From the Executive Director: Mission of Service as Relevant as Ever

It is with great anticipation that I write my first column for Forum magazine as your new executive director and CEO of Phi Kappa Phi. I am honored to have been asked to serve as part of the dedicated team of professional staff, board members and chapter volunteers to support our Society’s members and partners.

Phi Kappa Phi’s mission to recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education as well as engage the community of scholars in service to others is as relevant today as it has been for the past 125 years. As I have said to many over the past few months, membership in Phi Kappa Phi is not just a recognition of one’s academic success. It is a commitment to be in service to others. Phi Kappa Phi’s service-oriented ethos is what differentiates our Society from other honors entities in this country. This is one of the reasons I am excited to begin this journey of service with you.

We all have an important part to play in supporting the work of Phi Kappa Phi. My hope is that the Society’s impact deepens and our visibility expands as we continue to recognize and support the incredible work of our students, faculty and partner institutions.

In this issue of Forum magazine, we focus on the topic of reading — the joy of the written word. We know that reading is foundational to developing lifelong learners. It allows us to expand our horizons and our perspectives. It helps challenge our preconceptions and our understanding of the world around us. Phi Kappa Phi’s support of reading programs through literacy grants is one of the many valuable programs that our Society and partners support. I can think of no better illustration of Phi Kappa Phi’s commitment to engaging communities of scholars in service to others than its literacy grant program.

In closing, I want to reiterate that I am honored to serve as your representative and partner. Our support of academic excellence, service to others, and our commitment to being the most inclusive all-discipline collegiate honors society will become even more important as the higher education ecosystem continues to transform. I look forward to meeting many of you in the coming months as we prepare for our 2022 Biennial Convention. Until then, may we all let the love of learning rule humanity!