Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars

What Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars does

Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars is a U.S. non-profit 501(c)(3) academic honor society founded in 1986 and headquartered at California State University San Bernardino. It is positioned as the first honor society in the United States dedicated to recognizing achievement in international education and exchange, and it operates an institutional chapter model across five geographic regions (Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and West), serving faculty, staff, students, and alumni at member universities.

Its core products are membership recognition, the recurring newsletter The Medallion, the academic journal International Research and Review (indexed by EBSCO-Host), an annual national conference, and various recognition awards. The organization is a member of the American College of Honor Societies and has partnered with the U.S. Department of State on International Education Week programming.

Revenue is generated through a diversified non-profit mix: individual membership fees, institutional chapter dues, donations and matching-fund campaigns, merchandise sales, conference registration fees, and journal-related income. The organization runs with a small staff of approximately 12 employees and does not disclose revenue publicly. There is no proprietary technology platform; the operating model is editorial, event-driven, and volunteer-supported through university chapters.

Name

Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars

Legal name

Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars

Website

https://phibetadelta.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Phi Beta Delta is a 501(c)(3) honor society founded in 1986 that recognizes international scholarship through university chapters across five U.S. regions, serving faculty, staff, students, and alumni via membership, conferences, and publications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Honor Society

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Educational Support Services (611710), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Merit-Based Scholarships (Academic Excellence) (EDAIAOAA)

Keywords

• International honor society
• Academic recognition society
• Scholarly membership organization
• Higher education membership
• Scholar recognition programs

Headquarters

HQ city

San Bernardino

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Lifetime membership fees form a core revenue stream. 75% of lifetime membership fees are applied to the matching fund campaign for scholarships and conference support.
2. Donations and Matching Fund Campaigns: Tax-deductible donations supporting student scholarships and annual national conferences. Matching challenge grants have been issued to amplify donor contributions.
3. Merchandise and Regalia Sales: Supply orders including graduation regalia, medallions, banners, and flags sold through online shop. Orders processed with standard or express shipping.
4. Conference Fees: Registration fees for annual conferences where members gather for research presentations, networking, and society business.
5. Journal Publishing: International Research and Review journal publishes scholarly papers on international education. The journal is indexed by EBSCO-Host.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that recognizes and honors faculty, staff, students, and scholars who demonstrate outstanding achievement and dedication to international education. It operates through university-based chapters across the United States, providing lifetime membership recognition, publications, and an annual conference.

Product overview

Phi Beta Delta is an honor society for international scholars organized as a network of university chapters. The organization offers membership recognition, publishes the Medallion newsletter and International Research and Review journal, hosts annual conferences, and provides graduation regalia merchandise. The portfolio consists of membership/chapter services, publications, annual conferences, and merchandise — with no integrated digital product or technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• International Research and Review (IRR): The official journal of Phi Beta Delta, published quarterly, addressing issues in international education and studies.
• The Medallion

Products and services

• Honor Society Membership
• The Medallion Newsletter
• International Research and Review (IRR) Journal
• Annual Honor Society Conference
• Graduation Regalia and Merchandise
• University Chapter Program
• Student Scholarship Program

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and major.

• California State University San BernardinocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSUSB serves as the host institution for Phi Beta Delta headquarters. The society's administrative offices are located on the CSUSB campus, and the institution has been a consistent sponsor and supporter of the honor society.
• American College of Honor Societies (ACHS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhi Beta Delta is a member society of ACHS, the umbrella organization for honor societies in higher education. ACHS provides legitimacy and standards for the society.
• UNC CharlotteflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for the 40th Anniversary Conference scheduled for June 1-2, 2026. Contact for sponsorship: Dr. Erik Byker at [email protected].
• Shepherd UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for the 2019 conference. The Shepherd Foundation provided foundation sponsorship. Global Appalachian Studies Program and International Affairs Office at Shepherd University were institutional sponsors.
• College of Staten Island/CUNYmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEta Lambda Chapter host institution and consistent institutional supporter. Winnie Brophy serves as Special Programs Coordinator. The college has provided sponsorship at the chapter level.
• Policy Studies Organization / Dr. Paul RichmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Paul Rich, Past President of Phi Beta Delta, has been a major supporter. He donated to have a Mars crater named after Phi Beta Delta. He serves as President of Policy Studies Organization and has provided platinum-level sponsorship.
• U.S. Department of State (ECA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs co-sponsors International Education Week with the Department of Education. PBD chapters participate in IEW activities annually.
• Institute of International Education (IIE)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPBD newsletter (The Medallion) republishes content from IIE research on study abroad and international education. IIE's research on employability skills and study abroad impact is featured in society communications.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Delta Phi Alpha (German Honor Society): Smaller academic honor society with chapter-based membership in language/international studies at U.S. universities. Comparable niche-honor-society structure serving internationally-focused students.
• Fulbright Association: Alumni association for Fulbright scholars serving internationally engaged academics and professionals. Overlapping target market (international scholars) but smaller, alumni-driven model versus PBD's chapter-based structure.

Others

• American College of Honor Societies (ACHS): Umbrella organization of which PBD is a member society. Provides accreditation/standards for honor societies and lends institutional credibility, making it a strategic ecosystem partner rather than a competitor.

Direct peers

• Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society: Research-focused honor society with chapter model, lifetime membership, scholarly journal (American Scientist), and annual meetings. Closely parallels PBD's structure of recognition plus intellectual publications.
• Phi Theta Kappa: Honor society for two-year college students with chapter-based membership, recognition ceremonies, scholarships, and a scholarly journal (Honors in Practice). Directly comparable member-recognition and chapter-distribution model.
• Phi Beta Kappa: The pre-eminent academic honor society in the U.S., founded in 1776, with a chapter-based model at colleges and universities. Closest comparable in structure: chapter network, lifetime membership, recognition rituals, and academic-publication outputs (American Scholar).

Regional players

• American College Personnel Association (ACPA): Professional association for student affairs and higher-education professionals with U.S. membership focus and scholarly publications. Comparable in serving higher-ed professionals with publications, though focused on student affairs broadly rather than international education.

Broad incumbents

• NAFSA: Association of International Educators: Largest professional association for international educators, serving a closely overlapping constituency (faculty/staff in international education). Comparable in mission focus but operates as a broad professional association rather than a recognition-based honor society.
• Institute of International Education (IIE): Major nonprofit administering Fulbright and other international exchange programs, with research and publications on international education. PBD republishes IIE content in The Medallion, and they serve overlapping audiences.
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): Large nonprofit operating study-abroad and international exchange programs with research publications. Comparable international-education mission and constituency but focused on program delivery rather than recognition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/phi-beta-delta-honor-society-for-international-scholars

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars