Pi Gamma Mu
On the 1st of December 1924, Leroy Allen stood before a group at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas. He was dean of the College of Liberal Arts and held a clear vision for a new organization. William Angus Hamilton joined him from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Hamilton served as dean of both the Law School and the School of Business Administration there. These two men drafted a constitution by November 1924 to establish Pi Gamma Mu. They issued charters to seventeen chapters within that same year. The society integrated fields like anthropology, economics, history, international relations, political science, and sociology. Allen acted as a creative visionary while Hamilton was described as an authority on fraternal organizations. Their partnership created a structure that would outlast them both.
Columbia University in New York City became the first large university to establish a chapter in 1925. The University of Hawaii organized its chapter outside the continental United States shortly after. In 1932, the board authorized foreign chapters with a charter at the University of Toronto in Canada. That same year saw another chapter installed at the University of the Philippines. Gamma Mu chartered a chapter at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico in 1955. By 2012, the society counted 148 active chapters across the globe. It held 4,221 active members and had initiated 246,901 total members over decades. The organization changed its name to Pi Gamma Mu, International Honor Society in Social Sciences in 1980 to acknowledge these global chapters. Wilson Leon Godshall led the initiative to expand beyond American borders during his presidency from 1951 until his death in 1956.
The gold key worn by members features a wreath suggesting social science is the fulfillment of natural science. A running figure on the key resembles an ancient Greek torch race symbolizing humanity bringing knowledge forward. Engraved into the metal are the Greek letters ΠΓΜ and the number 1924 marking the founding year. Royal blue and white serve as the official colors representing truth and light. These colors appear on candles used during initiation ceremonies and honor cords worn at graduation. The flower associated with the society is the cineraria. A blue flag depicts a man and woman jointly holding a torch within a symbolic gold key. Members recite the motto Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free during initiation. The declaration includes seven ideals or pillars including Scholarship, Science, Social Service, and Sacrifice.
Students must rank in the upper 35 percent of their class to receive an invitation to join. They require at least twenty semester hours in social science courses to qualify for election. A grade point average of 3.0 remains a minimum requirement for all candidates. Faculty and administrators may also join collegiate chapters under specific conditions. The constitution defines social sciences to include history, political science, sociology, anthropology, economics, psychology, international relations, criminal justice, social work, social philosophy, history of education, and human geography. Membership extends to interdisciplinary fields such as business administration, education, cultural studies, public administration, and organizational behavior. Election occurs only through a college-based or university-based chapter. Individuals may petition to join when they reach junior, senior, or graduate student status.
The society started a scholarship program for its members in 1951 to assist with graduate study costs. Five scholarships offer stipends of $2,000 or $1,000 annually to selected members. Six additional scholarships provide $1,000 each to help cover expenses for first or second year graduate students. Pi Gamma Mu publishes the International Social Science Review which is a juried and indexed journal. The newsletter known as the Pi Gamma Mu Newsletter began publication in 1978. Chapters receive funds through the Guest Lectureship Program to cover honoraria for guest speakers. These financial initiatives support both current students and those pursuing advanced degrees in social sciences. The organization maintains these programs to foster academic excellence among its diverse membership base.
Triennial conventions allow each chapter to send a delegation to vote on society matters. Delegates elect two student representatives to the board of trustees during these meetings. The convention holds supreme authority while the board exercises administrative power between gatherings. The executive director serves as an ex officio member overseeing day-to-day operations. The international headquarters have always remained located in Winfield, Kansas since inception. The building currently occupied is the Carnegie Building listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings. Colorado served as the state where papers were filed in April 1929 because it allowed offices to be maintained there regardless of residence. This legal flexibility enabled the board to operate from any state while maintaining corporate status.
Former U.S. president Lyndon B. Johnson held membership within the society. Lester B. Pearson won the Nobel Prize in 1956 after serving as Canadian prime minister. Margaret Mead led as a prominent anthropologist and member of the group. Edward A. Ross became a major figure in early criminology through his involvement. Jane Addams received the 1931 Nobel Prize for her work as a pioneer community worker. Charles P. Kindleberger designed the Marshall Plan as an MIT economist. William Thaddeus Coleman Jr. wrote the legal brief winning Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. Richard Evelyn Byrd carried the society flag during a historic Antarctic expedition in 1928. Simon Kuznets earned the 1971 Economics Nobel Prize while holding membership. Roy Franklin Nichols won the 1949 Pulitzer Prize as a historian associated with Pi Gamma Mu.
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Common questions
When and where was Pi Gamma Mu founded?
Pi Gamma Mu was founded on the 1st of December 1924 at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas. Leroy Allen and William Angus Hamilton drafted a constitution by November 1924 to establish the organization.
Who are notable members of Pi Gamma Mu who won Nobel Prizes?
Lester B. Pearson won the Nobel Prize in 1956 after serving as Canadian prime minister. Simon Kuznets earned the 1971 Economics Nobel Prize while holding membership. Jane Addams received the 1931 Nobel Prize for her work as a pioneer community worker.
What are the eligibility requirements to join Pi Gamma Mu?
Students must rank in the upper 35 percent of their class to receive an invitation to join. They require at least twenty semester hours in social science courses to qualify for election. A grade point average of 3.0 remains a minimum requirement for all candidates.
Where is the international headquarters of Pi Gamma Mu located?
The international headquarters have always remained located in Winfield, Kansas since inception. The building currently occupied is the Carnegie Building listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings.
When did Pi Gamma Mu begin offering scholarships to its members?
The society started a scholarship program for its members in 1951 to assist with graduate study costs. Five scholarships offer stipends of $2,000 or $1,000 annually to selected members.