A Brief History of The Rho Chi Society
The Rho Chi Society has its origin in the merger of two movements, both commencing in 1917, to create a national honor society for pharmacy. One had started on the campus of the University of Michigan where there had been a local honor society (known as the “Aristolochite Society”) in existence at the Pharmaceutical Department since 1908. This group began to plan for national expansion in 1917, and finally established a second chapter at the School of Pharmacy of the (then) Oregon Agricultural College in 1919 and a third at the University of Oklahoma in 1922.
The other movement, originally independent of the Michigan movement, was initiated even earlier in 1917 by Rufus A. Lyman in his presidential address to the American Conference of Pharmaceutical Faculties. Under the stimulus of his suggestion, and the conscientious efforts of Professor Zada M. Cooper, it was decided to take advantage of the activity in progress at Michigan. The “Aristolochite Society” had in the meantime become the “Rho Chi Society,” and had been granted a charter by the State of Michigan on May 19, 1922. The Conference of Pharmaceutical Faculties, finding that the group met the standards which the Conference had determined upon, extended its recognition to Rho Chi, as “the Honor Society of Pharmacy.” Rho Chi, in turn, provided that chapters could be established only at colleges that were members of the Conference (now the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.)
A policy of conservative expansion followed. After five years of existence, Rho Chi could count eight chapters; and after ten years, eighteen, but thereafter, growth continued more rapidly. In 2018, there were 128 active chapters and additional chapters are anticipated at new schools of pharmacy.
The high standards maintained for membership in Rho Chi have resulted in the general recognition of the Society not only by Pharmacy, but also by academic circles generally. Since 1947, the Society has been a member of the Association of College Honor Societies.
Objectives of The Rho Chi Society
The fundamental objective of Rho Chi has always been to promote the advancement of the pharmaceutical sciences through the encouragement and recognition of sound scholarship. High standards of intellectual and scholarly attainment have been demanded for election to membership; and such election, symbolized by the award of the Rho Chi Key, supplies a unique scholarship incentive.
Rho Chi seeks to promote scholarly fellowship in pharmacy by bringing professional students, graduate students, and faculty members together in fraternal and helpful association. Regular chapter meetings, and other activities, emphasize the professional aspects of pharmacy and point the way to instructive study and research. By such means, Rho Chi, like its sister honor societies, seeks to increase the awareness of the ethical and social responsibilities of the profession, and thereby, to enhance the prestige of the profession.
The Society has also sought to encourage research in pharmacy and in1972 established a first-year graduate scholarship. In 1992, the first-year graduate scholarship was awarded in conjunction with the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education (AFPE) Board of Grants. This scholarship is awarded, on a competitive basis, to a student in the final year of professional studies or to a member who has completed professional studies. It is limited to members of the Rho Chi Society who enter graduate programs in accredited schools/colleges of pharmacy leading to the Ph.D. degree. A similar post-doctoral clinical research scholarship was established in 2003 and is administered by the Rho Chi Scholarship Committee. The Scholarship is awarded to a Rho Chi member entering the second year of fellowship training. In addition, small cash awards are presented to chapters who are selected in the Chapter Awards Program and are based upon competitive theme entries suggested each year by the Society’s Executive Council and/or sustained activities of the chapter.
The Society’s Insignia
The Greek letters, “Rho” and “Chi,” were originally selected because, when placed in the relative position in which they are found on the Rho Chi Key, they are emblematic of the prescription sign. The colors attached to the seal of membership were chosen to indicate the royalty of purple and the loyalty of white. The eight sides of the Key, although they have had different meanings in the past, now represent chemistry, biology, physiology, pharmaceutics, pharmacology, and the biomedical, social/administrative, and clinical sciences.
Society Publications
Beginning in 1933 and for the next 60 years, the Society published its annual report, The Report of Rho Chi, containing complete accounts of the activities of the Executive Council, the National Office, and local chapters, and distributed the Report in print version among collegiate and honorary members at their initiation. Although the Report of Rho Chi is no longer printed, the content is nonetheless published through the Society’s Website, www.rhochi.org.
