in the Department of Languages had organized Alpha Zeta Pi in October 1917 at the University of Denver. In 1949, Phi Sigma Iota was granted membership into the U. S. Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS), the first language society to receive that honor. In 1978, under the Presidency of Dr. Santiago Vilas, the Society expanded into the National Foreign Language Honor Society Phi Sigma Iota to honor outstanding achievements in any foreign language including Classics, Philology, Applied Linguistics, Comparative Literature, and Bilingual Education. In 1982, the Society became the International Foreign Language Honor Society by installing its first Chapter in a foreign country (Universidad Regiomontana, Monterrey, Mexico). Every year Phi Sigma Iota awards several scholastic grants to its members. The first scholarship was established in 1939 in memory of the founder and first National President, Dr. Church. In 1970, another scholarship was established in memory of Dr. Anthony S. Corbiere, who for nearly thirty years was National Historian, Editor of the Newsletter, and Executive Secretary of Phi Sigma Iota. In 2000, two additional named scholarships were inaugurated. One to honor Dr. Cleon Capsus, professor of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of South Florida and one to honor the years of devoted work on behalf of PSI by Dr. Santiago Vilas. The Dr. Marie-France Hilgar Scholarship was established to honor former President Dr. Hilgar. Insignia and etymology The insignia of the society, adopted in 1935, was designed by Robert E. Dengler, 1893–1973, Professor of Classics at the Pennsylvania State University. The words PHI, SIGMA, and IOTA may be understood, respectively, as Φιλοτης (or Philotès, meaning Friendship), Σπουδη (or Spoudé, meaning Research and also Individuality), and Ιδιωμα (or Idioma, meaning Zeal). The key of the society is dominated by a five-pointed star. The center of this star represents the literary languages of classical antiquity: Greek, Latin, Sanskrit and Hebrew. These tongues live on today in spirit, furnishing the foundation for many modern languages and transmitting to the western world the basis of much of its culture. Originally a Romance language society, Latin, the foundation of our modern Romance languages, formed the foundation of the insignia and was symbolized by the ivy wreath which surrounds the star on the Phi Sigma Iota key. The key was designed in 1935 by Robert E. Dengler, Professor of Classics at the Pennsylvania State University, and since 1935 was the bimillenniaum of Horace's birth, Dr.