Clemson inducts 35 students into Phi Beta Kappa as America’s oldest academic honor society celebrates 250 years

College of Arts and Humanities

Phi Beta Kappa, America’s most prestigious academic honor society, welcomed 35 Clemson students into its Delta chapter at its 2026 induction ceremony.

“I’m honored to welcome another strong cohort of students into Phi Beta Kappa’s storied tradition of friendship, morality and literature,” said Katherine Weisensee, Delta chapter president and chair of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice. “I look forward to their powerful futures as they live out our motto, ‘Love of learning is the guide of life.’”

Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, established by five students at the College of William & Mary in 1776, in the midst of the American Revolution. It continues to champion free inquiry and learning in the arts and sciences. Its members have included 17 U.S. presidents, 42 Supreme Court Justices, and more than 150 Nobel Laureates.

Only ten percent of U.S. colleges and universities have Phi Beta Kappa chapters, and invitations are extended to approximately the top ten percent of arts and sciences graduates. Requirements for invitation include a minimum 3.7 grade point average in liberal arts and sciences courses, foreign language knowledge and a record of academic integrity.

“Membership in Phi Beta Kappa is a mark of excellence that these students will be able to carry with them for a lifetime,” Weisensee said. “I’m proud to see such a stellar group of scholars joining our ranks.”