In September
In September, 1941, Dr. Vivian Anderson Leonard was
asked by the president of Washington State University if he would accept the
directorship of a Police Science Academic Program at Washington State. Dr.
Leonard accepted the offer and became responsible for developing a four year
curriculum which would lead to a Bachelor's Degree in Police Administration.
Upon his arrival at Washington State, Dr. Leonard began
to realize how important it was that a Police Science Honorary be established.
The purpose of this honorary would be to promote excellence in scholarship and
performance. In January, 1942, Dr. Leonard met with seventeen Police Science
majors at Washington state and Alpha Phi Sigma was established. Glenn Hill was
elected as the first president and appointed a committee to draft the first
Constitution and By-laws.
During its initial years Alpha Phi Sigma experienced
only limited growth, but on March 24, 1976 in Dallas, Texas, the Executive Board
of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences voted unanimously to designate Alpha
Phi Sigma as the National Criminal Justice Honor Society. At this time, Alpha
Phi Sigma had only fourteen chapters; however, since then, Alpha Phi Sigma has
continued to grow and prosper at a very rapid rate and there are now over two
hundred and eighty Chapters.
Over the years the National Officers have been located
at Universities across the country, such as, Washington State University,
Midwestern State University, Eastern Kentucky University, Texas Woman's
University, Fairmont State College, Marshall University, Tarlenton State
University, Florida International University.
Academy
of Criminal Justice
Science Affiliation
At the 1976 meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice
Science in Dallas, Texas, the Academy recognized Alpha Phi Sigma as the Criminal
Justice Honor Society. Since 1978, Alpha Phi Sigma has held its national
conference in conjunction with the annual ACJS meeting. The Academy's continued
support of Alpha Phi Sigma serves to enhance Alpha Phi Sigma's purpose - the
recognition of scholarly achievement in the field criminal justice.
Member of the Association
of College
Honor Societies
The Association of College Honor Societies was
organized October 2, 1925, by a group of college and university teachers,
administrators, and representatives of a few well-established honor societies.
Its object was then and is now to consider problems of mutual interest such as
those arising from the confusion prevailing on college campuses concerning the
character, function, standards of membership, multiplicity, and undesirable
duplication of honor societies; to recommend action leading to appropriate
classification or elimination; and to promote the highest interest of honor
societies. Alpha Phi Sigma was granted membership by the Association of College
Honor Societies in 1980.
Source: Alpha Phi Sigma National Headquarters History
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