Phi Psi () is an American professional fraternity in the field of textiles and manufacturing engineering. It was established at the Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science in 1903.
History Phi Psi was established as a professional textile fraternity on at the Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its five founders were Robert M. Baeny, Paul Benninghofen, Henry W. Eddy, Harold H. Hart, and Charles A. Kalenbach.
Established at the turn of the 20th century, Phi Psi had three aims: to promote fellowship among men of textile colleges and universities with textile departments; to assist, by every honorable means, the advancement of its members.
The fraternity expanded to several Massachusetts textile schools, then the center of textile manufacturing in the United States. Beta chapter was formed at Southeastern Massachusetts Dartmouth, followed by Gamma chapter at Lowell Tech in 1904. Chapter naming traditions may have diverged: the Gamma chapter at Lowell Tech may have inserted the Gamma from its name into its national name, calling itself the Phi Gamma Psi fraternity.Divergent naming convention, as noted in the Spring 2007 issue of the UMass Lowell Magazine, p.31, accessed 20 August 2022.
The fraternity's first alumni chapter was established in in Boston, Massachusetts. When the nation's textile industry center shifted to the southern states, chapters were established in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Alabama. A total of ten collegiate chapters were formed, along with twelve alumni chapters.
Members from Alpha chapter began a search for a national social fraternity to join. In what appears to be a friendly schism, a majority or all of its members formed a separate organization from Phi Psi on when they were accepted as the Pennsylvania Omicron chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon. Yet the Alpha chapter of Phi Psi continued independently on the campus, remaining active today.Noted in Sigma Phi Epsilon's PA Omicron chapter history summary, accessed 20 August 2022.
In 1991, the fraternity had 6,000 members. The fraternity is now coed. It held its 111th convention in Atlanta, Georgia in 2018.
Symbols Phi Psi's motto is . Its badge is described as a diamond-shaped emblem with a gold border andfour perpendicular gold bars on a black face. The Greek letters and are in the center, rendered in gold.
Its colors are black and gold. The fraternity's flower is the Yellow Tea Rose. Its quarterly publication is The Phi Psi Quarterly.
Chapters Following is a list of Phi Psi chapters. Active chapters noted in bold. Inactive chapters and institutions are noted in italics.
ChapterCharter date and rangeInstitutionLocationStatusAlpha – November 14, 1964; xxxx ?Thomas Jefferson UniversityPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania ActiveBeta1904University of Massachusetts DartmouthDartmouth, MassachusettsInactiveGamma1904University of Massachusetts LowellLowell, MassachusettsConsolidated ?Delta1909–19xx ?Bradford Durfee College of TechnologyFall River, MassachusettsConsolidated ?EtaNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, North CarolinaActive1934 Agromeck p345Theta – after 2019Georgia TechAtlanta, GeorgiaInactiveIota – after 2022Clemson UniversityClemson, South CarolinaInactiveNoted on the Clemson University Iota chapter chapter portal, accessed 20 August 2022.Kappa – c. 2005Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, TexasInactiveLambda1936Auburn UniversityAuburn, AlabamaActiveMu1961–19xx ?Institute of Textile TechnologyCharlottesville, VirginiaInactive
Alumni chapters Boston, MA New York, NY Philadelphia, PA Providence, RI Chicago, IL Fall River, MA Greenville, SC Charlotte, NC Albany, NY New Bedford, MA Lanett, AL Atlanta, GA
See also Delta Kappa Phi, professional, textiles Professional fraternities and sororities Sigma Tau Sigma, honor society, textile engineering
References