Phi Upsilon Omicron

Phi Upsilon Omicron
Phi Upsilon Omicron
ΦΥΟ
Founded	February 10, 1909; 115 years ago; University of Minnesota
Type	Honor Society
Affiliation	ACHS
Former affiliation	PPA
Status	Active
Emphasis	Family and Consumer Science
Scope	International
Member badge
Colors	Cream, Gold, and Violet
Flower	Violet
Publication	The Candle
Chapters	61
Members	97,000 lifetime
Nickname	Phi U
Headquarters	P.O. Box 50970; Bowling Green, Kentucky 42102-4270; United States
Website	phiu.org

Phi Upsilon Omicron (ΦΥΟ), sometimes called Phi U, is a scholastic honor society that recognizes academic achievement among students in the field of family and consumer science. It was established in 1909 at the University of Minnesota.

History

Phi Upsilon Omicron was founded at the University of Minnesota on February 10, 1909, as an honor society for students of home economics, now called family and consumer sciences.^[1]^[2] It was admitted to the Association of College Honor Societies in 1979.^[2]^[1] It is a former member of the Professional Fraternity Association.

The society has an Educational Foundation that presents 28 undergraduate scholarships and eight graduate fellowships, awarded annually to its members.^[1]^[3] The foundation also has seven undergraduate awards and two advisor awards.^[1]^[2]

In 2011, Phi Upsilon Omicron has sixty active college chapters, 31 alumni chapters, and a total membership of approximately 93,065.^[1]

Symbols

The Greek letters Phi Upsilon Omicron represent the first, second, and last words of the Greek phrase that translates as “The Light of the Home.”^[4]

The society crest includes a shield with a castle that symbolizes home, a pelican that presents family, and a horn of plants that symbolizes nutrition. Above is a scroll with the Greek letters ΦΥΟ.^[4]

Phi Upsilon Omicron's badge features a candle which represents light.^[4] Its colors are cream, gold, and purple.^[4] Cream symbolized honor and integrity, gold represents light, and violet represents the society's flower.^[4] Its flower is the violet.^[4]

Its semiannual journal is The Candle.^[1]^[2] It was first published in November 1915.^[5]

Membership

Eligible undergraduate members are majoring and family and consumer sciences and have completed 40 hours with a rank in the top 35 percent of their class.^[1]^[2] Graduate students in family and consumer science are eligible for membership if they have complete twelve hours with a GPA of 3.2 or higher.^[1]^[2]

Governance

Phi Upsilon Omicron is overseen by its national council, consisting of a president, president-elect, executive director, alumni councilor, adviser councilor, finance chair, region councilors, the collegiate chair, and collegiate representatives.^[6] The national council meets in even-numbered years at a national conclave.^[6] Its executive board oversees the society's affairs between the meetings of national council and conclaves.^[6] It consists of the national president, national president-elect, alumni councilor, the region councilor chair, the national collegiate chair, and the finance chair, with the executive director serving as an ex-officio member.^[6]

Phi Upsilon Omicron's national headquarters is in Bowling Green, Kentucky.^[6]

Chapters

Phi Upsilon Omicron has 61 active chapters.^[7]

Notable members

Helen W. Atwater, home economist and editor
Rajammal P. Devadas, nutritionist and former chancellor of Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women,
Florence Fallgatter, educator and home economist
Lois Lampe, botanist and educator
Abby Marlatt, nutritionist and civil rights activist

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "Phi Upsilon Omicron family science". Association of College Honor Societies. December 12, 2011. Archived from the original on April 14, 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. VI-71–72. ISBN 978-0-9637159-0-6.
^ "Scholarships". Phi Upsilon Omicron. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Traditions". Phi Upsilon Omicron. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
^ "The Candle". Phi Upsilon Omicron. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Organizational Structure". Phi Upsilon Omicron. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
^ "Active Chapters". Phi Upsilon Omicron. Retrieved 2025-01-30.

