THE PRESIDENT'S VIEW
MAINTAINING AND SUPPORTING ACTIVE CHAPTERS

The more casual observer might think a Pi Gamma Mu chapter lasts forever. After all, establishing a chapter requires great effort. Potential sponsors submit an application and the Board of Trustees begin the elaborate process of evaluating and, if appropriate, approving the new chapter. With all that complete, the sponsor can organize and begin the process of initiating members and coordinating activities. With the new chapter, everyone--Trustees, headquarters staff, sponsors, and students--enjoy the accomplishment.

So, is the chapter set forever?

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP FEE SET TO INCREASE IN SEPTEMBER 2015

Effective September 2015, the Pi Gamma Mu lifetime membership fee will increase to $50. This increase represents a difficult but necessary decision made by the Board of Trustees at the 2014 triennial international convention. It is the first increase since 2005 and will permit the society to keep pace with inflation and increasing costs while continuing to provide a considerable value for members.

The lifetime membership fee remains at the $40 rate through August 31, 2015. We encourage chapter sponsors to invite as many students as are eligible at their schools prior to September in order to take advantage of the current $40 rate and to continue to invite all eligible students during annual or biannual membership drives in the future.

SUPPORT ΠΓΜ BY USING Smile.Amazon.com and GoodSearch.com

Pi Gamma Mu is now registered with Smile.Amazon.com and GoodSearch.com. Both sites donate funds to non-profit organizations of your choice, such as Pi Gamma Mu, every time you use them - at no cost to you.

HONOR CORDS

With commencement ceremonies on the horizon, don't forget to order your Pi Gamma Mu honor cords. Display your accomplishments by wearing our royal blue and white twisted nylon cords with four royal blue tassels. Honor cords are $17 each (or $15 each for orders of 10 or more).

To order Pi Gamma Mu honor cords go to our merchandise webpage and place your order using a credit card or PayPal account. Other official Pi Gamma Mu merchandise available includes men and women's t-shirts, polo shirts, sweatshirts, lanyards, replacement certificates, keypins, and more.

Our exclusive merchandise not only gives you the opportunity to proudly display your achievement and affiliation with the society, but merchandise purchases also support the activities of Pi Gamma Mu and help us finance our programs and awards.

Thank you for your continued support of Pi Gamma Mu!

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ATTENDS ACHS ANNUAL MEETING

Suzanne Rupp, executive director of Pi Gamma Mu, attended the Association of College Honor Societies Annual Council Meeting in Reno, NV last month. The theme of this year's meeting was, "Knowing and Promoting the Value of College Honor Societies – Celebrating 90 Years of Aiming High". In 2012, the ACHS meeting focused on strategic planning which resulted in initiatives to be developed in 2012-2015. ACHS Board President and Psi Chi Executive Director, Martha Zlokovich, reported that those initiatives have been accomplished or are in progress as planned.

CHAPTERS IN ACTION

Chapter news in this issue comes from the New York Tau chapter at Pace University, the Pennsylvania Kappa chapter at Mansfield University, the Delaware Beta chapter at Wilmington University, and the Pennsylvania Alpha Omicron chapter at Washington and Jefferson College.

PI GAMMA MU COFFEE MUGS NOW AVAILABLE

We are excited to announce that we are now offering Pi Gamma Mu coffee mugs for purchase via our merchandise webpage. Our exclusive merchandise not only gives you the opportunity to proudly display your achievement and affiliation with the society, but merchandise purchases also support the activities of Pi Gamma Mu and help us finance our programs and awards. Mugs are $7 each.

WEST VIRGINIA IOTA CHAPTER VOLUNTEERS WITH WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA 2014

National Wreaths Across America remembrance ceremonies were held on December 13th, 2014; 12 Noon EST. The Wreaths Across America mission, Remember, Honor, Teach, was carried out by thousands across the nation -- especially by the members of the West Virginia Iota Chapter of Pi Gamma Mu who were in attendance on this solemn occasion.

PI GAMMA MU BOARD MEMBER, CLARA SMALL, PUBLISHES NEW BOOK

Dr. Clara Small, Second Vice President of the Pi Gamma Mu Board of Trustees and Salisbury University Professor (Ret.), profiles 56 notable African Americans in her new book Compass Points: Profiles and Biographies of African Americans From the Delmarva Peninsula.

