# Circle K International

Circle K International (CKI) is an international collegiate service organization that is a service leadership program of Kiwanis International. It promotes service, leadership, and fellowship. It has over 13,000 members.

## Organization

Circle K International is a service organization formed to help the community through various service projects. It is part of an umbrella of organizations led by Kiwanis International. Circle K International also aims to build fellowship and create leaders within the membership.
The organization raises funds for various causes. The major initiative is: “Focusing on the Future: Children” which aims to help children of ages six to thirteen. In 2007, Circle K partnered with the U.S. Fund to help raise $500,000 for UNICEF in efforts to help children around the world who do not have access to clean drinking water. This is called "Saving Lives – The Six Cents Initiative." It got its name from the cost in U.S. funds, to purchase one pack of rehydration salts to purify a day's worth of drinking water. Their service partners include UNICEF, Students Team Up to Fight Hunger (STUFH), March of Dimes, Better World Books, Junior Chamber International, and the St. Baldrick's Foundation.
In 2017, Circle K International partnered with UNICEF to adopt the five-year signature project WASH. Circle K International aims to provide education, awareness, and funding to supply clean drinking water and sanitation education to schools and children in Haiti to target Haiti's emergency needs to reach 200,000 people in cholera-affected areas with a complete WASH response package.

## Pledge

"I pledge to uphold the Objects of Circle K International, to foster compassion and goodwill toward others through service and leadership, to develop my abilities and the abilities of all people, and to dedicate myself to the realization of humanity’s potential."

## History

In 1936, the "Circle K House" at Washington State College was established by the Kiwanis Club of Pullman, Washington. Organized as a fraternity, Kappa Iota Phi served men who needed financial aid to attend college. Kiwanians also wanted to provide collegiate students leadership opportunities for their future careers and work service projects to better their communities while having a sense of fellowship. In 1947, Circle K changed from a fraternity to a service organization. That year, the first Circle K club was chartered at Carthage College in Carthage, Illinois. In 1949, two more clubs were added, and by 1955 there were 147 clubs, at which point Circle K received official endorsement from Kiwanis International. Circle K International adopted the Kiwanians beliefs by establishing the three tenets of Service, Leadership, and Fellowship to bring a sense of purpose to the organization.
The Kiwanis International Board of Trustees accepted a proposal to allow the establishment of Circle K Districts on February 22, 1957. The very first Circle K District to be officially recognized was the Texas-Oklahoma District. The second Circle K District was Kentucky-Tennessee which was closely followed by Michigan. Four more Districts were added in the 1957–58 administrative year: Missouri-Arkansas, California-Nevada-Hawaii, Ohio, and Alabama.
In 1971, delegates at the International Convention voted to allow women into the organization. The move was initially met with resistance by Kiwanis, which must approve all changes to the Circle K governing documents. After nearly two years of debate, the Kiwanis International Board of Trustees approved the change on February 6, 1973 and Circle K became the first co-ed organization in the Kiwanis Family. In 1984, Susan E. McClernon was elected the first female International President of Circle K International.
In 1975, Gregory Faulkner from the New York District was elected to the position of International President. Faulkner was the first African-American International President. Faulkner's election and the admission of female members was symbolic of the new level of maturity and responsibility Circle K International had assumed over 20 years of service, growth and development.
At the International Convention in 1987, the delegates approved the use of the initials CKI as an official name of the organization. That same year, Kiwanis International voted to allow women into Kiwanis clubs. Key Club had gone co-ed in 1977.
As of the end of 2005, membership consisted of over 13,250 college students in 17 nations around the world. Most of the Circle K membership currently resides in North America, in 30 Districts recognized by Kiwanis International. Twenty-seven districts are entirely within the United States, while three districts are international representing Canada and the Caribbean. These three Districts are the Pacific Northwest (made up of Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and the Canadian province of British Columbia and Yukon Territory), Western Canada (Alberta and Manitoba), and Eastern Canada and the Caribbean. Districts-in-Formation exist in Eastern Canada, Central and South America, Australia, and the Pacific Rim.
Circle K International celebrated its 50th anniversary at the 2005 International Convention in Greensboro, North Carolina. The International Convention's theme was, "CKI's 50th Anniversary: 50 Never Looked So Good".
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the 2019-2020 International Board announced on April 22, 2020 that the upcoming convention in Las Vegas was canceled. The event was rescheduled for July 18, 2020 - July 19, 2020 as the organization's first free virtual conference and had over 955 registered attendees. The International Council convened for a virtual meeting on July 21, 2020 to elect officers for the International Board and to consider amendments to the policy code. In June 2021, due to the continued threat of the pandemic, CKI members were invited to the Kiwanis Education & Leadership Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah instead of holding their own International Convention. Once again, the International Council convened for a meeting to elect officers for the International Board and to consider amendments to the policy code instead of holding the traditional full House of Delegates.

