Rho Pi Phi International Pharmaceutical Fraternity (ΡΠΦ) is a co-ed professional fraternity that dedicates itself to the profession of pharmacy and to friendship, professionalism, and community service. Rho Pi Phi is composed of students enrolled in colleges of pharmacy across the country, alumni at large, and alumni in local chapters throughout the United States and Canada. In many cases student
and alumni chapters are located in the same area allowing for interaction and support between the two groups. Few fraternities can boast of this interaction between students and alumni because other organizations do not achieve the continued involvement of members after graduation as Rho Pi Phi does. Our alumni members practice in every facet of the profession: retail, institutional, academic, research, association management, consultant…in many instances, a national or state pharmacy association has had a ROPE in its executive office. More than once, a frater has found employment through his/her fraternal contacts. While never losing our strong traditions of the past, we have always progressed with the times just as pharmacy has. From our inception, we have broadened in size and our viewpoints. Back when women began entering the field of pharmacy in greater numbers, Rho Pi Phi became the first co-ed pharmacy fraternity. Today, every ROPE chapter is composed of men and women working together to improve themselves, the fraternity, and the profession of pharmacy. As professionalism and education have become increasingly important in pharmacy, Rho Pi Phi has led the pack among fraternities as being the first fraternity to be accredited by the ACPE as a provider of continuing education. Rho Pi Phi continually participates in national conferences sponsored by APhA, ASHP and the professional Fraternity Association, among others. WHERE WE'RE FROM...
Rho Pi Phi was founded in November 1918 on the campus of Massachusetts College of Pharmacy as the Ram Bam pharmaceutical Society. However, in the following year, its members agreed to form Rho Pi Phi, a pharmaceutical fraternity. Rho Pi Phi was founded to promote friendship, professionalism, and community service. The thirteen founders and charter members of Rho Pi Phi were: Joseph Dunn, Issac Weiser, Robert Goodless, Hyman Wolf, Samuel Nannis, Irving Zolotow, Ralph Polian, Samuel Greenberg, Max Stoller, Samuel Rodman, Israel Stone, Charles Rosenberg and Louis Tankel. These thirteen men felt the impact of segregation and therefore formed a non-sectarian organization. International status was gained with the formation of a Canadian group, Nu Chapter, at the University of Toronto in 1926. In 1922, the first national convention was held and the Constitution was adopted. Alumni chapters were later organized in order to enable members to continue active particupation in Rho Pi Phi after graduation.
