The Phi Beta Kappa Society
DELAWARE VALLEY ASSOCIATION
PHI BETA KAPPA DELAWARE VALLEY ASSOCIATION
Upcoming Events
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​Young Professionals Meetup at Queen & Rook Game Cafe, Philadelphia, PA. Sat. Dec. 6, noon - 2:30 pm; in-person; fee.
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Movie Club - "A Real Pain" - Thu. Dec. 11, 7:00 pm; virtual; no charge.
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Brandywine River Museum of Art: Guided tour of special exhibit, "Cropsey, Wyeth, and the American Landscape Tradition", Chadds Ford, PA. Sat. Jan. 17, 2026, 10:00 am - 1:30 pm; in-person; fee.
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Penn Museum: Guided Tour of new Native North America Gallery, Philadelphia, PA. Sat. Feb. 7, 11:00 am; in-person; fee.
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Book Club - "North Woods" - Thu. Feb. 12, 2026, 7:00 pm; virtual; no charge.
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PCMS Concert: Kim/Stumpf/Raim play all-Mendelssohn program, American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, PA. Fri. Feb. 27, 2026, 7:30 pm; in-person; fee.
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News Briefs
Marian Anderson Historical Society & Museum, Philadelphia, PA
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On November 15, 2025, members of PBK Delaware Valley and guests enjoyed a fascinating visit to the Marian Anderson Historical Society & Museum in South Philadelphia. This great American singer and activist for civil rights was born in Philadelphia and bought the nineteenth century row house, now open to the public, in 1924. Museum CEO Jillian Patricia Pirtle gave us a history of Anderson's life and career, referencing photos and other artifacts in the current exhibition, Marian: The Philadelphia Story and capping her presentation by singing excerpts from Anderson's repertoire of American songs. After touring the house we had lunch at La Sera Italiana on South Street, with lively conversation over steaming plates of pasta.
​​​​​​​​Key Connections 2025, Victory Brewing Co, Philadelphia, PA
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On October 23, 2025, we held our annual Key Connections event at Victory Brewing in Philadelphia, hosted by our Young Professionals (YP) Carissa and Shea. Key Connections events are for recent inductees into Phi Beta Kappa, giving them an opportunity to connect to members and resources in both the national PBK organization and the local PBK Delaware Valley Association. This year's event was very special, as we received a visit from Frederick Lawrence, Secretary and CEO of the national Phi Beta Kappa Society. After a fascinating tour through the society's early history, Fred gave a rousing Call to Action for all members to be advocates for the Arts and Sciences. We had a nice turnout of 35 PBK members and guests and finished the evening with a fiendishly difficult (for my team) Trivia Contest run by Carissa. The winning team won highly coveted Phi Beta Kappa mugs. Thanks to our YP planning team for a very successful and fun event! We look forward to continuing contact with our newest members.
Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar at Ursinus College
On October 20, 2025, the Tau of Pennsylvania Chapter at Ursinus College hosted Catherine S. Ramírez, PhD, Professor of Latin American and Latino Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz, for a public lecture titled "Assimilation: An Alternative History." The lecture was standing-room-only, with many Ursinus students and faculty members from the Spanish Language and Politics and International Relations departments attending and asking great questions. A prime motivator for Dr. Ramírez to think more deeply about assimilation was Samuel Huntington's 2004 book Who Are We?, in which he expressed his opinion that Latinx immigrants were less likely to assimilate and warning that this could divide America into two cultures. Dr. Ramírez's excellent and interactive talk attempted to open the audience to a more complex understanding of the definition and processes of assimilation. Her lecture followed the outline of her most recent book, also called Assimilation: An Alternative History, and in it, she investigated not just immigrant assimilation, but also assimilation of indigenous peoples. Very thought-provoking talk that kept many students around afterward asking questions into their evening.
