Phi Delta Chi ( or Phi Dex) is an American coed professional fraternity. It was founded in 1883 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was formed to advance the science of pharmacy and its allied interests and to foster and promote a fraternal spirit among its brothers, now both male and female.
History
Phi Chi Society
On November 2, 1883, eleven men at the University of Michigan formed the fraternity as the Phi Chi Society. These two Greek letters are reported to have stood for Pharmacy and Chemistry. At that time, there were several literary societies at Michigan, but the group's founders believed something should be organized exclusively for the College of Pharmacy.
The founders were Charles E. Bond, F. H. Frazee, Llewellyn H. Gardner, Charles P. Godfrey, Arthur G. Hoffman, A. G. Hopper, Charles F. Hueber, G. P. Leamon, A. S. Rogers, Azor Thurston, and A. T. Waggoner.
Phi Delta Chi originally accepted only men in the fields of pharmacy and chemistry, the latter including both chemistry majors and chemical engineers. During the depression days of 1928–1933, however, difficulties arose because the fraternity was serving two professions. As a result, membership requirements were changed by 1950 to include pharmacy only. It has been a matter of considerable pride to Phi Delta Chi brothers that the organization remained intact through wars and economic crises, and also expanded its work.
In further support of the profession of Pharmacy, Phi Delta Chi was instrumental in the foundation of the Rho Chi International Honor Society for Pharmacy in 1922, also formed at Michigan. Phi Delta Chi brothers were Rho Chi's first president, vice-president, and treasurer.
In 1949, the Fraternity held an unusual mail-in ballot to consider and adopt a change to the Constitution to prohibit discrimination based on race or religion. This action came shortly after WWII, when all fraternities were adjusting to the massive, and more diverse, influx of new college-bound recipients of the G.I. Bill.