II. The Jeanne J. Kirkpatrick Initiation

Jeanne Kirkpatrick was the first woman to serve as United States Representative to the United Nations. Leavey Professor at Georgetown University, she received America’s highest civilian award, the Medal of Freedom, as well as many honorary degrees. This initiation was used when she joined Phi Beta Delta at a joint ceremony of the University of the Americas and George Washington University chapters at the Belmont Mansion of the Order of the Eastern Star in Washington, D.C. on Thursday Evening, February 17th, 2005

Setting: A table with a single candle of size and a handsome framed crest of the society.

The initiates and audience have previously been ushered and seated. Appropriate music may set the scene.

Presiding Officer: (Raps gavel.) To every tie of honor bound and worldwide our fellowship is constant found. Principal Conductor, is this chapter in order and if so, what is our first duty.

Principal Conductor: The chapter is indeed in order. Our duty is to remind ourselves of the work of Phi Beta Delta chapters throughout the world by casting a light into the darkness.

Presiding Officer: Then please honor ---------- by presentation here to light this candle.

The Principal Conductor escorts the honored guest to he table.

Principal Conductor: I take great pleasure in presenting ------------.

Presiding Officer: And I take great pleasure in inviting you to light this candle.

Candle is lit and guest is conducted back to seat.

Presiding Officer. My friends, honor societies such as ours date back many years and have a rich and meaningful history. One of our antecedents is of course Phi Beta Kappa, founded in the eighteenth century at the College of William & May and whose headquarters is happily located just across the street from our headquarters on historic New Hampshire Avenue in Washington. Though younger than Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Beta Delta has a unique position in scholarly honor societies because of its internationalism.

Associate Presiding Officer: Our founders hoped, in their own words, that Phi Beta Delta would be a catalyst in increasing the recognition of the importance of international experience, especially in education, and that the society would connect internationally-minded individuals throughout the world. These aspirations are well embodied in our crest, to which I now call your earnest attention.

Presiding Officer: The crest is depicted on a shield, which reminds us to ever defend academic freedom. Superimposed is a sunburst, reminding us that all peoples are under the same sun and from it draw strength. The three Greek letters stand for philomatheia, the love of knowledge; biothremmonia, the valuing of human life; and diapherein, the quest for excellence. The open book embraces all the wisdom of the world’s varied cultures. The torch is significant of the leadership shown by our members. The motto, Scientia Mutua Mundi, is translated as the World’s Shared Knowledge.

Associate Presiding Officer: Our colors are brilliant red and gold. The red is emblematic of the common lifeblood of all humankind, and the gold represents the energy of the sun from which we universally draw life. In conferring the medal of our society upon you, we seek to recognize your commitment to our values as taught by our symbols, your accomplishments and your accomplishments to come, and to encourage you to do even more in the days ahead to extend those values.

Here a musical interlude may be appropriate.

Presiding Officer: I will now confer the honors of our society, reminding those of us who are already members that this is for us a welcome time of recommitment.

One or more assisting officers may assist in presenting each candidate, introducing them to the Presiding Officer and helping in the bestowal of the medal and ribbon. They may escort the candidate to the Presiding Officer and then escort the candidate back to his or her seat.

After the medals have been conferred the ceremony concludes as follows.

Presiding Officer: A wise person wrote the following:

Reason, science, morality, human rights and peace – these are the definitive preoccupations of the great constructive minds….Always the world is surprised. (Jeanne J. Kirkpatrick)

So may they ever be your preoccupations. Our earnest desire is that because of what you achieve as leaders that the values of Phi Beta Delta will be extended and that the world will be surprised by the goodly influence you generate. While we extinguish the candle, we do not extinguish the light that we hope will spread in widening ripples from our gathering here – and we invite you to some moments of fellowship, congratulation, and refreshment as we greet you as new fellow members in our worldwide fraternity.

The candle is extinguished and if a musical selection if offered, the audience remains seated until its conclusion.