The 317 page book got its start back in 1998 when one of Dr. Small's students made the comment, "Blacks have never done anything in this country, nor on the Eastern Shore." That night, Small stayed up all night and wrote a 32 page manuscript. Over the next 15 years, Small continued to work on her labor of love.

ACCESS THE International Social Science Review ONLINE, ANYTIME, FREE OF CHARGE

The International Social Science Review (ISSR), Pi Gamma Mu's peer-reviewed professional journal, transitioned from a print format to a digital format in 2014 making the journal accessible to everyone – no subscription required. Visit
https://issr.ung.edu/
or type "International Social Science Review" into any search engine to view the journal.

NOW ACCEPTING DONATIONS ONLINE

Pi Gamma Mu is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit corporation and is able to accept tax-deductible donations. If you would like to make a donation to our organization in honor / memory of a professor, sponsor, loved one or friend, or to support our scholarship program, you are encouraged to do so. Pi Gamma Mu gives 11 scholarships to students going into a graduate program in social science each year.

MAKE YOUR CHAPTER A "PI GAMMA MU STAR" –
Now there are two ways to become a Star Chapter!

1. Increase your chapter's number of new initiates by 20% or more as compared to the previous academic year.
2. Add a link to the Pi Gamma Mu "Start a Chapter" webpage to your chapter's website.

Increasing your chapter's membership helps Pi Gamma Mu accomplish its mission to encourage and recognize superior scholarship by extending the benefits of membership to more students. Increasing membership will also benefit more of the high performing students at your school with opportunities for scholarships, publications, networking, and more.

CONNECT WITH ΠΓΜ ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND LINKEDIN

Here at Pi Gamma Mu, we see social media as another way for us to carry out our mission to encourage scholarship and to foster cooperation and service among our members. Now you can connect with us and other members and supporters of Pi Gamma Mu on the social networking sites you like to use. We welcome your comments, posts, and photos of chapter activities. Be sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and connect with us on LinkedIn to see announcements, opportunities, and deadlines (such as the scholarship application deadline).

LIVE. LEARN. INTERN. in WASHINGTON D.C.

www.DCinternships.org
June 6 – July 31 2015
Extended Application Deadline: April 7, 2015
**Scholarship Funding Available**

Are you still deciding what to do this summer? It's not too late to spend 8 weeks in Washington, D.C., completing an internship, earning credit, and expanding your professional network.

Unlike many other Washington, D.C., internship programs, DCinternships.org guarantees you an internship placement with a federal agency, embassy, government affairs office, media outlet, policy group, or nonprofit organization. Their staff works to place you with an organization that fits your skills and career goals. You'll gain real-world experience that will set you apart when it's time to find your first job after graduation.

ACHS MEMBERSHIP PROTECTS THE LEGITIMACY OF HONOR SOCIETIES

Pi Gamma Mu is one of 66 members of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS), which is the authority on standards and definitions for the honor society movement. ACHS has stepped up efforts to alert the higher education community to the standards of traditional honor societies. In contrast, some new so-called honor societies exist online and allow self-nomination, accepting fees with no questions asked. If in doubt about an organization, you can check out the ACHS website (www.achsnatl.org) for the list of honor societies that are members.

CHANGE OF EMAIL ADDRESS

Pi Gamma Mu communicates with its lifetime members via email. Anytime your email address changes, such as after graduation or when you change jobs, please notify the Pi Gamma Mu office immediately. This will prevent your emails from being interrupted or discontinued. Simply send your new email address to [email protected] or go to our website (www.pigammamu.org) to change your address information. We will need both your old email address and your new email address to update our records. Thank you very much for taking a few minutes to keep your information current.

When you graduate, please send us your new email address if you have been using your college address to receive the Pi Gamma Mu Newsletter. At some point (each college is different), your college email address will be eliminated and you will no longer receive the newsletter or other information from Pi Gamma Mu.

CONTACT US

Regular mail: 1001 Millington St., Suite B, Winfield, KS 67156
Telephone: (620) 221-3128

Email addresses:

OTHER NEWS

Mission, Ideals, and Symbols of Pi Gamma Mu	[Read more...]
Print Version (PDF)

Read the full newsletter online at PiGammaMu.org/newsletter/march2015/frontpage.html
or download the Print Version