[:1-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "Phi Upsilon Omicron family science". Association of College Honor Societies. December 12, 2011. Archived from the original on April 14, 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2025.

[Baird's-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. VI-71–72. ISBN 978-0-9637159-0-6.

[3] "Scholarships". Phi Upsilon Omicron. Retrieved 2025-01-29.

[:2-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Traditions". Phi Upsilon Omicron. Retrieved 2025-01-29.

[5] "The Candle". Phi Upsilon Omicron. Retrieved 2025-01-30.

[:0-6] "Organizational Structure". Phi Upsilon Omicron. Retrieved 2025-01-30.

[7] "Active Chapters". Phi Upsilon Omicron. Retrieved 2025-01-30.

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v t e Professional fraternities and sororities organizations and members
Currently active members of the Professional Fraternity Association	Alpha Zeta Alpha Kappa Psi Alpha Rho Chi Alpha Phi Omega Alpha Chi Sigma Alpha Omega Epsilon Delta Chi Xi Delta Epsilon Mu Delta Theta Phi Delta Kappa Alpha Delta Omicron Delta Sigma Pi Delta Sigma Chi Epsilon Nu Tau Theta Tau Kappa Epsilon Kappa Epsilon Psi Kappa Eta Kappa Kappa Kappa Psi Kappa Lambda Chi Kappa Psi Lambda Kappa Sigma Mu Beta Phi Mu Phi Epsilon Pi Sigma Epsilon Rho Pi Phi Sigma Alpha Sigma Alpha Iota Tau Beta Sigma Phi Alpha Delta Phi Beta Phi Gamma Nu Phi Delta Epsilon Phi Delta Chi Phi Sigma Pi Phi Chi Theta
Former and formerly active members of the Professional Fraternity Association or its predecessors: Professional Panhellenic Association or Professional Interfraternity Conference	Alpha Delta Theta Alpha Delta Sigma Alpha Kappa Kappa Alpha Sigma Alpha Alpha Tau Delta Alpha Omega Beta Alpha Psi Gamma Eta Gamma Gamma Iota Sigma Delta Epsilon Iota Delta Sigma Delta Delta Psi Kappa Epsilon Eta Phi Zeta Phi Eta Theta Kappa Psi Theta Sigma Upsilon Theta Sigma Phi Iota Sigma Pi Kappa Alpha Pi Kappa Beta Pi Kappa Delta Epsilon Kappa Phi Kappa Nu Sigma Nu Xi Psi Phi Omicron Delta Kappa Omicron Nu Pi Lambda Theta Sigma Delta Chi Sigma Nu Phi Sigma Sigma Sigma Sigma Phi Delta (now social) Phi Beta Gamma Phi Beta Pi Phi Delta Delta Phi Delta Gamma Phi Delta Kappa Phi Delta Pi Phi Delta Phi (now honor society) Phi Epsilon Kappa Phi Lambda Kappa Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (now social) Phi Rho Sigma Phi Upsilon Omicron Phi Chi Chi Beta Phi Psi Omega Omega Tau Sigma Omega Upsilon Phi Pershing Rifles Scabbard and Blade Scarab
North American Interfraternity Conference	Alpha Gamma Rho Alpha Gamma Sigma
Active independent professional fraternities	Alpha Gamma Kappa Alpha Zeta Omega Alpha Eta Rho Alpha Iota Alpha Psi Gamma Epsilon Tau Delta Sigma Theta Delta Theta Sigma Delta Kappa Gamma Delta Kappa Phi Delta Phi Epsilon Kappa Gamma Psi Kappa Pi Nu Beta Epsilon Phi Delta Kappa (sorority) Phi Sigma Gamma Phi Psi Chi Delta Mu Chi Eta Phi Block and Bridle Queens' Guard
Inactive independent professional fraternities	Aleph Yodh He Alpha Epsilon Iota Alpha Tau Sigma Chi Zeta Chi Delta Omicron Alpha Pi Delta Nu

Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	United States