Roy A. Bowers and David L. Cowen published their history of the Society in 1955 in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education (1955; 19:244-284). In that same year, the First Edition of the book now known as the “History of The Rho Chi Society” was published.
A historical study, called The Rho Chi Society by Roy A. Bowers and David L. Cowen, was issued by the Society in 1955 in cooperation with the American Institute of the History of Pharmacy. This work was first published in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education (1955;19:244-284). The fifth revision, edited by Robert A. Buerki, published in 1992 is the current edition. In the future, The Rho Chi Society will be published through the Society’s Website.
The Fifth Edition of the Society’s history, “The Rho Chi Society”, as revised by Historian Robert A. Buerki from The Ohio State University, was published in 1994. A limited number of copies are available from the Society’s National Office.
An online version of the Society’s history is in preparation and will be accessible from this page when completed.
Current information about the Society, useful both for members and non-members, can be found at the Society’s Internet site, www.rhochi.org. Members and guests are welcome to visit the site or to contact the National Office through email at RhoChiSociety@umich.edu for further information.
Rho Chi Society Chapters
Chartered
Chapter
University
City
State
-
1922 0
Alpha
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor
MI
-
1922 0
Gamma
University of Oklahoma
Oklahoma City
OK
-
1922 0
Beta
Oregon State University
Corvallis
OR
-
1923 0
Delta
University of Iowa
Iowa City
IA
-
1925 0
Zeta
Auburn University
Auburn
AL
-
1925 0
Eta
University of Wisconsin
Madison
WI
-
1925 0
Epsilon
Washington State University (Spokane)
Pullman
WA
-
1925 0
Theta
University of Southern California
Los Angeles
CA
-
1928 0
Iota
University of Florida
Gainesville
FL
-
1928 0
Kappa
North Dakota State University
Fargo
ND
-
1929 0
Xi
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill
NC
-
1929 0
Lambda
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond
VA
-
1930 0
Omicron
University of Maryland
Baltimore
MD
-
1930 0
Mu
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis
MN
-
1930 0
Nu
University of Texas at Austin
Austin
TX
-
1931 0
Tau
South Dakota State University
Brookings
SD
-
1931 0
Rho
University of Washington Medical Center
Seattle
WA
-
1931 (16) 1
Pi (Inactive)
North Pacific College of Oregon
Portland
OR
-
1931 (18) 1
Sigma (Inactive)
Western Reserve University
Cleveland
OH
-
1934 0
Upsilon
The Ohio State University
Columbus
OH
-
1934 0
Phi
The University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago
IL
-
1937 0
Chi
University of Mississippi
University
MS
-
1939 0
Psi
MCPHS University
Boston
MA
-
1940 0
Omega
University at Buffalo
Buffalo
NY
-
1941 0
Alpha Beta
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh
PA
-
1941 0
Alpha Alpha
Creighton University
Omaha
NE
-
1942 0
Alpha Gamma
University of Connecticut
Storrs
CT
-
1942 (28) 1
Alpha Delta (Inactive)
Loyola University of the South
New Orleans
LA
-
1943 0
Alpha Epsilon
University of Nebraska
Omaha
NE
-
1945 0
Alpha Zeta
Purdue University
West Lafayette
IN
-
1947 0
Alpha Eta
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Piscataway
NJ
-
1948 0
Alpha Theta
University of Colorado
Denver
CO
-
1948 0
Alpha Nu
University of Tennessee
Memphis
