Abstract
Honorary physical education society, active on the UND campus since 1949
Administrative/Biographical History
The national Physical Education honorary society Phi Epsilon Kappa was founded in 1913 at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. The 25th collegiate branch of the organization was founded at the University of North Dakota in 1949 as the Alpha Kappa Chapter. This honorary society drew its prospective members from physical education majors and minors, and from local instructors and coaches at nearby schools. Members were exclusively male until the late 1970s when females in the field belonged to a separate society. It promoted activities related to physical education such as athletic events, intramurals, and conferences. The chapter supported itself throughout the school year and summer with fundraising from lifeguard duty, coat check services, and program sales at campus athletic events. The society also encouraged philanthropic services including sports clinics, local refereeing, and hospitality and coffee rooms. The Alpha Kappa chapter received national recognition in the mid-1960s for its exceptional efficiency.
