Psi Omega

Psi Omega
Psi Omega
ΨΩ
Founded	June 8, 1892; 132 years ago; Baltimore College of Dental Surgery (now U Maryland)
Type	Professional
Affiliation	Independent
Former affiliation	PFA
Status	Active
Emphasis	Dental
Scope	International
Member badge
Colors	Blue and White
Publication	The Frater (of Psi Omega)
Chapters	27 active
Headquarters	1040 Savannah Highway; Charleston, South Carolina 29407; United States
Website	psiomegafraternity.org

Psi Omega (ΨΩ) is an international professional fraternity for Dentistry. It was founded on June 8, 1892, "to maintain the standards of the profession, to encourage scientific investigation and literary culture." ^[1] Psi Omega is the third professional dental fraternity to be formed, following Delta Sigma Delta (1882) and Xi Psi Phi (1889), and pre-dating Alpha Omega (1907). Psi Omega has 27 active chapters.

History

Psi Omega was first conceived during the 1891-1892 term by two students at the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, William Sprigg Hamilton and J. George Schmetzer, both of the class of 1894, who determined to start a dental fraternity. These two men are considered the founders of the Fraternity. Hamilton wrote its first Ritual and Constitution, which was adopted on June 8, 1892. The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery was the first institution to offer a D.D.S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery) degree, and is considered the world's first dental college.^[1]^[2]

Within a few years of its founding the Fraternity began a rapid period of growth, adding six chapters in 1896 alone to its first four. Likewise, 1897 brought five more chapters, continuing the pace that would see 25 chapters formed by the end of the Fraternity's first decade. Consolidations of schools led to mergers of chapters, and in at least one instance, a previous chapter, Lambda at Minnesota was replaced after it had gone dormant with a new chapter and new designation, Zeta Kappa, at the same school (Minnesota). Expansion continued, resulting in a chapter count of 65 as of 1975.^[1] The Fraternity has graduated 32,000 members since its founding, according to one chapter's website.^[3]

Psi Omega's international reach extended to three Canadian chapters, located in Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax. All three ceased operations in the 1930s.

Psi Omega Fraternity became a charter member of the Professional Fraternity Association in 1978, but is no longer active in that association.^[4]

Organization

Government is maintained by a triennial convention called the grand chapter, with recess administration held by a board of officers as the National Council. The Central Office is responsible for daily management of the Fraternity. Where formerly the national chief officer was called the grand master, in more recent times this role is held by a president. The fraternity is divided into five provinces, where each elects a Province Councilor. These five Province Councilors, with the President, make up the National Council.

Each school chapter elects an advisor known as a Deputy Councilor from among the active alumni.^[1]

Chapters

The Society has established 68 chapters since 1892. Of these, 27 are active, complemented by 30 alumni chapters.

Membership Requirements

School chapters consist of initiated fraternity members and can be either undergraduate students or graduate dental students.

Alumni chapters consist of initiated fraternity members who have attained either the DDS (Degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery) or DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) degrees, and may include initiated honorary members.^[1]^[5]

Scholarships, Awards and Aid

The Fraternity provides several types of assistance to active members. These include:

Student loans of up to $3,000, with interest deferred until after graduation.^[6]
Chapter house loans
Annual Awards given to both chapters and individual members

In addition, Psi Omega provides a variety of insurance programs popular among members and alumni through group purchasing discounts.

Publications

The Fraternity publishes a quarterly journal, The Frater, recent issues available here, which was first published in 1900. Scholarly papers written by members add interest to The Frater, helping continue alumni interest in the Fraternity.

The Fraternity maintains a website with information for chapters, alumni and institutions. Members and guests are welcome to visit the site or to contact the National Office through e-mail for further information.^[5]

Traditions

The badge of the Psi Omega Fraternity is an heraldic shield of gold with a slightly curved field of black enamel on which are displayed a caduceus, the letters ΨΩ, and three ivy-leaves. Colors are blue and white.^[1]

References

^ ^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. V-50–51. ISBN 978-0963715906.
^ Psi Omega website, About Us section, accessed 21 September 2014
^ Detroit Mercy's Delta Mu Chapter website Archived 2014-09-24 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 22 September 2014
^ Professional Fraternity Association website, accessed 20 September 2014
^ ^a ^b Psi Omega website, accessed 21 September 2014
^ The Frater, Spring 2014 ed. Archived 2014-09-24 at the Wayback Machine, p.11. Accessed 23 Sept 2014

External links

Official website

[Baird's-1] ^ ^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. V-50–51. ISBN 978-0963715906.

[PsiOmegaHistory-2] Psi Omega website, About Us section, accessed 21 September 2014

[3] Detroit Mercy's Delta Mu Chapter website Archived 2014-09-24 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 22 September 2014

[PFAwebsite-4] Professional Fraternity Association website, accessed 20 September 2014

[PsiOmegaWebsite-5] Psi Omega website, accessed 21 September 2014

[6] The Frater, Spring 2014 ed. Archived 2014-09-24 at the Wayback Machine, p.11. Accessed 23 Sept 2014

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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