Kappa Omicron Nu

Kappa Omicron Nu (ΚΟΝ) is a college honor society, based in the United States, for students in human sciences. Kappa Omicron Nu chapters are located at colleges and universities that offer a strong human sciences program. Its mission is to promote empowered leaders through excellence in scholarship, leadership, and research in the human sciences. There is also a strong focus on service, and contribution to the local community.

Kappa Omicron Nu
ΚΟΝ
FoundedFebruary 21, 1990 (1990-02-21) (Consolidation)
Michigan State University and Northwest Missouri State University
TypeHonor Society
AffiliationACHS and PFA (former)
EmphasisHuman Sciences
ScopeInternational
Colors  Maroon and   Gold
PublicationUndergraduate Research Journal for the Human Sciences (URJHS)
   KON Forum
      KON Dialogue
Predecessor GroupsOmicron Nu April 23, 1912 (1912-04-23) (MSU),
Kappa Omicron Phi December 11, 1922 (1922-12-11) (NWMSU)
HeadquartersPO Box 798
Okemos, MI 48805-0798
WebsiteOfficial website

As with most college honor societies, most members join as current college students, who are invited after displaying excellence in scholarship. After joining, members remain members for life. Members join local chapters, which communicate with a national office.

KON is a non-profit organization, and is accredited by the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS).

History

Kappa Omicron Nu was established on February 21, 1990, through consolidation of Omicron Nu and Kappa Omicron Phi.[1] Both groups had been members of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS). The notion of consolidation came from a strategic planning session for the Administrative leadership of the two organizations. Phi Upsilon Omicron was also invited to join in the discussion of forming one Honor Society, but demurred. Consolidation was eased by an initial period of three years where the two groups were managed by a single administrative office.

Other suggested names for the consolidated groups were Omicron Society and Sigma Rho Lambda.[2]

By the time of the merger, the two groups shared the same publication: Home Economics FORUM, now the ΚΟΝ Forum.[2]

Omicron Nu, Kappa Omicron Phi, and Phi Upsilon Omicron were all honor societies for specialization in home economics. When Omicron Nu and Kappa Omicron Phi consolidated into Kappa Omicron Nu they too began with a focus on home economics. As the home economics profession evolved, in 1994 the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) changed the name of the profession from "home economics" to "family and consumer sciences" to better reflect the changing needs in the United States and the current scope of topics related to this field. After this change Kappa Omicron Nu changed its specialization from "home economics" to "human sciences."

Omicron Nu

Omicron Nu was founded at Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University) on April 23, 1912.[3][4]

The founders were six faculty members and eleven student members.[5]

  • Faculty: Agnes Hunt (Cade), Lillian Peppard, Louise Freyhofer, Grace Stevens, Hazel Berg (Layer), Maude Gilchrist[6]
  • Students: Vera Coffeen, Verna Allen, Fernell Allen, Alida Dearborn, Josephine Hart, Bessie G. Howe, Lillian M. Mullenbach, Helen Louise Norton, Lutie E. Robinson, Helen M. Sheldon, and Philena E. Smith.

At the time of the discussion of the merger in 1989, Omicron Nu had 65,000 members, 50 active chapters, five Alumni Chapters and a National Alumni Chapter.[2]

Omicron Nu was a founding member of the Professional Panhellenic Association, a predecessor to the PFA. Omicron Nu joined the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) in 1951 and was readmitted in 1968.[1]

Kappa Omicron Phi

Kappa Omicron Phi was founded at Northwest Missouri State College (now Northwest Missouri State University) on December 11, 1922.[1][7] The name, Kappa Omicron Phi, was suggested by Mabel Cook, a student in the dietetics class of Hettie Margaret Anthony. Miss Anthony, who was the head of the school's Home Economics department, was a leader in Kappa Omicron Phi for the first 14 years of its existence.[8]

At the time of the discussion of the merger in 1989, Omicron Nu had 26,000 members, 79 active chapters, eight Alumni Chapters and an Alumni Chapter-Large.[2]

Eligibility

Undergraduate members are required to:[9]

  • Have declared a major in one of the human sciences
  • Have completed 45 semester hours or equivalent
  • Rank in the top 25% of their class in the unit

Graduate members are required to:

  • Have declared a major in one of the human sciences
  • Have completed 12 semester hours or equivalent
  • Have a minimum GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.

Some professionals are offered membership, usually because of active volunteerism or involvement with the organization, however the vast majority of members join as college students.

Membership is available to professionals and majors in any of the following or related specialty areas, including: consumer resource management, design, exercise science, family and consumer sciences education, financial planning, food science and human nutrition, health sciences, human environment and housing, individual and family development, institution/hotel/restaurant management, interior design, kinesiology, leadership, marital and family therapy, merchandising management, textiles/apparel and clothing.[10]

Chapter listing

Designation of Chapters[11]

A chapter, which was formed by the predecessor society Kappa Omicron Phi, shall have the prefix "Kappa" before its Greek-letter chapter name. A chapter, which was formed by the predecessor society Omicron Nu, shall have the prefix "Omicron" before its Greek-letter name. The first collegiate chapter chartered by Kappa Omicron Nu shall be designated Nu Alpha, and the remainder of the chapters shall follow according to the Greek alphabet with the prefix "Nu."

Chartered as Kappa Omicron Phi

Chartered as Omicron Nu

Chartered as Kappa Omicron Nu

References
  1. ACHS Member Directory 2010/2011 Archived 2011-10-30 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Consolidation Plan - Home Economics Forum Volume 3, Number 2
  3. Dialogue Volume 21 Issue 1
  4. "University of Texas Austin - Cactus Yearbook (Austin, TX), Class of 1931, Page 247". E-yearbook.com. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
  5. History of the founding of Omicron Nu by Maude Gilcrist
  6. "Maude Gilchrist | Special Collections & University Archives". scua.library.uni.edu. Retrieved 2020-07-15.
  7. "Northwest Missouri State University - Tower Yearbook (Maryville, MO), Class of 1956, Page 102". E-yearbook.com. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
  8. Kappa Omicron Nu Membership Handbook
  9. "Eligibility: Collegiate/Professional - Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society". Kon.org. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
  10. "The Misson of Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society". Kon.org. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
  11. Kappa Omicron Nu Constitution
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