Kappa Psi

Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Incorporated () is the largest professional pharmaceutical fraternity in the world with more than 6,000 student members and more than 87,000 alumni members. 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. Hillhouse too, died as a chapter on 30 June 1895.According t
the history of Kappa Psi Society
from its website, accessed 27 Aug 2020.

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. 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. On November 17, 1917, the fraternity merged with Delta Omicron Alpha fraternity.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. It merged with Phi Delta on January 26, 1918.

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. 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. In 1977, Kappa Psi first welcomed women into the fraternity.

Today there are 101 active collegiate chapters and 72 graduate chapters across the United States, Canada, and the Bahamas, and over 80,000 people have been initiated into the fraternity since its inception. The Central Office of Kappa Psi is located in Richardson, Texas.

Symbols

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

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.

Chapters

As of April 2025, Kappa Psi consists of 103 collegiate and 72 graduate chapters organized into eleven regional provinces.

Notable members

* Leasure K. Darbaker, bacteriologist and professor of pharmacognosy and bacteriology at the Pittsburgh College of Pharmacy
* John Shostak, Connecticut House of Representatives and Mayor of Norwalk, Connecticut
* R. C. Williams, assistant surgeon general with the U.S. Public Health Service, with rank of rear admiral

See also

* Professional fraternities and sororities
* Rho Chi, pharmacy honor society

References

{{Professional Fraternities

Student organizations established in 1879
Professional pharmaceutical fraternities and sororities in the United States
Professional Fraternity Association
1879 establishments in Connecticut