Undergraduate Students: Undergraduate students shall be enrolled in an institution represented by a chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma. They must have declared a major, minor or equivalent in the criminal justice or related field and have completed three full-time semesters or its equivalent. They must attain a minimum GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale in their cumulative and criminal justice classes and rank in the top 35% of their class. A minimum of four courses of the above course work shall be in the criminal justice field.
Students who do not meet the guidelines as set forth by the honors program may join the club. There is no minimum GPA or number of classes that must have been completed for this portion. Students who wish to join the “club” portion simply go to the UVU club page and ask to join the Alpha Phi Sigma Honors Program and Club.
Activities include community volunteer events, presentations from various criminal justice and forensic science type organizations, and social events where we all spend time getting to know one another, forging lasting relationships.
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In September 1941, Dr. Vivian Anderson Leonard was asked by the president of Washington State University if he would accept the directorship of a Police Science Academic Program at Washington State. Dr. Leonard accepted the offer and became responsible for developing a four-year curriculum which would lead to a Bachelor’s Degree in Police Administration.
Upon his arrival at Washington State, Dr. Leonard began to realize how important it was that a Police Science Honorary be established. The purpose of this honorary would be to promote excellence in scholarship and performance. In January 1943, Dr. Leonard met with seventeen Police Science majors at Washington State and Alpha Phi Sigma was established. Glenn Hill was elected the first president and appointed a committee to draft the first Constitution and bylaws.
During its initial years Alpha Phi Sigma experienced only limited growth, but on March 24, 1976 in Dallas, Texas the Executive Board of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences voted unanimously to designate Alpha Phi Sigma as the National Criminal Justice Honor Society. There are now over three hundred and sixty chapters nationwide.
Alpha Phi Sigma recognizes academic excellence of undergraduate and graduate students in criminal justice or a related field. The goals of Alpha Phi Sigma are to honor and promote academic excellence, community service, educational leadership, and unity. Alpha Phi Sigma is the only Criminal Justice Honor Society that is a certified member of the Association of College Honor Societies and affiliated with the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.
In spring 2015, a group of criminal justice students approached Dr. Marcy Hehnly to discuss starting an honors program at Utah Valley University. These students—Errol Flynn, Brieanne Vandergraf, Camille Houghton, and Jeremy Baker—had a vision to grow our criminal justice program and to recognize the outstanding achievements of their fellow classmates.
In March 2015, Utah Valley University was accepted in to Alpha Phi Sigma and given the chapter name of Pi Nu. The first induction ceremony was held April 2015. Students who met the guidelines began submitting their paperwork to become a part of the very first group of students to be inducted in to this honors program.
Throughout this process students also saw the need to include other students who did not meet the guidelines as set forth by the honors program therefore a “club” was added to the group. This allows the criminal justice program to reach and encourage all students towards achieving a higher GPA so they can be a part of the honors program. There is no minimum GPA or number of classes that must have been completed for the club. Students who wish to join the “club” portion simply go to the UVU club page and ask to join the Alpha Phi Sigma Honors Program and Club.
