Kappa Phi

{{Infobox Fraternity

| name = Kappa Phi

| letters = {{lang|grc|ΚΦ}}

| coat of arms = Kappa_Phi_coat_of_arms.png

| crest =

| image_size = 190px

| founded = {{Start date and years ago|1916}}

| birthplace = University of Kansas

| affiliation = Independent

| status = Active

| type = Service

| emphasis = Christian

| scope = National

| vision =

| motto = Others

| slogan = "I’d love to!"

| maxim =

| colors = {{color box|#87CEEB}} Sky blue, {{color box|#01796F}} Pine green, and {{color box|#FFFFFF}} White

| mascot = Lamb

| symbol = Lighted candle

| flower = Pink rose

| jewel =

| member badge = File:The_pin_of_the_Kappa_Phi_Club,_for_Christian_women.png

| publication = Candle Beam

| chapters = 50

| lifetime =

| members =

| address = 2135 Snowbird Drive

| city = Manhattan

| state = Kansas

| ZIP code = 66502

| country = United States

| homepage = {{url|http://kappaphi.org/}}

| free_label = Prior name

| free = Kappa Phi Club

| free_label1 = Logo

| free1 = File:The_logo_of_Kappa_Phi_Christian_sorority.jpeg

| tree = Pine

| pillars = Service, Worship, Fellowship, and Study

}}

Kappa Phi ({{lang|grc|ΚΦ}}), also called the Kappa Phi Club, is an American national Christian student society that was established at the University of Kansas in 1916.{{Cite book |last=Shedd |first=Clarence Prouty |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n1UuAQAAIAAJ&q=%2522Kappa+Phi%2522+%2522Methodist+sorority%2522+Kansas |title=The Church Follows Its Students |date=1938 |publisher=Yale University Press |pages=126 |language=en |via=Google Books}}

History

Kappa Phi formed from a freshman women's Sunday school class taught by Harriet (née Sterling) Thompson that met at a Methodist church in Lawrence, Kansas in 1915.{{Cite web |date=2014-05-25 |title=History « Kappa Phi Club |url=http://kappaphi.org/about/history/ |access-date=2023-07-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140525235854/http://kappaphi.org/about/history/ |archive-date=2014-05-25 }} Thompson was the wife of Gordon B. Thompson, the Wesley Foundation pastor at the University of Kansas. In 1916, four members of Thompson's class formed Kappa Phi Club for Methodist women at the University of Kansas; the group was sponsored by the United Methodist Church and worked closely with the Wesley Foundation.{{cite journal |last=Mills |first=Edward Laird |year=1936 |title=A Builder of Christian Leaders |journal=The Christian Advocate |publisher=Methodist Episcopal Church |quote=Kappa Phi, a Greek letter sorority sponsored by a church!}}{{Cite news |date=1958-06-27 |title=Miss Joyce Herrick Attends Conference |pages=2 |work=The Ludington Daily News |location=Ludington, Michigan |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ludington-daily-news-miss-joyce-herr/129081283/ |access-date=2023-07-29 |via=Newspapers.com}}

The founders of Kappa Phi Club were Francis Adams, Ruth Daniels, Marie Deible, and Sara Jacobs.{{Cite book |last=Kincaid |first=Fay Allen |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qyfiAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Kappa+Phi+club%22+-wikipedia |title=The History of the Wesley Foundation at the University of Michigan: One Hundred Years |date=1984 |publisher=Wesley Foundation |pages=81 |language=en |via=Google Books}} The founders wanted to develop character and to provide fellowship and friendship.{{Cite journal |date=November 1922 |title=Three Aims of Kappa Phi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mX7TAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22Kappa+Phi+club%22+-wikipedia&pg=RA12-PP14 |journal=The Christian Student |volume=23 |issue=4 |page=160 |via=Google Books}} The group also wanted to provide religious training, take care of incoming freshmen, increase the effectiness of the work of Methodist female students, and to provide a "wholesome social life".{{Cite news |date=1922-03-07 |title=Kappa Phi Club Initiates |pages=1 |work=The Manhattan Weekly Mercury |location=Manhattan, Kansas |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-manhattan-weekly-mercury-kappa-phi-c/129079656/ |access-date=2023-07-29 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Pastor Thompson helped promote Kappa Phi Club to other Wesley Foundation ministers. Women from the University of Iowa formed the Beta chapter in 1917. This followed by Gamma chapter at Iowa State University. In 1918, the club held its first national meeting or Council of Chapters in Kansas City where they drafted a constitution and selected Grand Officers to oversee the organizational operations.{{Cite web |title=About |url=http://psukappaphi.weebly.com/about.html |access-date=2023-07-29 |website=Kappa Phi at Penn State}}

