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{{Short description|American collegiate honor society}}
{{Infobox fraternity
| name = Alpha Chi
| letters = {{lang|grc|ΑΧ}}
| crest = Alpha_Chi_National_Honor_Society_Shield.png
| image_size = 190px
| founded = {{Start date and years ago|1922|02|22}}
| status = Active
| type = Honor society
| emphasis = General scholarship
| scope = National
| affiliation = ACHS
| motto = ''You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.''
| colors = {{color box|#009933}} [[Shades of green#Emerald|Emerald Green]] and {{color box|#003366}} [[Sapphire (color)|Sapphire blue]]
| chapters = 300 active
| members = 10,000
| lifetime = 410,000+
| publication = ''Aletheia''<br />''Kalo''<br />''Alpha Chi Recorder''<br />''Alpha Chi Newsletter''
| address = 8 Shackleford Plaza, Ste. 319
| city = [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]]
| state = [[Arkansas]]
| ZIP code = 72211
| country = United States
| homepage = {{url|www.alphachihonor.org}}
}}

'''Alpha Chi National College Honor Society''' (or '''{{lang|grc|ΑΧ}}''') is an American [[college|collegiate]] [[honor society]] recognizing achievements in general scholarship. It was formed in 1922 by nineteen schools in Texas; however, the first official meeting to discuss the founding of an intercollegiate honor society, held on February 22, 1922, only saw five schools represented.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sledge |first=Robert |title=Scholarship and Character: 100 Years of Alpha Chi |last2=Organ |first2=Dennis |publisher=The National Council of Alpha Chi National College Honor Society |year=2022 |isbn=978-0-9659175-1-3 |location=Little Rock, Arkansas |pages=10}}</ref> Since then it has expanded to 300 active chapters in the United States. It is an open society that invites university juniors, seniors, and graduate students who are in the top ten percent of their class.

==History==
In 1915, [[Southwestern University]] President [[Charles M. Bishop]] created an honor society to encourage and promote superior students. Faculty at Southwestern reached out to four other colleges and universities in Texas to create an intercollegiate honor society. On February 22, 1922, the Scholarship Societies of Texas were formed. A year later, representatives from 13 schools met on the campus of the [[University of Texas at Austin]] and six other schools mailed in votes to establish the organization's first [[constitution]].

These nineteen schools went on to establish their chapters of the organization including the Nolle Scholarship Society at Southwest Texas State Normal College, now known as [[Texas State University–San Marcos]]. Between 1926 and 1927 the honor society expanded to schools in Arkansas and Louisiana resulting in the name changing to the Scholarship Societies of the South. Dean Alfred H. Nolle, after whom Southwest Texas' chapter was named, became president of the newly named organization; Nolle would later serve as the secretary-treasurer for nearly fifty years.

With plans for further expansion, in 1934 the organization voted to change its name again, this time to Alpha Chi. The name was chosen such that its initials '''{{lang|grc|ΑΧ}}''' would come from the [[Greek language|Greek words]] [[aletheia]] for truth and χαρακτήρ for the character.<ref name=":2">{{cite book |last=Brown |first=Ronald C. |title=Beacon on the Hill: Southwest Texas State University, 1903-1978 |publisher=Faculty Publications-University College, Texas State University-San Marcos |page=20 |date=1979 |url=https://digital.library.txstate.edu/handle/10877/2629 }}</ref><ref name="AXHistory">{{cite web |url=https://alphachihonor.org/history |title=Our History |publisher=Alpha Chi National College Honor Society |access-date=November 12, 2021 }}</ref> Its purpose is "to encourage sound scholarship and devotion to truth.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date= |title=Alpha Chi Honor Society |url=http://www.achsnatl.org/society.asp?society=ac |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414200648/http://www.achsnatl.org/society.asp?society=ac |archive-date=2012-04-14 |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=Association of College Honor Societies |via=web.archive.org}}</ref> In 1955, Alpha Chi became a member of the [[Association of College Honor Societies]].<ref name=":3" />

At the 2007 National Convention, a membership category for graduate students was created allowing them, as well as college juniors and seniors, to join the society.<ref name="AXAboutUs" /> In 2012, it had 337 active chapters, 12,577 active members, and had initiated 409,402 members.<ref name=":3" />

