Honor Society

General Information and History

The Phi Alpha Honor Society is the National Honor Society for social work students. Phi Alpha was formed on a National level in 1962 and six chapters qualified to become "charter chapters". They were: Florida State University, Michigan State University, Ohio Northern University, Central State College, University of Dayton and the University of Tennessee.

Phi Alpha offers membership to social work students, faculty and practitioners, and each chapter is free to develop a program to meet local needs. The National Council is the policy-making body and meets each year at the time and place of the Annual program meeting of CSWE. Each chapter has one voting representative in the Council.

Each university with a CSWE accredited undergraduate or graduate social work work program, as is the BSW at ULM, is assigned a Phi Alpha chapter.  Chi Beta, the ULM Chapter of Phi Alpha National Honor Society for Social Work, was established in 1991 by then ULM SW Program Head, Dr. Judy Noel.  In 1997, Dr. Anita Sharma, ULM SW Faculty, became the Chi Beta Chapter of Phi Alpha Advisor.  Dr. Sharma served in that capacity for 21 years until, in 2018, she passed the Advisor role to Dr. Jenny Savage. The advisor role was passed to Professor Specks in 2021. Every Academic Year, throughout its 27 years at ULM, Chi Beta Chapter of Phi Alpha, has inducted students of outstanding academic achievement.

Purpose

The purposes of Phi Alpha Honor Society are to provide a closer bond among students of social work and promote humanitarian goals and ideals. Phi Alpha fosters high standards of education for social workers and invites those into membership who have attained excellence in scholarship and achievement in social work.

Motto: "Through knowledge - the challenge to serve"

Each Chapter Participates In:

• Acts of Altruism
• Community Outreach Projects
• Fundraisers
• Social Activities

Qualifications For Acceptance

• Cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above
• Completed 9 credit hours in core courses
• A grade point average of 3.25 in social work courses
• Social Work Student with Junior standing

If you are a ULM Social Work major in your junior or senior year and believe you qualify for induction and membership in Chi Beta Chapter of Phi Alpha Honor Society, for more information contact:

Christian Specks
specks@ulm.edu