Almost 150 years ago, our founders, William Henry Letterman and Charles P. T. Moore, were attending Jefferson College in the western Pennsylvania town of Canonsburg. An epidemic of influenza had struck the campus, and Letterman and Moore spent many long night vigils nursing and watching over their stricken friends. From these humanitarian efforts, an appreciation of the great joy of serving others came into their lives.
Calling a number of others to join them in an association to promote service, scholarship and leadership, a Brotherhood was founded on February 19, 1852. It grew, survived and gradually spread among college men of the country. These founders of Phi Kappa Psi taught a new fraternity - a fraternity which should supplement the work of the university by cultivating those humanities "without which the educated man fails of his great usefulness."
At the time of our founding, Jefferson College was on considered one of the "Big Three" in what was known as the "Jeffersonian Cradle." The other two institutions comprising this group, Harvard and Princeton, were of very nearly equal size and equal high esteem. These institutions all graduated predominantly ministers, lawyers and physicians from an academic curricula based in classical literature, religious doctrine and basic sciences.
Phi Kappa Psi recognizes the need and value of the best and broadest education possible and encourages that goal within our membership. But unless actuated by a proper love for and service to mankind, the educated man may often waste his talents. It is to counteract this tendency that Phi Kappa Psi was founded to encourage the best in men, to inspire and assist them to reach their potential as students, brothers, men and citizens.
Since 1852, Phi Kappa Psi has granted over 140 charters to college and university chapters and initiated over 90,000 members. Today, ninety chapters and colonies are active in promoting the Phi Kappa Psi experience.