HISTORY
PI DELTA PHI was founded as a departmental honor society at the University
of California, Berkeley, in 1906. After twenty years as a local chapter,
Pi Delta Phi
declared itself the National French Honor Society and chartered
the Beta Chapter at the University of Southern California in 1925.
The Society expanded slowly during the next fifteen years. Since the end of World War II, Pi Delta Phi has enjoyed phenomenal growth. At the present time, it numbers more than 275 chapters established at representative public and private colleges and universities in almost every state, as well as chapters in Paris and Aix-en-Provence.
The society was admitted to membership in the Association of College Honor Societies in 1967.
The official publication of Pi Delta Phi is the Newletter.
The purpose of this Society shall be:
(1) to recognize outstanding scholarship in the French language and its literatures,
(2) to increase the knowledge and appreciation of Americans for the cultural
contributions of the French-speaking world, and
(3) to stimulate and to encourage French and francophone cultural activities.