### International Conventions (CKIx)

| Year | Number | Location | Theme | Dates | Attendees |
| 1953 | | Madison Square Garden, New York City (with Kiwanis) | | June 22, 1953 – June 24, 1953 | |
| 1954 | | Carthage College, Carthage, Illinois | | October 17, 1954 – October 19, 1954 | |
| 1955 | | Des Moines, Iowa | | September 1, 1955 – September 4, 1955 | |
| 1956 | 1st | Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | | September 5, 1956 – September 8, 1956 | |
| 1957 | 2nd | Denver, Colorado | | August 28, 1957 – August 30, 1957 | |
| 1958 | 3rd | Huntsville, Texas | See You at Sam Houston State Teacher's Cow-llege | August 26, 1958 – August 29, 1958 | |
| 1959 | 4th | Delaware, Ohio | | August 26, 1959 – August 28, 1959 | |
| 1960 | 5th | Toronto, Ontario | | August 24, 1960 – August 28, 1960 | |
| 1961 | 6th | St. Petersburg, Florida | Fun in the Sun in '61 | August 23, 1961 – August 25, 1961 | |
| 1962 | 7th | San Diego, California | Si! Senor—San Diego | August 28, 1962 – August 30, 1962 | |
| 1963 | 8th | Norfolk, Virginia | Y'all Come | August 26, 1963 – August 28, 1963 | |
| 1964 | 9th | Chicago, Illinois | By the Lake Shore in '64 | August 31, 1964 – September 3, 1964 | |
| 1965 | 10th | Miami Beach, Florida | Let's Meet in Miami Beach | August 30, 1965 – September 2, 1965 | |
| 1966 | 11th | Dallas, Texas | See You in Big D | August 21, 1966 – August 24, 1966 | |
| 1967 | 12th | Ottawa, Ontario | Circle K in Canada | August 27, 1967 – August 30, 1967 | |
| 1968 | 13th | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | | August 25, 1968 – August 28, 1968 | |
| 1969 | 14th | Portland, Oregon | Northwest in '69 | August 31, 1969 – September 3, 1969 | |
| 1970 | 15th | New Orleans, Louisiana | | August 23, 1970 – August 26, 1970 | |
| 1971 | 16th | Chicago, Illinois | | August 22, 1971 – August 25, 1971 | |
| 1972 | 17th | Denver, Colorado | | August 27, 1972 – August 30, 1972 | |
| 1973 | 18th | Miami, Florida | By the Sea in '73...1,000 to Miami Beach | August 19, 1973 – August 22, 1973 | |
| 1974 | 19th | Los Angeles, California | By the Shore in '74 | August 18, 1974 – August 21, 1974 | |
| 1975 | 20th | Toronto, Ontario | Climax in Canada | August 17, 1975 – August 20, 1975 | |
| 1976 | 21st | Washington, D.C. | Come to the Capital Convention | August 15, 1976 – August 18, 1976 | |
| 1977 | 22nd | Muehlebach Hotel, Kansas City, Missouri | Get Your Muehle Bach to Kansas City. It's No Bum Steer | August 14, 1977 – August 17, 1977 | |
| 1978 | 23rd | Orlando, Florida | Circle K's Magical Meeting | August 20, 1978 – August 23, 1978 | |
| 1979 | 24th | Marriott Hotel, Chicago, Illinois | Have a Great Chicago | August 19, 1979 – August 22, 1979 | |
| 1980 | 25th | Phoenix, Arizona | Celebrate the Silver | August 17, 1980 – August 20, 1980 | |
