Kappa Delta Pi

Kappa Delta Pi (ΚΔΠ) is an American honor society for education, founded on March 8, 1911, at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. It is one of the first discipline-specific honor societies in education and serves as a nonprofit organization[2].

History

Kappa Delta Pi evolved from the Illinois Education Club, which was initially established by Dr. William Begley in 1909. The society was officially registered as Kappa Delta Pi on June 8, 1911. Its second chapter, Beta, was established at the University of Colorado in 1912, followed by Gamma at the University of Oklahoma in 1915 and Delta at the University of Texas in 1916[2].

In 1924, the Laureate Chapter was formed to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to education, including notable figures like John Dewey. By 1930, Kappa Delta Pi had 62 active chapters, and in 1932, its name was officially changed to Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society. The society published its first journal, The Educational Forum, in 1936[2].

By the mid-20th century, Kappa Delta Pi had grown significantly, with 294 active chapters and over 177,000 initiated members by 1963. It was a member of the Association of College Honor Societies from 1974 to 2008[2].

Mission and Activities

Kappa Delta Pi's mission is to foster excellence in education, promote academic achievement, and provide leadership and service opportunities for its members. The society emphasizes the values of Community, Belonging, Leadership, and Celebration. It offers its members access to professional development webinars, conferences, research initiatives, and job opportunities[3].

Membership and Chapters

Membership in Kappa Delta Pi is reserved for the top twenty percent of those entering the education field. Undergraduates must have a minimum GPA of 3.0, while graduate students need a minimum GPA of 3.50. The society has over 20,000 active members and more than 1.2 million lifetime members across its 650 chapters[2][3].

International Representation

Kappa Delta Pi became an official Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) of the United Nations in 2010, actively supporting global education initiatives, particularly Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education[4].

Publications and Symbols

The society publishes academic journals, including The Educational Forum and The Teacher Advocate. Until 2023, it also published The Kappa Delta Pi Record. The organization's colors are purple and gold, and its flower is the violet. The Kappa Delta Pi insignia features a key shaped like a scroll with the Greek letters ΚΔΠ, and the letter Δ positioned above a beehive[2].