The new chapters were established at colleges with a Wesley Foundation and were also sponsored by the wife of the campus pastor, along with a board of three to five patronesses. By 1922, nearly 1,000 women had joined the club's ten chapters. Kappa Phi expanded to 25 schools by 1938.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iubeAAAAMAAJ |title=The Methodist Woman, Volume 28 |publisher=Joint Commission on Education and Cultivation, Board of Missions of the United Methodist Church. |year=1967 |quote=One such organization has been the Kappa Phi Club, an organization for Methodist women attending approximately 33 colleges and universities.}}{{Cite book |last=Kincaid |first=Fay Allen |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qyfiAAAAMAAJ&q=%2522Kappa+Phi%2522++Kansas+Gordon+Thompson |title=The History of the Wesley Foundation at the University of Michigan: One Hundred Years |date=1984 |publisher=Wesley Foundation |pages=80 |language=en}} There were 25 chapters at Welsey Foundation-affiliated universities by 1938. In 1967, Kappa Phi had a chapter at 33 colleges and universities.

In 1965, Kappa Phi became an interdenominational Christian society, welcome to all women interested in a Christian group.{{cite web |title=About Kappa Phi |url=http://kappaphi.org/about/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140525195928/http://kappaphi.org/about/ |archive-date=25 May 2014 |accessdate=22 April 2014 |publisher=The Kappa Phi Club |df=dmy-all}} Its national headquarters are in Manhattan, Kansas.{{Cite web |title=The Kappa Phi Club |url=https://www2.guidestar.org/profile/48-0949793 |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=GuideStar}}

Symbols and traditions

The Kappa Phi seal has a central lighted candle in a holder with the Greek letters {{lang|grc|ΚΦ}} at its base, encircled by the group's aim, a pine bough, and pine cone.{{Cite web |title=Constitution and By-Laws of the Kappa Psi Club |url=https://wmich.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/kappa-phi-club |access-date=July 29, 2023 |website=Kappa Phi Society |page=13}} The society's crest has a silver shield with two azure blue chevrons at its base, a pink rose in the upper right corner, and a green pine tree in the upper left corner. Above the shield is a lighted silver candle in a gold holder. Below the shield is a scroll with the society's name. To either side of the shield are wreathes of green and silver.

Kappa Phi's colors are sky blue to represent trust, pine green to represent truth, and pure white to represent purity.{{Cite web |date=2014-05-25 |title=Symbols « Kappa Phi Club |url=http://kappaphi.org/about/club-symbols/ |access-date=2023-07-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140525235527/http://kappaphi.org/about/club-symbols/ |archive-date=2014-05-25 }} Its flower is the pink rose which expresses the love that unites the sisters. Its tree is the Pine tree which represents strength and leadership. Its symbol is the lighted candle which represents "the living light of God in our lives." Its emblem is the lamb.{{Cite web |title=Symbols |url=https://www.kappaphi.org/symbols |access-date=2023-07-29 |website=Kappa Phi |language=en}}

The Kappa Phi badge is shaped like a shield; it is gold with a black background with a white diagonal band with the Greek letters {{lang|grc|ΚΦ}}. There is also a rose in its upper section and a lighted candle in the lower section. Its edge is plain, and engraved, or features close-set pearls with a sapphire in the lower point and emeralds in the upper points. The pledge badge is gold and round with Greek letters {{lang|grc|ΚΦ}} on a green background; it is surrounded by a band that is half blue with a pine tree and half white with a candle. There is also an alumnae badge, a gold oval with a pink rose above the Greek letters {{lang|grc|ΚΦ}}.

Meetings begin with lighting a candle and singing the Kappa Phi hymn; meeting close with extinguishing the candle and singing a benediction.{{Cite web |date=2014-05-26 |title=Programming « Kappa Phi Club |url=http://kappaphi.org/about/programming/ |access-date=2023-07-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140526011100/http://kappaphi.org/about/programming/ |archive-date=2014-05-26 }} Its motto is "others" and its slogan is "I'd love to!" Its original motto was "Every Methodist university woman of today, a leader in the church tomorrow." Kappa Phi has four focus areas or pillars: Service, Worship, Fellowship, and Study."{{Cite web |title=Our mission |url=http://psukappaphi.weebly.com/our-mission.html |access-date=2023-07-29 |website=Kappa Phi at Penn State}} Its publication is the Candle Beam.

Activities

The Meal in the Upper Room is held at Easter to commemorate Christ’s Last Supper.{{Cite web |title=Traditions |url=https://www.kappaphi.org/traditions |access-date=2023-07-29 |website=Kappa Phi |language=en}} It is eaten in silence and is based on a Jewish Passover Seder. The Yule Log celebration is held annually at the last meeting before Christmas break.

Membership

Membership is open to Christian women. Kappa Phi members are grouped as the Degree of the Pine for pledges, the Degree of the Light for active members, and the Degree of the Rose for alumnae.