Alpha Chi National College Honor Society
Encyclopedia
Alpha Chi National College Honor Society (or ΑΧ) is an American
collegiate
honor society
recognizing achievements in general scholarship. It was founded on February 22, 1922 at Southwestern University
in Georgetown, Texas
. Its current headquarters is located at Harding University
in Searcy, Arkansas
.
Membership in Alpha Chi is extended to students who are in the top 10% of their classes. Previously, only college juniors and seniors were permitted to join. However, at the 2007 National Convention, they created a membership category for graduate students. Currently, about 11,000 students are inducted as members of Alpha Chi each year through its 300 chapters. The honor society is especially popular in Texas and its surrounding states, though chapters can be found in almost every state as well as Puerto Rico
.
Alpha Chi's name is derived from the initial letters of the Greek words ALETHEIA, meaning TRUTH, and XAPAKTHP, meaning CHARACTER. In 1935 Alpha Chi adopted its official shield and key, colors, and song. The shield and key bear a lamp of learning and the initials AX in raised letters.
Alpha Chi's colors are emerald green
and sapphire blue
, signifying victory and truth. The honor society's official song is Hail to Alpha Chi. The motto, taken from the Biblical
verse John 8:32
, is "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." Because Alpha Chi is not a secret organization, there are no hidden symbols, and programs are open to the public.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
collegiate
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
honor society
Honor society
In the United States, an honor society is a rank organization that recognizes excellence among peers. Numerous societies recognize various fields and circumstances. The Order of the Arrow, for example, is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America...
recognizing achievements in general scholarship. It was founded on February 22, 1922 at Southwestern University
Southwestern University
Southwestern University is a private, four-year, undergraduate, liberal arts college located in Georgetown, Texas, USA. Founded in 1840, Southwestern is the oldest university in Texas. The school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church although the curriculum is nonsectarian...
in Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown is a city and also the county seat of Williamson County, Texas, United States with a population of 47,400 at the 2010 census. Southwestern University, founded in 1840, is the oldest university in Texas and is located in Georgetown, about 1/2 mile east of the historic square...
. Its current headquarters is located at Harding University
Harding University
Harding University is located in Searcy, Arkansas, in the United States, about north-east of Little Rock. It is a private liberal arts Christian university associated with the Churches of Christ. The university takes its name from James A...
in Searcy, Arkansas
Searcy, Arkansas
Searcy is the largest city and county seat of White County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 20,663. It is the principal city of the Searcy, AR Micropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of White County...
.
Membership in Alpha Chi is extended to students who are in the top 10% of their classes. Previously, only college juniors and seniors were permitted to join. However, at the 2007 National Convention, they created a membership category for graduate students. Currently, about 11,000 students are inducted as members of Alpha Chi each year through its 300 chapters. The honor society is especially popular in Texas and its surrounding states, though chapters can be found in almost every state as well as Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
.
Alpha Chi's name is derived from the initial letters of the Greek words ALETHEIA, meaning TRUTH, and XAPAKTHP, meaning CHARACTER. In 1935 Alpha Chi adopted its official shield and key, colors, and song. The shield and key bear a lamp of learning and the initials AX in raised letters.
Alpha Chi's colors are emerald green
Green
Green is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
and sapphire blue
Blue
Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. It is considered one of the additive primary colours. On the HSV Colour Wheel, the complement of blue is yellow; that is, a colour corresponding to an equal...
, signifying victory and truth. The honor society's official song is Hail to Alpha Chi. The motto, taken from the Biblical
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
verse John 8:32
Gospel of John
The Gospel According to John , commonly referred to as the Gospel of John or simply John, and often referred to in New Testament scholarship as the Fourth Gospel, is an account of the public ministry of Jesus...
, is "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." Because Alpha Chi is not a secret organization, there are no hidden symbols, and programs are open to the public.
External links
- Alpha Chi - official website