Pi Alpha Xi Explained

Pi Alpha Xi (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΠΑΞ) is an American collegiate honor society for horticulture founded in 1923 at Cornell University.

History

After attending the 1923 International Flower Show in New York City, a group from Cornell University had the idea to start the honor society.^{[1] [2]} Under the leadership of Professor Arno Nehrling, the Pi Alpha Xi constitution, ritual, and insignia/key were developed. Alpha chapter was installed at Cornell on June 1, 1923.

Pi Alpha Xi was established as an honor society for floriculture and ornamental horticulture but later changed to include all horticultural disciplines. Its mission is promoting fellowship, professional leadership, and scholarship and to enrich life through plants. Chapters are located in four-year colleges and universities that have horticultural programs.

By 1950, Pi Alpha Xi, chapters were established at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Beta), Pennsylvania State University (Gamma), Michigan State University (Delta), Ohio State University (Epsilon), Rutgers University (Zeta), Washington State University (Eta), and the University of Maryland, College Park (Theta). The society's added a significant number of chapters during the 1970s. As of January 24, 2024, Pi Alpha Xi has forty chapters and 14,000 members. Its publication is the Lotus Leaflet.

Pi Alpha Xi is managed by the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS), based in Alexandria, Virginia. Its annual business meeting is held in conjunction with the ASHS annual conference.

Symbols

The society's name was selected to represent:^[3]

• Pi (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Π) – the first letter of polumathia, or scholarship;
• Alpha (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Α) - from the word anthemorgous, meaning to work with plants;
• Xi (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ξ) – for zunoia, signifying the bond among gardeners, educators, and professional horticulturists.^[4]

Its colors are Nile green and cerulean blue, and its flower is the Nile lotus. Its symbols include the stylus, the Nile lotus, the Egyptian hoe, and the ancient vase.^[5] The motto of Pi Alpha Xi is "Always to Excel".

Its badge is a pin or key which is inscribed with the Greek letters Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΠΑΞ and the stylus, Egyptian hoe, Nile lotus, and the ancient vase.

Membership

Membership is open to undergraduate students who are juniors and seniors interested in floriculture, landscape horticulture, or ornamental horticulture who meet GPA requirements. Faculty and graduate students are also eligible for membership. The society also issues honorary memberships.

Activities

Primarily, Pi Alpha Xi exists to recognize academic excellence. The national society sponsors the Pi Alpha Phi Annual Photography Contest, and publishes the Pi Alpha Xi Flower Judging Manual. It also recognizes Fellows from the Pi Alpha Phi membership for service or excellence in floriculture, landscape horticulture, ornamental horticulture, or Pi Alpha Phi. There is a limit of 25 living Fellows.

Some chapters also sponsor field trips to horticultural sites and lectures with guest speakers. Chapters also sponsor scholarships so that members can attend the ASHS conference. The national organization matches local scholarships.

Chapters

Following is a list of Pi Alpha Xi chapters.^{[6] [7]} Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters and institutions are in italics.