| 1981 | 26th | Philadelphia Marriott Hotel, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | The Philly Feeling | August 16, 1981 – August 16, 1981 | |
| 1982 | 27th | Fort Worth, Texas | Lone Star and You! Fort Worth '82 | August 14, 1982 – August 18, 1982 | |
| 1983 | 28th | Atlanta Marriott (now the Atlanta Sheraton), Atlanta, Georgia | Atlanta's the Place to be in '83 | August 20, 1983 – August 23, 1983 | |
| 1984 | 29th | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Catch the Spirit – Milwaukee '84 | August 11, 1984 – August 15, 1984 | |
| 1985 | 30th | Seattle, Washington | Celebrate Service – 30 Years of Caring – Seattle, WA '85 | August 17, 1985 – August 21, 1985 | |
| 1986 | 31st | Boston, Massachusetts | A Declaration of Commitment | August 16, 1986 – August 20, 1986 | |
| 1987 | 32nd | St. Louis, Missouri | Gateway To New Horizons | August 15, 1987 – August 19, 1987 | |
| 1988 | 33rd | Orlando, Florida | Celebrate a New Beginning | August 13, 1988 – August 17, 1988 | |
| 1989 | 34th | Cincinnati, Ohio | WCKI in Cincinnati: Rockin' to the 90's | August 19, 1987 – August 23, 1987 | |
| 1990 | 35th | Anaheim, California | 35 Years...and the magic continues! | August 18, 1990 – August 22, 1990 | |
| 1991 | 36th | Baltimore, Maryland | Anchors Aweigh for Circle K | August 17, 1991 – August 21, 1991 | |
| 1992 | 37th | San Antonio, Texas | Sharing One Vision | August 15, 1992 – August 19, 1992 | |
| 1993 | 38th | Nashville, Tennessee | A Celebration of Service | August 14, 1993 – August 18, 1993 | |
| 1994 | 39th | St. Louis, Missouri | Envision Excellence | August 6, 1994 – August 10, 1994 | |
| 1995 | 40th | Phoenix, Arizona | Expanding Horizons, 40 Years of Service | August 5, 1995 – August 9, 1995 | |
| 1996 | 41st | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Service: Foundation For Our Future | August 10, 1996 – August 14, 1996 | 966 |
| 1997 | 42nd | Chicago, Illinois | Moving on the Winds Of Change | August 2, 1997 – August 6, 1997 | 998 |
| 1998 | 43rd | Ocho Rios, Jamaica | Oceans of Opportunity...CKI in Reggae Land | August 8, 1998 – August 11, 1998 | 922 |
| 1999 | 44th | Houston, Texas | Saddle Up for Service | August 7, 1999 – August 11, 1999 | 972 |
| 2000 | 45th | San Diego, California | Catch the Wave of Service | August 6, 2000 – August 11, 2000 | 1076 |
| 2001 | 46th | Buffalo, New York | Lighting the Way to the Future: Service on the Edge | August 4, 2000 – August 9, 2000 | 944 |
| 2002 | 47th | Carib Royale, Orlando, Florida | Service in the Sun | August 10, 2002 – August 14, 2002 | 1039 |
| 2003 | 48th | Omni Severin Hotel, Indianapolis, Indiana | The Kiwanis-Family United in Service | July 2, 2003 – July 6, 2003 | 701 |