TN
-
1948 0
Alpha Iota
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston
SC
-
1949 0
Alpha Mu
West Virginia University
Morgantown
WV
-
1949 0
Alpha Xi
University of Kentucky
Lexington
KY
-
1949 (35) 0
Alpha Lambda
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco
CA
-
1949 0
Alpha Kappa
University of Georgia
Athens
GA
-
1950 0
Alpha Omicron
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
PA
-
1951 0
Alpha Rho
University of Kansas
Lawrence
KS
-
1951 0
Alpha Upsilon
Idaho State University
Pocatello
ID
-
1951 0
Alpha Tau
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
Philadelphia
PA
-
1951 0
Alpha Sigma
Drake University
Des Moines
IA
-
1951 1
Alpha Pi (Inactive)
University of Arizona Alumni
Tucson
AZ
-
1953 0
Alpha Chi
Wayne State University
Detroit
MI
-
1953 0
Alpha Phi
Butler University
Indianapolis
IN
-
1954 0
Beta Beta
Samford University
Birmingham
AL
-
1954 0
Alpha Omega
University of Missouri - Kansas City
Kansas City
MO
-
1954 0
Alpha Psi
University of Arizona
Tucson
AZ
-
1954 0
Beta Delta
St. John's University
Jamaica
NY
-
1954 0
Beta Alpha
University of South Carolina
Columbia
SC
-
1954 (51) 1
Beta Gamma (Inactive)
Columbia University
New York City
NY
-
1955 0
Beta Mu
Ferris State University
Big Rapids
MI
-
1955 0
Beta Iota
University of Arkansas
Little Rock
AR
-
1955 0
Beta Kappa
St. Louis College of Pharmacy
St. Louis
MO
-
1955 (53) 0
Beta Epsilon
University of Utah
Salt Lake City
UT
-
1955 (55) 0
Beta Eta
University of Toledo
Toledo
OH
-
Array Array
Beta Lambda
Array
Array
Array
-
1955 0
Beta Theta
Long Island University
Brooklyn
NY
-
1955 (54) 1
Beta Zeta (Inactive)
George Washington University
Washington
DC
-
1956 0
Beta Nu
University of Cincinnati - Medical Center
Cincinnati
OH
-
1956 (62) 1
Beta Xi (Inactive)
Fordham University
New York City
NY
-
1958 0
Beta Omicron
University of Houston
Houston
TX
-
1959 0
Beta Pi
University of Rhode Island
Kingston
RI
-
1960 0
Beta Rho
University of Montana
Missoula
MT
-
1960 (66) 0
Beta Sigma
Howard University College of Pharmacy
Washington
DC
-
1961 0
Beta Phi
University of Wyoming
Laramie
WY
-
1961 0
Beta Upsilon
Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Weatherford
OK
-
1961 (70) 0
Beta Chi
University of Louisiana at Monroe
Monroe
LA
-
1961 0
Beta Tau
Northeastern University
Boston
MA
-
1962 0
Beta Psi
Ohio Northern University
Ada
OH
-
1964 (72) 0
Beta Omega
University of the Pacific
Stockton
CA
-
1967 0
Gamma Alpha
Mercer University
Atlanta
GA
-
1968 (74) 0
Gamma Beta
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque
NM
-
1976 0
Gamma Gamma
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Albany
NY
-
1977 0
Gamma Epsilon
Xavier University of Louisiana
New Orleans
LA
-
1977 0
Gamma Delta
Texas Southern University
Houston
TX
-
1980 0
Gamma Zeta
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Tallahassee
FL
-
1986 0
Gamma Eta
University of Puerto Rico
San Juan
PR
-
1991 0
Gamma Theta
Nova Southeastern University
Ft. Lauderdale
FL
-
1994 0
Gamma Iota
Campbell University
Buies Creek
NC
-
1995 0
Gamma Kappa
Midwestern University
Downers Grove
IL
-
Array Array
Gamma Lambda
Array
Array
Array
-
2000 0
Gamma Mu
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Amarillo
TX
-
2001 0
Gamma Nu
Midwestern University
Glendale
AZ
-
2002 (86) 0
Gamma Xi
Hampton University
Hampton
VA
-
2003 0
Gamma Pi
MCPHS University - Worcester
Worcester
MA
-
2004 0
Gamma Rho
Loma Linda University
Loma Linda
CA
-
2005 0
