Phi Kappa Phi History
The Florida Atlantic University Chapter was installed as the 128th chapter of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi on the 29th of May in 1971. The purpose of the chapter is to recognize, promote and reward scholastic excellence in all fields of academic endeavor.
Drs. `Eric H. Shaw, Nancy K. Poulson, Mary Ann Gosser, Ron Schultz, Mohammad Ilyas
The driving force in creating our chapter was Dr. Barry J. Hersker, Professor of Marketing, although Dr. Hersker always gave most of the credit to a student named Edward Krause who kept urging him to start a chapter at FAU. Signing the original charter were Professors: Barry J. Hersker, Carl W. Knox, James P. Latham, James B. Montgomery, John M. Scheidell, Robert Schwarz, Voncile M. Smith, Howard, N. Little, Kenneth R. Williams (FAU President), and Edward W. Krause (graduate student).
The chapter recognizes academic excellence through our initiations. The first initiation ceremony inducted some 25 students from a student body of about 4,000.
The chapter promotes academic excellence through our occasional speaker program and other special programs. As the only campus-wide honor society recognizing and promoting achievement in all academic disciplines, the Provost’s office, under the guidance of Dr. Jack Guistwhite, Director of Academic Affairs, adopted the chapter in 1980 and provided some administrative and financial support for programs for several years.
To reward academic excellence, the chapter provides scholarships. Since 1989, the chapter has offered up to $10,000 in scholarships each year to outstanding students regardless of academic discipline.
In 2005, under the direction of three past chapter presidents, Drs. William Stronge, Ronald R. Shultz and Eric H. Shaw, a $10,000 endowment fund to support chapter scholarships was created.
As part of an estate gift pledge from College of Business emeritus professor Eric Shaw ’72, ’73, Ph.D, Chapter 128 has received the “Hersker, Shaw, Gosser Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi Scholarship Award.”
“My 50 years at Florida Atlantic University, first as an undergraduate student and now as emeritus professor, make me feel like I’ve grown up with the university,” said Shaw. “I am forever grateful to FAU for providing me an excellent education, providing terrific mentors and talented colleagues to work with, exceptional students with bright eager minds to share knowledge, and offering me so many opportunities for personal and professional growth. It is a privilege and my great pleasure to give back by making a small contribution to this great university in its ‘race to excellence’.”
For most of the last twenty years, the chapter has kept re-electing Dr. Mary Ann Gosser Esquilín as President (often despite her protests), because as Dr. Shaw stated: “No one strives for excellence, and achieves it, more than President Gosser.” In 2021, our fiftieth anniversary, FAU Chapter 128 achieved the highest national recognition, the Phi Kappa Phi Circle of Excellence Platinum Award.
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
Presidents of the Florida Atlantic University Chapter
| YEAR(S) | PRESIDENT |
|---|---|
| 1971-1973 | Barry J. Hersker |
| 1974-1975 | Gary A. Luing |
| 1976-1977 | James B. Montgomery |
| 1978-1979 | Walter R. Courtenay, Jr. |
| 1980 | Carl W. Knox |
| 1981-1982 | Douglas S. Gaitlin |
| 1983 | Roy B. Levow |
| 1984-1985 | Marilyn (Floyd) Federico |
| 1986-1987 | Sam Clark |
| 1988-1989 | Eric H. Shaw |
| 1990-1991 | Karl Ijams |
| 1992-1993 | Allen E. Smith |
| 1994 | Carla Coleman |
| 1995-1996 | Linda Wiler |
| 1997-1998 | Karl K. Stevens |
| 1999-2000 | Ronald R. Schultz |
| 2001-2002 | Barbara A. Ganson |
| 2003 | Mary Ann Gosser Esquilín |
| 2004 | William Stronge |
| 2005-2014 | Mary Ann Gosser Esquilín |
| 2015-2016 | Mohammad Ilyas |
| 2017 | Nancy Poulson |
| 2018-2022 | Mary Ann Gosser Esquilín |