| 2004 | 49th | Union Station Hyatt Regency, St. Louis, Missouri | A Family United in Service | June 30, 2004 – July 3, 2004 | 589 |
| 2005 | 50th | Sheraton Greensboro Hotel at Four Seasons Greensboro, North Carolina | 50 Never Looked So Good | August 12, 2005 – August 16, 2005 | 636 |
| 2006 | 51st | Boston Park Plaza, Boston, Massachusetts | Navigating the Seas of Service | August 12, 2006 – August 15, 2006 | 555 |
| 2007 | 52nd | Red Lion Hotel on the River, Portland, Oregon | Planting Seeds of Service | August 4, 2007 – August 7, 2007 | 525 |
| 2008 | 53rd | Adam's Mark Hotel, Denver, Colorado | Reaching New Heights | August 6, 2008 – August 9, 2008 | |
| 2009 | 54th | Sheraton Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama | Birmingham. Be there! | August 5, 2009 – August 8, 2009 | |
| 2010 | 55th | Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri | Meet us in St. Louis | August 4, 2010 – August 7, 2010 | |
| 2011 | 56th | Virginia Beach Resort Hotel, Virginia Beach, Virginia | Come for the fun, stay in the sun | June 22, 2011 – June 26, 2011 | |
| 2012 | 57th | Westin New Orleans Canal Place, New Orleans, Louisiana | Big Service in the Big Easy | June 27, 2012 – July 1, 2012 | |
| 2013 | 58th | Westin Bayshore and Vancouver Convention Center, Vancouver, British Columbia | | June 26, 2013 – June 30, 2013 | |
| 2014 | 59th | Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee | Motto: The Sounds of Service | | |
| 2015 | 60th | JW Marriott and Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, Indiana | Kiwanis Centennial / Kiwanis 100 | June 23, 2015 – June 27, 2015 | |
| 2016 | 61st | Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, Toronto, Canada | Motto: Following the PATH to Service | June 22, 2016 – June 26, 2016 | |
| 2017 | 62nd | Grand Hyatt San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas | Motto: The Sun Never Set on Service | July 5, 2017 – July 8, 2017 | |
| 2018 | 63rd | Marriott Magnificent Mile, Chicago, Illinois | Motto: The Best it's Ever Bean; co-hosted with Key Club International | July 4, 2018 – July 8, 2018 | |
| 2019 | 64th | Disney's Contemporary Resort, Orlando, Florida | | June 26, 2019 – June 29, 2019 | |
| 2020 | 65th | Virtual Conference (originally Flamingo Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada) | CKI NEXT | July 18, 2020 - July 19, 2020 (originally July 19, 2020 - July 22, 2020) | |
| 2021 | 66th | Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah | Kiwanis Education & Leadership Conference | July 24, 2021 - July 26, 2021 | |
| 2022 | 67th | Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol, Austin, Texas | | July 24, 2022 - July 27, 2022 | |
| 2023 | 68th | DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Minneapolis Downtown, Minneapolis, Minnesota | | June 21, 2023 - June 24, 2023 | |

