When William Henry Letterman and Charles Page Thomas Moore gathered in the cold of the western Pennsylvania winter in 1852, they did so to create something new and different. Thanks to the recent work of Historian Mike McCoy Indiana ’58 and Archivist Timothy Tangen Minn.-Duluth ’03, we now can assuredly say that a typhoid outbreak on the Jefferson College campus (the illness had been in dispute for years) was what brought the two men together in the bond of service. But their mutual connection to serving the less fortunate, coupled with a desire to create a fraternity of higher moral character, was not immediately shared by others on the evening of February 19, 1852. 

Two men had a vision. 

That vision would lead to where we are today. Not just a different Fraternity, but a different world. One where Greek life exists openly on almost all college campuses, but still battles the scrutiny and skepticism that Brothers Letterman and Moore dealt with generations ago. As a member-based organization, our future rests in the hands of over 117,000 men who have been initiated into the same ideals that created our strong band 160 years ago. With more than 70,000 living members, we have the power to influence the world, strengthen those ideals and share the vision of how Phi Kappa Psi members – gentlemen – can improve the world around us. 

This past summer, the Phi Kappa Psi Headquarters Staff was charged by the Executive Council with updating our vision and mission statements, in addition to our strategic plan. In order for our organization to be successful now and in the future, all of those components must interact seamlessly. 

Shared experiences allow us to succeed in our careers and relationships 

This vision statement (unlike our mission, tag line, motto, Creed and others) does not directly reference our founding commitment to service. Instead, it takes our mission and activates it 

into a working benefit for all of our members. By joining Phi Kappa Psi and following the values of Brothers Letterman, Moore and all that came before us, we are united by a brotherhood that lives the values of service, respect, integrity and selflessness. Those shared experiences, occurring largely in the formative years of college, build men that move forward to influence the world in a variety of ways. 

What better way to celebrate the founding of our Fraternity than by gathering with thousands of other brothers to share an experience and share our values? We strongly encourage each and every member of our beloved Fraternity to find a Founders Day celebration near you. Our alumni associations and chapters provide the perfect, natural way for us to gather and grow. But, more than just attending and enjoying the natural benefits of brotherhood, help Share the Vision by: 

1. Inviting a brother you haven’t spoken to for a while to be your guest at an event; 
2. Engage in a conversation about how your Phi Kappa Psi membership has impacted your life, especially to any undergraduates in attendance;
3. Seek out representatives of the Executive Council or Headquarters Staff to talk about the direction and mission of the Fraternity; 
4. Challenge those perhaps driven by the negative stereotype of fraternity life to understand the true value Phi Kappa Psi provides.  

Together, we can share our collective vision of what Phi Kappa Psi has stood for since 1852, and will continue to stand for as new generations are initiated each year.