Phi Alpha Theta
Kappa Omega Chapter

Phi Alpha Theta is the national honor society in history. It is open to any undergraduate student who has achieved excellence in the study of history. Organized on March 17, 1921 at the University of Arkansas, the society now has over active chapters in all fifty states, and the total number of initiates since its inception tops 200,000. Holy Cross's chapter, Kappa Omega, was founded on 31 March 1966. Emeritus Professors John B. Anderson, James T. Flynn, and James F. Powers were three of its charter members.

For invitation to Holy Cross's chapter, candidates must have completed six Holy Cross history courses and have a cumulative GPA of 3.20 and a departmental GPA of 3.50. A formal ceremony of initiation is held in the winter of the second semester and is attended by initiates, Phi Alpha Theta members, faculty, and parents.

Phi Alpha Theta is a professional society whose purpose is the promotion of the study of history through the encouragement of research, good teaching, publication, and the exchange of learning and ideas among students and faculty of history. The Society publishes The Historian, a refereed historical quarterly offering both scholarly articles and book reviews. The organization also hosts annual national and regional conferences for undergraduates to present their scholarly work and grants a variety of awards for student writing and graduate study.

The Kappa Omega chapter at Holy Cross hosts a number of events every year that are designed to cultivate intellectual historical exchanges outside of the classroom and to foster relationships between history majors and their professors. Every fall, the Kappa Omega chapter hosts a department barbecue for majors and faculty to celebrate the new academic year. The chapter also plans other meetings and activities like film nights, museum visits, and lectures.