The Phi Beta Kappa Society
DELAWARE VALLEY ASSOCIATION
About the Delaware Valley
Association
There are more than 30,000 PBK Alumni in the Philadelphia/Delaware Valley area!
If you are one of these members, join the Phi Beta Kappa Alumni Association of the Delaware Valley! Our association has a rich history and provides Southeast Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware, and Chester counties), South Jersey (Gloucester, Camden, Burlington, and Mercer counties), and Northern Delaware area (New Castle County) members with opportunities for networking and socializing, as well as social responsibility activities, while taking advantage of the area's rich culture and history. Members are welcomed to join our
Phi Beta Kappa Association of the Delaware Valley LinkedIn group.
We also sponsor an annual Book Award that recognizes some of the region’s most successful high school seniors, and participate in community charitable and service activities.
The Association continuously welcomes new members and is always open to new ideas to expand programming. Reach out to us to learn more about plans for 2022 and beyond, and share your ideas for events or networking opportunities that you would like to see organized. info@pbkdelawarevalley.org
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Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library
Museum of the American Revolution
Membership
Our Delaware Valley Alumni Association membership region covers Phi Beta Kappa alumni living and working in the tri-state area of Southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey, and Northern Delaware, who have graduated from a large number of colleges & universities across the US. Our members come from a wide range of backgrounds and professions, with all of us interested in advancing Phi Beta Kappa’s ideals of promoting opportunities for intellectual fellowship, networking with PBK colleagues, life-long learning, recognizing student excellence in our region, and advocating for the humanities, the sciences, the arts and professions, and community & societal engagement.
Lunch after Brandywine River Museum of Art tour
History
The Phi Beta Kappa Alumni Association of the Delaware Valley was established in 1915.
Since its founding over 100 years ago, the PBK Association of the Delaware Valley has a proud history of working to create a strong network for its members by hosting social and educational activities and exploring culutural offerings in our community and hosting a LinkedIn group.
Additionally, the Association has for many years sponsored an annual Book Award to recognize graduating high school students selected by their schools for academic accomplishment consistent with the principles of Phi Beta Kappa. This program now includes approximately 65 high schools across the Delaware Valley region and is open to additional high schools that wish to participate.
PBK Alumni Association of the Delaware Valley members are welcomed to attend national PBK Visiting Scholars programs, when held at nearby university and college chapters. Members of the Association have attended PBK induction ceremonies at local universities and colleges to assist in welcoming new members into the PBK Alumni family for their life and careers after their undergraduate studies.
The Association has an active Young Professionals component for social, educational and networking opportunities for recent PBK graduates from around the country who now work and live in the Delaware Valley, tailored to the interests of members in the first several decades after college and university.
Officers
PRESIDENT
William Howard
VICE PRESIDENT
Heidi Gray-Devita
TREASURER
Ronald Anderson
SECRETARY
Patricia Kapur
EDITOR, E-NEWSLETTERS
Brigid Connolly
BOOK & MOVIE CLUB
Brigid Connolly, Chair
HIGH SCHOOL BOOK AWARD
Brigid Connolly
PROFESSIONAL CONNECTIONS
Heidi Gray-Devita
COUNCIL MEMBERS
Brigid Connolly
Regina DeRosa
Renée Donahey
Geraldine Fish
R. Alan Mason
Carissa Petzold
Shea Sandifer
Tali Segal
Steve Tillery
ADVISORS TO COUNCIL - Oct. 2024 - Oct. 2025
Matthew DeJulio
Garreth Heidt
Richard Kiger
Mary Ann Meyers
Joseph Poluka
YOUNG PROFESSIONALS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Shea Sandifer, Co-Chair
Carissa Petzold, Co-Chair
Antique Ice Tools Museum.
Wissahickon Park
P. Kapur
W. Howard
B. Connolly
R. Anderson
R. Donahey
R.A. Mason
S. Sandifer
T. Segal
G. Fish
C. Petzold
R. DeRosa
H. Gray-Devita
S. Tillery
Brandywine River Museum of Art
Fairmount Park
Grounds for Sculpture
Longwood Gardens
Officer and Council Terms and Responsibilities:
President – 1 yr. term, renewable. Responsibilities include overseeing all programs and activities of the Association, maintaining its fiscal viability, presiding over all meetings, and representing the Association vis-a-vis the national Society and other PBK Associations and Chapters.
Vice President - 1 yr. term, renewable. Responsibilities include attending to delegated responsibilities from the President, serving as President when he/she is unable, and succeeding the President in the event that he/she is unable to carry out his/her duties and responsibilities during his/her term of office.
Treasurer - 1 yr. term, renewable. Responsibilities include conducting financial transactions on behalf of the Association; overseeing and reconciling the Associations's bank account, PayPal account, e-receipts and e-payments, along with handling any paper check
incoming payments or paper check disbursements; maintaining documents and information reflecting the Association's financial condition; and providing financial reports to the Officers, Council members, and Association members.
Secretary - 1 yr. term, renewable. Responsibilities include maintaining the Association's historic paper and current e-records, attending and preparing e-Minutes of Council meetings and other meetings as directed, distributing those Minutes as appropriate, preparing and submitting e-reports to the national Society, and e-communicating with the Association's members on behalf of the Officers and Council members. Additionally the secretary monitors e-receipts for new memberships and renewals, e-maintains and regularly e-updates the Association's e-membership roll and e-newsletter mailing lists, and conducts the annual membership renewal drive by initial e-reminders/solicitations and then paper solicitations if needed.
Council Members - 9 members, approximately 3-4 virtual meetings per year. Responsibilities include overseeing the activities of the officers and the Association as a whole, and assisting the Officers with respect to the Association's programs and events, finances, membership, public relations, and relations with the national Society, other Associations, and serving as liaisons to the 11 college and university Chapters in our region, per each Council member's interests and time available.
Other Positions:
Newsletter Editor
Events Planning Chair
Young Professionals Advisory Committee (YPAC) Chair/Co-Chairs
Book & Movie Club Chair/Co-Chairs
Webmaster
Social Media Chair
Zoom Master
Key Connections Chair (annual New Inductees social function)
Elections Chair
THE NATION'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS ACADEMIC HONOR SOCIETY
Since our founding in 1776, Phi Beta Kappa has celebrated excellence in the liberal arts and sciences and championed freedom of thought. As America’s most prestigious academic honor society, we are uniquely equipped to advocate for the value and benefits of liberal arts and sciences education. We do this because we believe the curiosity and creativity cultivated by a liberal arts and sciences education are essential to making the most of life’s experiences. At Phi Beta Kappa, we are the key that opens doors to lifelong opportunity.
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Chapters at over 300 colleges and universities in the United States
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50+ alumni associations
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More than half a million members worldwide
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Noteworthy members include:
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17 U.S. presidents
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39 Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States
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Over 130 Nobel Laureates
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For more information, visit www.pbk.org