PROFILPELAJAR.COM

Kappa Psi
Kappa Psi
ΚΨ
Founded	May 30, 1879; 145 years ago; Russell Military Academy
Type	Professional
Affiliation	PFA
Former affiliation	PIC
Status	Active
Emphasis	Pharmacy
Scope	National (formerly International)
Member badge
Colors	Scarlet and Cadet gray
Flower	Red carnation
Publication	The Mask
Chapters	105 collegiate, 73 graduate
Headquarters	2060 N. Collins Boulevard, Suite 128; Richardson, Texas 75080; United States
Website	kappapsi.org

Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Incorporated (ΚΨ) is the largest professional pharmaceutical fraternity in the world with more than 6,000 student members and more than 87,000 alumni members.^[1] It was founded in 1879 at Russell Military Academy in New Haven, Connecticut as the Society of Kappa Psi.

History

The Society of Kappa Psi was founded on May 30, 1879, at the Russell Military Academy in New Haven, Connecticut as an academic society for college preparatory schools. The society's founder was Franklin Harvey Smith. An additional chapter was formed at the Cheshire Military Academy in Cheshire, Connecticut in 1879. While these two early units failed, another chapter formed at Hillhouse Academy of New Haven, Connecticut in 1894.^[2] Hillhouse too, died as a chapter on 30 June 1895.^[3]

However, the founders of these chapters, many having graduated and entered college, sought a collegiate level re-establishment of the order. Representatives, now alumni without an active chapter from these three early prep school chapters formed a grand chapter called Alpha chapter on December 10, 1895, deeming it an essential step for rebuilding the fraternity and for expansion nationally. These men, reforming the organization as Kappa Psi Fraternity chartered its first collegiate chapter, Delta, at the University of Maryland in the fall of 1898 when former members of the Hillhouse chapter entered that school in the study of medicine. Others, who had opted for the study of pharmacy, formed a Gamma chapter at the College of Pharmacy at Columbia University in that same year. A third group of advancing students formed the Beta chapter at the University College of Medicine in Richmond, Virginia, in 1900.^[2] Its first national convention was held in New York City in 1900.

By 1902 the young organization had formed six chapters and already held four conventions. In 1903 the Society incorporated as a national fraternity, operating jointly as both a medical and pharmaceutical fraternity.^[2] On November 17, 1917, the fraternity merged with Delta Omicron Alpha fraternity.^[4] It merged with Phi Delta on January 26, 1918.^[4]

By mutual agreement, in 1924, the fraternity split into Kappa Psi, which retained its pharmacy component, and Theta Kappa Psi, which became strictly a medical fraternity.^[5] Theta Kappa Psi later struggled; it would go on to merge with Phi Beta Pi in 1961, but this union was again dissolved in 1992. A single chapter carries on the Theta Kappa Psi name today.

Kappa Psi Fraternity would later be incorporated under the name of Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity.^[2] In 1977, Kappa Psi first welcomed women into the fraternity.^[3]

Today there are 105 active collegiate chapters and 73 graduate chapters across the United States, Canada, and the Bahamas, and over 80,000 people have been initiated into the fraternity since its inception.^[2] The Central Office of Kappa Psi is located in Richardson, Texas.^[3]

Symbols

Kappa Psi's colors are scarlet and cadet gray.^[2] Its flower is the red carnation.^[2] Its publication is The Mask.^[2]

Activities

Kappa Psi holds its international convention biennially.

Provinces

Nationally, Kappa Psi is divided into provinces, which the majority meet biannually. Historically, the provinces had geographic names that have changed over the years. The provinces were reorganized and renamed numbers in June 2011.^[6]

Province	Established	Original name	Areas covered	References
Province I	March 6, 1914	North Atlantic Province	Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont	^[6]^[a]
Province II	June 3, 1917	Middle Atlantic Province	Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia	^[6]^[b]
Province III	June 3, 1917	Middle Atlantic Province	Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.	^[6]^[c]
Province IV	March 5, 1917	South Atlantic Province	Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and the Bahamas	^[6]^[d]
Province V	January 19, 1918	Delta Omicron Alpha Province	Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Western New York, Ohio, and Wisconsin	^[6]^[e]
Province VII	March 5, 1917	South Atlantic Province	Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas	^[6]^[f]
Province VIII	February 1, 1938	Provinces X and XI	Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota	^[6]^[g]
Province IX	November 27, 1920	Pacific Province	Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah	^[6]^[h]
Province X	February 6, 1929	Northwest Province	Alaska, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming	^[6]^[i]

^ Includes most of the former Northeast Province.
^ Includes most of the former Northeast Province.
^ Includes part of the former Mountain East Province and the Southeast Province.
^ Includes part of the former Southeast Province.
^ Incorporates the former Great Lakes Province and the Middle America Province.
^ Incorporates part of what was previously the Gulf Coast Province and Southwest Province.
^ Includes the former Northern Plains Province.
^ Incorporates part of what used to be the Southwest Province and the Pacific West Province.
^ Includes part of the former Northwest Province.

Chapters

As of January 1, 2025^[ref], Kappa Psi consists of 105 collegiate and 73 graduate chapters organized into 11 regional provinces.

References

^ "High honors for two Drake pharmacy fraternities". Drake University. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. V-24–25. ISBN 978-0-9637159-0-6.
^ ^a ^b ^c According to the history of Kappa Psi Society, from its website, accessed 27 Aug 2020.
^ ^a ^b Baird, William Raimond; Taylor, James Taylor, eds. (1923). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities; a Descriptive Analysis of the Fraternity System in the Colleges of the United States, with a Detailed Account of Each Fraternity (10th ed.). New York: James T. Brown, editor and publisher. pp. 515 – via Hathi Trust.
^ Garner, Dewey (1993). The History of Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "Our History". Kappa Psi. Retrieved 2023-04-06.