Chapter	Charter date and range	Institution	Location	Status	References
Alpha		Cornell University	Ithaca, New York	Active	[8]
Beta		University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	Urbana, Illinois	Active
Gamma		Pennsylvania State University	University Park, Pennsylvania	Active
Delta		Michigan State University	East Lansing, Michigan	Active
Epsilon		Ohio State University	Columbus, Ohio	Active	[9]
Zeta		Rutgers University	New Brunswick, New Jersey	Active
Eta		Washington State University	Pullman, Washington	Active
Theta		University of Maryland, College Park	College Park, Maryland	Active
Iota		North Carolina State University	Raleigh, North Carolina	Active	[10]
Kappa		Virginia Tech	Blacksburg, Virginia	Active	[11]
Lambda		University of Minnesota	Saint Paul, Minnesota	Active
Mu		University of Florida	Gainesville, Florida	Active
Nu		Auburn University	Auburn, Alabama	Active
Xi		New Mexico State University	Las Cruces, New Mexico	Active
Omicron		Purdue University	West Lafayette, Indiana	Active
Pi		Clemson University	Clemson, South Carolina	Active
Rho		University of Wisconsin–Madison	Madison, Wisconsin	Active
Sigma		Southern Illinois University Carbondale	Carbondale, Illinois	Active
Tau		University of Georgia	Athens, Georgia	Active
Upsilon		California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo	San Luis Obispo, California	Active
Phi		South Dakota State University	Brookings, South Dakota	Active
Psi		Texas A&M University	College Station, Texas	Active
Chi		Colorado State University	Fort Collins, Colorado	Active	[12]
Omega		Kansas State University	Manhattan, Kansas	Active	[13]
Alpha Beta		University of Tennessee	Knoxville, Tennessee	Active
Alpha Gamma		University of Nebraska–Lincoln	Lincoln, Nebraska	Active	[14]
Alpha Delta		Oklahoma State University–Stillwater	Stillwater, Oklahoma	Active
Alpha Epsilon	Spring 1984	University of California, Davis	Davis, California	Active
Alpha Zeta		University of Wisconsin–River Falls	River Falls, Wisconsin	Active
Alpha Eta	Spring 1985	Delaware Valley University	Doylestown, Pennsylvania	Active
Alpha Theta		Iowa State University	Ames, Iowa	Active	[15]
Alpha Iota		Texas Tech University	Lubbock, Texas	Active
Alpha Kappa	Spring 1990	Mississippi State University	Starkville, Mississippi	Active
Alpha Lambda		Florida A&M University	Tallahassee, Florida	Active
Alpha Mu	Spring 1992	Temple University	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Active
Alpha Nu		Utah State University	Logan, Utah	Active
Alpha Xi		Texas State University	San Marcos, Texas	Active
Alpha Omicron		University of Arkansas	Fayetteville, Arkansas	Active
Alpha Pi		University of Wisconsin–Platteville	Platteville, Wisconsin	Active
Alpha Rho		Oregon State University	Corvallis, Oregon	Active	[16] [17]
Alpha Sigma		University of Wyoming	Laramie, Wyoming	Active
Alpha Tau		University of Maine	Orono, Maine	Active

Notes and References

1. Web site: Pi Alpha Xi . 2024-01-23 . American Society for Horticultural Science.
2. Albrecht, Mary Lewes. "Pi Alpha Xi—A Tradition of Excellence in Floriculture, Landscape Horticulture, and Ornamental Horticulture" . HortTechnology. 12 (3): 373-376. July 2002. Retrieved January 22, 2024 – via Pi Alpha Xi.
3. http://web.utk.edu/~ewillis2/symbols.html Pi Alpha Xi Symbols
4. http://w.ashs.org/pax/index.php/newsletter/letter-from-your-president/43-letter-from-your-president4 Letter From Your President – 43
5. Book: Baird's Manual of American Fraternities . Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. . 1991 . 978-0963715906 . Anson . Jack L. . 20th . Indianapolis, IN . VII-41–42 . Marchenasi . Robert F. .
6. https://ashs.org/general/custom.asp?page=RosterofChapters Roster of Chapters
7. July 2002 . Chapters of Pi Alpha Xi as of August 2001 . HortTechnology . 12 . 3 . 375 . January 22, 2024 . Pi Alpha Xi.
8. Web site: Cramer . Craig . November 16, 2021 . Pi Alpha Xi welcomes new members . January 22, 2024 . Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
9. Web site: Pi Alpha Xi : Find a Student Organization : Student Activities . 2024-01-23 . The Ohio State University.
10. Web site: 2014-08-25 . History . 2024-01-23 . Pi Alpha Xi - Iota Chapter at N.C. State University . en-US.
11. Web site: Pi Alpha Xi - GobblerConnect . 2024-01-23 . Virginia Tech.
12. Web site: Pi Alpha Xi College of Agricultural Sciences . 2024-01-23 . Colorado State University . en-US.
13. Web site: Pi Alpha Xi Honor Society Horticulture and Natural Resources . 2024-01-23 . Kansas State University.
14. Web site: Pi Alpha Xi – Alpha-Gamma Chapter Department of Agronomy and Horticulture . 2024-01-23 . University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
15. Web site: Pi Alpha Xi Department of Horticulture . 2024-01-23 . Iowa State University . en-US.
16. Web site: 2022-07-27 . Pi Alpha Xi College of Agricultural Sciences Department of Horticulture . 2024-01-23 . Oregon State University . en.
17. Web site: HORTICULTURE STUDENTS RECOGNIZED DURING PI ALPHA XI INITIATION CEREMONY AND CHARTER PRESENTATION. Oregon State University. 2024-02-09.