(Contributed by Fergus M. Clysdesdale, Ph.D., Phi Tau Sigma Lifetime Member and President 1992-1993)
In 1992 to 1993, when I was President of our Honor Society, Phi Tau Sigma was extremely popular. We would get at least one hundred participants at the annual breakfast and Recognition Event. At that time Honor Societies were big at Universities. We (UMass) used to have ceremonies for at least 6 Honor Societies at the University level. However, things then changed. Many of those Honor Societies don't exist anymore. Since that time some Chapters were active in some schools - More so in the South than in the Northeast or West or Midwest. There was more student interest particularly at the graduate level than undergraduate.
I think students fail to see value because employers and grad schools have failed to see value. The GPA and research activity or internships seem to have been the end and be all. Hopefully, that is changing now, and Universities, employers, and students are seeing the great value of Honor Societies, particularly Phi Tau Sigma.