of Business-wide program, which featured two male members of Business Council and the four business fraternities on campus: Alpha Kappa Psi, Delta Sigma Pi, Phi Gamma Nu and Phi Chi Theta. Proceeds of the event were donated to Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Champaign County, an organization that mentors children in the community ages 6 through 18.

Notes

References

[1] ttp://www.phigammanu.com

[2] Phi Gamma Nu | Delta Lambda Chapter - University of Pennsylvania

[3] Phi Gamma Nu Historical Timeline

[autogenerated1-4] Phi Gamma Nu-Mission

[5] ttp://www.business.uiuc.edu/pgn/

[autogenerated2-6] Redirect

[7] ttp://phigammanu.com/start-a-chapter/

[8] Penn State Dance Marathon - Helping to Conquer Childhood Cancer

[9] Student Business Groups Top Fund-Raisers At THON — Penn State Smeal College of Business

[10] ttp://live.psu.edu/story/57894

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v t e Professional fraternities and sororities organizations and members
Currently active members of the Professional Fraternity Association	Alpha Zeta Alpha Kappa Psi Alpha Rho Chi Alpha Phi Omega Alpha Chi Sigma Alpha Omega Epsilon Delta Chi Xi Delta Epsilon Mu Delta Theta Phi Delta Kappa Alpha Delta Omicron Delta Sigma Pi Delta Sigma Chi Epsilon Nu Tau Theta Tau Kappa Epsilon Kappa Epsilon Psi Kappa Eta Kappa Kappa Kappa Psi Kappa Lambda Chi Kappa Psi Lambda Kappa Sigma Mu Beta Phi Mu Phi Epsilon Pi Sigma Epsilon Rho Pi Phi Sigma Alpha Sigma Alpha Iota Tau Beta Sigma Phi Alpha Delta Phi Beta Phi Gamma Nu Phi Delta Epsilon Phi Delta Chi Phi Sigma Pi Phi Chi Theta
Former and formerly active members of the Professional Fraternity Association or its predecessors: Professional Panhellenic Association or Professional Interfraternity Conference	Alpha Delta Theta Alpha Delta Sigma Alpha Kappa Kappa Alpha Sigma Alpha Alpha Tau Delta Alpha Omega Beta Alpha Psi Gamma Eta Gamma Gamma Iota Sigma Delta Epsilon Iota Delta Sigma Delta Delta Psi Kappa Epsilon Eta Phi Zeta Phi Eta Theta Kappa Psi Theta Sigma Upsilon Theta Sigma Phi Iota Sigma Pi Kappa Alpha Pi Kappa Beta Pi Kappa Delta Epsilon Kappa Phi Kappa Nu Sigma Nu Xi Psi Phi Omicron Delta Kappa Omicron Nu Pi Lambda Theta Sigma Delta Chi Sigma Nu Phi Sigma Sigma Sigma Sigma Phi Delta (now social) Phi Beta Gamma Phi Beta Pi Phi Delta Delta Phi Delta Gamma Phi Delta Kappa Phi Delta Pi Phi Delta Phi (now honor society) Phi Epsilon Kappa Phi Lambda Kappa Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (now social) Phi Rho Sigma Phi Upsilon Omicron Phi Chi Chi Beta Phi Psi Omega Omega Tau Sigma Omega Upsilon Phi Pershing Rifles Scabbard and Blade Scarab
North American Interfraternity Conference	Alpha Gamma Rho Alpha Gamma Sigma
Active independent professional fraternities	Alpha Gamma Kappa Alpha Zeta Omega Alpha Eta Rho Alpha Iota Alpha Psi Gamma Epsilon Tau Delta Sigma Theta Delta Theta Sigma Delta Kappa Gamma Delta Kappa Phi Delta Phi Epsilon Kappa Gamma Psi Kappa Pi Nu Beta Epsilon Phi Delta Kappa (sorority) Phi Sigma Gamma Phi Psi Chi Delta Mu Chi Eta Phi Block and Bridle Queens' Guard
Inactive independent professional fraternities	Aleph Yodh He Alpha Epsilon Iota Alpha Tau Sigma Chi Zeta Chi Delta Omicron Alpha Pi Delta Nu