Phi Beta Kappa (ΦΒΚ), founded at the College of William and Mary on December 5, 1776, is the oldest and most prestigious academic honors organization in the United States. Its mission is to recognize academic excellence, promote the benefits of education in the liberal arts and sciences, and champion freedom of thought. As of today, Phi Beta Kappa has chapters at 287 of the country's most respected colleges and universities, and on those campuses the organization inducts as members about 20,000 of the top liberal arts and sciences graduates. Phi Beta Kappa's current living membership is about 600,000, and it includes a wide spectrum of accomplished individuals: seven of the eight sitting members of the U.S. Supreme Court, seventeen U.S. Presidents, leaders of major companies and small start ups, as well as hundreds of thousands of people who are putting their liberal arts education to work for the betterment of society in a wide variety of professions.
On the front of the Phi Beta Kappa key, a pointing finger symbolizes the ambition of the young scholars who founded the organization. Three stars symbolize the three distinguishing principles of the Society: friendship, morality, and literature (scholarship). On the back of the key are the letters S and P, initials for the Latin motto Societas Philosophiae, or "philosophical society."