Find us on

About us

Phi Rho Pi, the National Junior and Community College Forensic Association and Honor Society is a non-profit organization committed to increasing knowledge and appreciation of the forensic arts at the junior and community college level. It has the honor of being one of the oldest forensics organizations having been founded by Texan Sylvia Mariner in 1927. Competition was disrupted during WW II. 

Phi Rho Pi offers community college and junior college students the only full service national tournament in the United States with 11 individual events, three forms of debate and interpreters' theatre.

Purpose

  • Promote forensics programs in individual junior and community colleges throughout the United States.
  • Promote regional forensics associations to foster the growth, development, and participation of forensics in that area.
  • Promote a national association to foster growth, development and participation of all member Junior and Community Colleges in the forensic arts; to promote educational services to the membership; to provide national conventions and tournaments; to provide a national Honorary society; to promote competitive forensic activities, and educational, professional, and leadership experience in the field of forensics. 
                                                             (Phi Rho Pi Constitution, Article I.)

Degrees of Honor

ASSOCIATE Any student who indicates interest in Speech Activities may enter at this level upon recommendation of the chapter sponsor.

FELLOWSHIP Any student who participates with merit in Speech Activities may be advanced to this degree upon recommendation of the chapter sponsor.

DEGREE OF HONOR Any student who has participated in a minimum of five intercollegiate tournaments or who has placed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in any tournament or who has been advanced to either the semi-finals of individual events or the quarter-finals of debate at the Phi Rho Pi National Tournament shall be advance into the degree of honor upon verification of the above criteria by the chapter sponsor.

DEGREE OF HIGHEST ACHIEVEMENT Any student who is advanced to the final round of individual events or semi-finals of debate or Interpreters' Theatre at the Phi Rho Pi National Tournament shall be advanced to this degree upon verification by the Vice-President for Tournament to the Secretary- Treasurer.

Each chapter (school) may award to one student, or up to 5% of its paid membership, the degree of Highest Achievement.

Constitution and By-laws

Phi Rho Pi follows the American Forensic Association's Code of Standards

leadership documents

Code of Ethics

Official Key and Colors

The official badge of Phi Rho Pi shall be a key; a duplicate of this official design shall be retained by the Secretary-Treasurer. 

The key shall denote degrees of membership by the following jewelings: 
  • Any member may wear an opal or sapphire within the star, or any unjeweled pin. 
  • Only members who have achieved the Degree of Honor may wear a ruby within the star. 
  • Only members who have achieved the Degree of Highest Achievement may wear a diamond within the star. All keys may be ordered from the current jewelry supplier. 

The official colors of Phi Rho Pi shall be purple and gold.    
                                            (Phi Rho Pi By-laws, Article V.)
Past Historical Documents 
If you have any historical documents we could add to our collection, please contact the Recording Secretary, John Nash - [email protected]


Osburndale, where the Phi Rho Pi Banquet was held in May, 1931