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Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Kempton, PA
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On October 18, 2025, PBK's and guests enjoyed a scenic autumn day at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, taking in the views and great company at the world's first refuge for birds of prey where the local geography funnels migrating raptors, including falcons, hawks, and eagles, for ideal viewing during this mid-point of their fall migration. After an up-close encounter with the center's raptor "ambassadors" (a Red-Tailed Hawk and an American Kestrel), we hiked to the North Lookout. The group saw a Golden Eagle and several Sharp-Shinned Hawks passing over Kittantinny Ridge. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this outing!
Joseph Bonaparte Estate - French Picnic and Tour, Bordentown, NJ
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On September 20, 2025, PBK's and guests enjoyed a traditional French picnic on the lawn of the former Joseph Bonaparte estate, preceded by a 1-hr. tour of the on-site Discovery Center with a description of the site’s history, beginning 13,000 years ago with the Lenape. Also detailed was the 1816 purchase by Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon and former King of Spain, of the Point Breeze property, where he built a grand estate which became a cultural and political center of the young nation. Though the mansion is gone, the grounds include a grotto, fields, woods, and the former Gardener’s House which is now the Discovery Center.
Board Game Lunch at "The Board & Brew"
On Saturday, August 9, 2025, PBK's & guests gathered for a fine lunch & a drink, craft beer, or special coffee over board games from the large game library at The Board & Brew in University City, Philadelphia. Good conversation flowed and a great time was had by all!
PBK's Went Out to the Ball Game in Trenton
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On July 19, 2025, PBK's and guests had a great evening at Thunder Stadium for the Trenton Thunder game vs. the State College Spikes of the MLB Draft League, to have a look at the stars of the future with all the fun of the over-the-top fan engagement and delicious local-flavor concessions of a minor league ball park. The gates opened at 4:30 p.m. for a pre-game Happy Hour, and the group had great seats almost right behind home plate. Everyone enjoyed dinner at the ball park and got to know each other better with great conversation, going down onto the field after the game to enjoy the post-game fireworks.
PBK's Have Great Walking Tour of Outdoor Sculptures Surrounding the Philadelphia Museum of Art
On June 28, 2025, PBK's and guests enjoyed a 2-hr. guided walking tour of 16 notable sculptures surrounding the Philadelphia Museum of Art, based on the Association for Public Art narratives, following an introduction at the Rocky statue adjacent to the base of the art museum steps. After the tour, many enjoyed an optional group lunch fat the nearby Bishop's Collar restaurant for more good conversation.
4th Annual PBK Dinner with Friends
On June 17, 2025, PBK's and guests met at the White Dog Cafe in Haverford, PA for a leisurely meal, fellowship, and great conversation with old and new friends who all share a variety of wide-ranging interests. The group looks forward to the next dinner together, and welcomes even more participants. The accompanying photo shows a few of the participants in this year's dinner.
Outstanding Tour at the Hagley Museum
On May 31, 2025, PBK's and friends had a 2-hour private guided tour of the Hagley Museum outside of Wilmington, DE. The large, indoor-outdoor museum with hundreds of years of history includes the buildings and grounds of the sprawling 19th-century gunpowder factory powered by the Brandywine River where the du Pont chemical empire began, early industry demonstrations, buildings from the workers' village, the first du Pont family home and gardens in America, the new "Nation of Inventors" exhibit celebrating diverse stories of American innovation, as well as the natural beauty throughout the museum grounds. After the tour many of the group enjoyed lively conversation over lunch at nearby Buckley's Tavern.
Bird Walk & Lunch Enjoyed by PBK's and Friends
On May 3, 2025, PBK's and friends enjoyed a 2 hr. bird walk at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, Philadelphia, organized by Catherine Anderson and led by expert birders, Chuck Root and Emily Dodge. The group saw and/or heard close to 40 distinct bird species, training their binoculars on all levels of the leafy canopy, across the muddy wetlands, and into the sky. After the walk, the group enjoyed lunch at Stinger's Waterfront restaurant, with a wide-ranging conversation to cap a wonderful morning.