Its headquarters is in [[Little Rock, Arkansas]].<ref name="AXGovernance">{{cite web |url=https://alphachihonor.org/governance |title=Governance |publisher=Alpha Chi National College Honor Society |access-date=November 12, 2021}}</ref>

==Symbols==
The name Alpha Chi was chosen such that its initials '''{{lang|grc|ΑΧ}}''' would come from the [[Greek language|Greek words]] [[aletheia]] for truth and χαρακτήρ for the character.<ref name=":2" /><ref name="AXHistory" /> Its motto is "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Alpha Chi National Honor Society - Office of Student Success |url=https://calbaptist.edu/life-at-cbu/student-support-services/student-success/honors-society#:~:text=The%20motto%20of%20the%20organization,achieving%20college%20and%20university%20students. |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240811003752/https://calbaptist.edu/life-at-cbu/student-support-services/student-success/honors-society/ |archive-date=2024-08-11 |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=California Baptist University |language=en}}</ref> The society's colors are emerald green and sapphire blue; this are also the colors of its [[honor cords]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-22 |title=Honor Society Cord Colors {{!}} College and University |url=https://seniorclassproducts.com/pages/college-honor-society-colors?srsltid=AfmBOopiZPOVvkexB49Fb0X8tOdt7NKr5pfVbsE-CCR10h3NTSfbJa3y |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=Senior Class Graduation Products |language=en}}</ref> Its publications are ''Alpha Chi Recorder'' and ''Alpha Chi Newsletter.<ref name=":3" />''

==Membership==
The Alpha Chi Honor Society is open to college juniors, seniors, and graduate students in the top ten percent of their class.<ref name=":4" /> Invitations to join the organization are issued directly to eligible students by faculty advisors of active Alpha Chi chapters.<ref name="AXAboutUs">{{cite web |url=https://alphachihonor.org/about |title=About Alpha Chi |publisher=Alpha Chi National College Honor Society |access-date=November 16, 2012 }}</ref> The society inducts about 11,000 new members each year through its 300 currently active chapters.<ref name=":4" /><ref name="AXHome">{{cite web |url=https://www.alphachihonor.org/ |title=Alpha Chi National College Honor Society |publisher=Alpha Chi National Honor Society |access-date=November 12, 2021}}</ref> Membership is for life.''<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" />''

== Activities ==

=== Publications ===
Alpha Chi publishes two magazines: ''Aletheia'' and ''Kalo''. ''Aletheia'' serves as the society's peer-reviewed academic journal for undergraduate student members, featuring papers and essays from a wide variety of academic disciplines.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=About Aletheia |url=https://alphachihonor.org/about-aletheia |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=alphachihonor.org}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Kalo |url=https://alphachihonor.org/kalo |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=alphachihonor.org}}</ref>

=== Scholarships ===
The national headquarters for Alpha Chi sponsors 43 annual scholarships and fellowships for members on a competitive basis.<ref name="Scholarships" /> Undergraduate students can receive the Edwin Gaston Scholarship and Alfred H. Nolle Scholarship to help fund their senior year of college.''<ref name=":3" />'' The Benedict Fellowship and Josephe E. Pryor Fellowship are for graduate study for graduate members and alumni.''<ref name=":3" />'' Alpha Chi's regions offer scholarships, and individual collegiate chapters may also offer their scholarships.<ref name="Scholarships">{{cite web |url=https://alphachihonor.org/scholarships |title=Scholarships |publisher=Alpha Chi National Honor Society |access-date=November 12, 2021}}</ref>

=== Awards ===
Alpha Chi presents its Outstanding Chapter Award and its Distinguished Alumnus Award at its national convention, held every other year.''<ref name=":3" />''

==Chapters==
{{Main|List of Alpha Chi chapters}}In 2021, the society had 300 active chapters.<ref name="AXHome" />

== Notable members ==

* [[Charles T. McDowell]], director of the Center for Post-Soviet and Eastern European Studies at the [[University of Texas at Arlington]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website|http://www.alphachihonor.org/}}

{{Association of College Honor Societies}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Association of College Honor Societies]]
[[Category:Student organizations established in 1922]]
[[Category:1922 establishments in Texas]]
[[Category:Honor societies]]

Alpha Chi - Revision history

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