Gamma Upsilon
South University
Savannah
GA
-
2005 0
Gamma Phi
Wingate University
Wingate
NC
-
2005 0
Gamma Omicron
Shenandoah University
Winchester
VA
-
2005 0
Gamma Tau
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (Erie)
Erie
PA
-
2005 0
Gamma Sigma
Western University of Health Sciences
Pomona
CA
-
2006 0
Gamma Chi
Palm Beach Atlantic University
West Palm Beach
FL
-
2008 0
Delta Beta
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Edwardsville
IL
-
2008 0
Gamma Omega
Texas A&M Health Science Center
Kingsville
TX
-
2008 (095) 1
Gamma Psi (Inactive - 2019)
South Carolina College of Pharmacy
Columbia/ Charleston
SC
-
2008 (97) 0
Delta Alpha
Appalachian College of Pharmacy
Oakwood
VA
-
2010 0
Delta Gamma
University of British Columbia
Vancouver
BC
-
2011 0
Delta Zeta
St. John Fisher College
Rochester
NY
-
2011 0
Delta Eta
University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio
TX
-
2011 0
Delta Delta
Touro University - California
Vallejo
CA
-
2011 0
Delta Epsilon
East Tennessee State University
Johnson City
TN
-
2012 0
Delta Iota
University of Hawai'i at Hilo
Hilo
HI
-
2012 (106) 0
Delta Kappa
Sullivan University
Louisville
KY
-
2012 0
Delta Lambda
University of Charleston School of Pharmacy
Charleston
WV
-
2012 (104) 0
Delta Theta
University of Findlay
Findlay
OH
-
2013 0
Delta Nu
Touro College of Pharmacy
New York
NY
-
2013 0
Delta Pi
Lipscomb University
Nashville
TN
-
2013 0
Delta Xi
Chicago State University
Chicago
IL
-
2013 0
Delta Omicron
Harding University
Searcy
AR
-
2013 (113) 0
Delta Rho
Union University
Jackson
TN
-
2013 (108) 0
Delta Mu
Belmont University
Nashville
TN
-
2014 0
Delta Sigma
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Princess Anne
MD
-
2014 (116) 0
Delta Upsilon
California Northstate University
Elk Grove
CA
-
2014 (119) 0
Delta Psi
Regis University
Denver
CO
-
2014 0
Delta Chi
University of New England
Portland
ME
-
2014 0
Delta Tau
Notre Dame of Maryland University
Baltimore
MD
-
2014 (117) 0
Delta Phi
Northeast Ohio Medical University
Rootstown
OH
-
2015 0
Epsilon Beta
D'Youville University
Buffalo
NY
-
2015 0
Epsilon Zeta
Concordia University Wisconsin
WI
-
2015 0
Epsilon Alpha
University of Saint Joseph
Hartford
CT
-
2015 (120) 0
Delta Omega
Presbyterian College
Clinton
SC
-
2015 (123) 0
Epsilon Gamma
Husson Univeristy
Bangor
ME
-
2015 (124) 0
Epsilon Delta
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine - Georgia Campus
Suwanee
GA
-
2016 0
Epsilon Eta
South College
Knoxville 37922
TN
-
2016 0
Epsilon Epsilon
Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia
PA
-
2016 0
Epsilon Iota
Western New England University
Springfield
MA
-
2016 0
Epsilon Kappa
University of South Florida
Tampa
FL
-
2016 0
Epsilon Lambda
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
N. Chicago
IL
-
2016 (128) 0
Epsilon Theta
Roosevelt University
Schaumburg
IL
-
2017 0
Epsilon Mu
Cedarville University
Cedarville
OH
-
2017 (133) 0
Epsilon Nu
Manchester University
Fort Wayne
IN
-
2018 0
Epsilon Omicron
Fairleigh Dickinson
Florham Park
NJ
-
2018 0
Epsilon Xi
Marshall University
Huntington
WV
-
2019 0
Epsilon Rho
Chapman University
Irvine
CA
-
2019 (136) 0
Epsilon Pi
University of North Texas Health Science Center
Fort Worth
TX
-
2020 0
Epsilon Tau
West Coast University
Los Angeles
CA
-
2020 0
Epsilon Sigma
The University of Texas at Tyler
Tyler
TX
-
2020 0
Epsilon Upsilon
KGI - Keck Graduate Institute
Claremont
CA
1 denotes an in-active chapter