Planning the Installation Ceremony
The final step in establishing the alumni association is planning the installation ceremony. The installation ceremony for the alumni association may be patterned after the induction ceremony generally used by Phi Theta Kappa active chapters and may be modified to suit your association's needs. A sample ceremony is included below. The charter installation ceremony is an historic occasion and should be remembered for its solemnity and purpose. As with the two-year chapter induction, candles may be used to add a formal touch.
An appropriate time to conduct the installation ceremony may be following a banquet or preceding a reception held in honor of the charter members. The association may wish to invite, as special guests, the host institution's administration and faculty as well as family and friends of the charter members.
The Development Department is available to assist in the planning of your installation ceremony. A Phi Theta Kappa representative may be available to assist with the installation ceremony depending on budgetary and scheduling factors.
In most cases, the charter members are installed before the association officers. During the ceremony, the charter members may sign the association's notebook and receive their alumni association charter member certificate.
Sample Format of an Alumni Induction Ceremony
- Greeting and seating of guests by ushers. Ushers usually are association officers and members but may be anyone the association so chooses.
- Processional and seating of charter members. Members, carrying unlighted blue candles are led into the room by an alumni association officer carrying a lighted gold candle. Members are seated in a special section near the induction table. The officer carrying the gold candle leaves it at the induction table.
- Processional of special guests and participants conducting the installation ceremony. Association officers, guest speakers and advisors having a part on the program should be seated at the head table. The induction table is usually situated in front of the head table.
- Welcome extended by master of ceremonies. MC may be an association officer, advisor, college president or a specific individual selected by the association advisor. A brief statement of the purpose of the Society and the alumni association should be presented at this time. Also, the emcee should introduce members of the head table to the guests.
- Introduction of guest speaker and presentation. Speaker could be the host institution's president, dean or a faculty member addressing the current year's Honors Study Topic.
- Chartering ceremony begins.
INDUCTION CEREMONY
__________ will proceed to the podium and make the following statement:
I am pleased to present these alumni for our Society. These students have fulfilled all requirements for membership and have chosen truth and service as their Hallmarks. I acknowledge them as Phi Theta Kappa alumni and recommend their acceptance into the __________ Alumni Association of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.
__________ will proceed to the podium and make the following statement:
Our ideals may be expressed in the words of Sir Francis Bacon in his essay On Studies ‘Studies serve for delight, for ornament and for ability. Their chief use for delight is in the privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability is in the judgment and disposition of business. Read not to contradict and confuse; not to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider.’”
_________ will come forth and pick up the large candle from the induction table and come forward to the podium and make the following statement:
I have in my hand a torch, symbolic of knowledge, which is the servant of wisdom which dwells with prudence and leads in the way of righteousness in the midst of the paths of judgment.
__________ will approach the podium and make the following statement:
I have the white rose typifying purity and beauty of light, with its white buds signifying new intellectual association.
(Inductees are motioned to stand.)
“Now that the standard and ideals of this organization have been fully revealed to you, you come to complete the pledge….Please repeat after me:
I __________(state your name) do solemnly promise on this ______ day of ____ 20__, to uphold the standards of Phi Theta Kappa and to make this object and aim foremost in my mind, and I do solemnly pledge allegiance to my fellow members and promise to aid them in all worthy endeavors.
__________ will then say:
__________ will call out each inductees name. When your name is announced, please come to the induction table, receive your certificate of membership (if you have one), sign you rname in the guest book, and light your candle.
__________ will call out each student’s name and major. Each member will come forward as his/her name is announced
__________ will congratulate each inductee and present him/her with a membership certificate (unless certificates were sent to students’ home addresses).
__________ will congratulate each inductee and present each with a white rose.(rose optional)
When this is done, all members will return to their seats with all their candles lit. (Candles will remain lit throughout the Recessional)
__________ will the approach the podium and make the following statement:
It is my pleasure to welcome you as Alumni to the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and the lively fellowship of scholars it affords. I salute you for your accomplishment; I charge you to explore always the truth and to dedicate yourselves to the cultivation of the well-reasoned life, a prelude to service and honor.
__________ will sing/play the Phi Theta Kappa song.
Installation of Alumni Association Officers
__________ will approach the podium. The officers to be installed will stand in a semi-circle, facing the podium.
__________ will say:
You are charges with the responsibility of learning the duties of your office and executing those duties to the best of our ability. Repeat after me:
I, __________ (state your name), do solemnly promise to fulfill to the best of my ability my duties as an officer of __________ Alumni Association of Phi Theta Kappa.
__________ will say:
You are duly recognized as the executive officers of the __________ Alumni Association of Phi Theta Kappa. We pledge the support of the members of this chapter to you.
Recessional
The recessional will be led by __________, followed by students just inducted and finally the platform party. (Phi Theta Kappa song played during recessional is optional)
Related Information:
- Alumni History
- Organizing an Alumni Association
- Required Forms (in Rich Text Format)
- Member Search Request Form
- Charter Petition Form
- Information Form
- Chartering Information Form
- Advisor Form
- Membership Reporting Form
- Chartering Checklist (in Rich Text Format)
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No part of this document may be reprinted or used
without the permission of Phi Theta Kappa.
Updated 9/26/09
