Membership
Phi Kappa Phi membership is by invitation only. Juniors, graduating seniors and graduate students are eligible for nomination. The names of student nominees are provided by the College and the individual schools. Invitations are sent out in October of each year. If you feel you are qualified, please contact your dean's office personnel to be sure you will receive an invitation to join. Faculty and alumni are often invited to join the organization, as well as honorary and distinguished memberships.
Student membership
Membership in Phi Kappa Phi is by invitation only, and is offered to juniors, seniors and graduate students. Prospective members will receive invitations in October or November. In order to be nominated as a junior, students must have a minimum GPA of 3.5, be in the top 7.5 percent of their class, have completed a minimum of 72 credits with at least 24 of those credits taken at Virginia Commonwealth University and be of worthy character. In order to be nominated as a senior, students must have a minimum GPA of 3.5, be in the top 10 percent of their class, have completed a minimum of 90 credits with at least 24 of those credits taken at Virginia Commonwealth University and be of worthy character.
Membership in Phi Kappa Phi also is offered to graduate students who are first-time graduate degree candidates and have completed at least 18 graduate credits at VCU. In order to be invited, students also must have a minimum GPA of 3.5, be in the upper 10 percent of their degree program and be of worthy character.
Faculty membership
Each year VCU is able to elect members of the university faculty who are noted for character and intellect, who are considered outstanding in the approximate age/rank cohort of the faculty, whose careers demonstrate academic achievement and love of learning and whose election would symbolize the ideals and generally advance the purposes of Phi Kappa Phi.
Persons may be considered for election and, if necessary, judged comparatively by the extent to which they meet some appropriate combination (but not necessarily all) of the following criteria:
1. significant contributions to advancement of knowledge and understanding through research, publication, professional innovation or artistic creativity.
2. sustained excellence in teaching.
3. achievements transcending customary levels of service in academic or professional societies of national scope, recognition by other major honor societies, special honors and awards.
4. significant leadership in the VCU academic community.
Alumni membership
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Each year VCU is able to elect alumni whose achievements since graduation have been outstanding and whose scholastic records, while in the university, were high. Alumni must have graduated at least five years prior to nomination for membership. And as the period since graduation becomes longer, a greater emphasis is to be placed on achievements since graduation than on scholastic records.
Honorary and distinguished membership
One honorary membership may be given each year to an individual who has achieved outstanding eminence in his or her field. A member who has contributed in an outstanding manner to Phi Kappa Phi, to society in general, or to both, may be nominated to the status of Distinguished Member.