## Governance

CKI operates on a three-tiered system similar to Kiwanis International and Key Club International. The International Board oversees organizational policy, growth and international expansion. The International Board is elected at the International Convention held in a different city each summer. The CKI Board is composed of an International President, Vice-President, and eight trustees who represent assigned districts. The International Board meets in-person a minimum of four times per year.

### The 2024–2025 International Board

International President:
Taylor DiCicco
International Vice-President: Madison Burt
International Trustees:
Trustee: KC Crusoe
Districts: Carolinas, Louisiana-Mississippi-Tennessee, Ohio, Utah-Idaho
Trustee: Kamryn Eller
Districts: Michigan, New England, New Jersey, Rocky Mountains
Trustee: Jonathan Huang
Districts: Caribbean, Minnesota-Dakotas, Missouri-Arkansas, Montana
Trustee: Supraja Mallapuram
Districts: Alabama, Illinois-Eastern Iowa, Indiana, Pacific Northwest
Trustee: Amber Morgan
Districts: New York, Pennsylvania, Kansas
Trustee: Petrecia Morrison
Districts: Capital, Nebraska-Iowa, Western Canada
Trustee: Priyanshu Saxena
Districts: California-Nevada-Hawaii, Kentucky-Tennessee, Texas-Oklahoma, Southwest
Trustee: Matthew Yuro
Districts: Florida, Eastern Canada, Georgia, Wisconsin-Upper Michigan

### International Committees & Workgroups

International Committees serve as a support system for the International Board to implement new ideas and initiatives related to club growth and development. Each year, the International President and International Vice-President decide the committees that will exist for the year, as well as appoint the associated International Committee Chairs & Vice Chairs. International Committees are also each assigned between 1-2 International Trustees for oversight.
International Committee Chairs serve Circle K International by being experts in a particular field and running committees to complete tasks that directly affect the membership.
2024-2025 International Committees:
Member Acquisition: Chair & Vice Chair Pending (Assigned Trustees: Supraja Mallapuram, Priyanshu Saxena)
Events and Awards: Chair & Vice Chair Pending (Assigned Trustees: Amber Morgan, Matthew Yuro)
Member Experience: Chair & Vice Chair Pending (Assigned Trustees: KC Crusoe, Jonathan Huang)
Brick x Brick: Chair & Vice Chair Pending (Assigned Trustees: Kamryn Eller, Petrecia Morrison)
Aside from the International Committees, the International President and International Vice-President form International Board Workgroups that help with other aspects of organization-wide oversight and management.
2024-2025 International Workgroups:
Executive Committee: Kamryn Eller, Priyanshu Saxena, Matthew Yuro
Global Development Workgroup: Amber Morgan (Asia-Pacific), Petrecia Morrison (Latin America & Europe)
Member Benefits Workgroup: KC Crusoe, Jonathan Huang, Supraja Mallapuram

### District and Club Boards

District Boards provide support and guidance to the Circle K clubs within their geographical area. All districts are headed by a Governor, who oversees the District Board members that often consist of a District Secretary, District Treasurer, District Editor, and Lieutenant Governors. Several Districts combine two District positions into a District Secretary/Treasurer. In place of Lieutenant Governors, a number of Districts have incorporated presidents Councils. District Conventions are held every year (in February or March depending on the District) for member education, club officer training, and election of the next District Board. Districts are charged with implementing International policies within their represented clubs and otherwise enhancing the member experience. All District Boards are responsible for club building, Kiwanis Family relations, laws and regulations, membership retention/education, and planning District events for the membership (e.g., District Convention).
Club Boards (also known as club officers or club Executive Boards) are an important aspect of CKI, second only to the club members, as they are the elected leaders who work within their community. Club Boards work with their District Boards on membership recruitment strategies, Kiwanis Family projects, membership retention and education, and social events. Also, Club Boards plan community service projects and social events for their members. CKI recommends all clubs to elect their new Club Boards before their District Convention.
April 1 marks the CKI New Year each year, when club and district leadership transitions to newly elected officials.

## Past international presidents

| Year | President | Home College |
| 1953–1954 | Kenneth B. Creasy | Ohio Wesleyan University |
| 1954–1955 | Eugene C. Alford | Georgia Institute of Technology |
| 1955 – 1956 | Richard B. Forde | Western Michigan College |
| 1956–1957 | Wally D. Miller | San Diego State College |
| 1957–1958 | Hal Helsley | San Diego State College |
| 1958–1959 | Jack E. Whitescarver | Sam Houston State Teachers College |
| 1959–1960 | Robert A. Maxwell | Ohio Wesleyan University |
| 1960–1961 | John Hoyt Blalock | University of Alabama |
| 1961–1962 | John W. Melton, III | University of Southwestern Louisiana |
| 1962–1963 | James S. Mathews | Randolph-Macon College |
| 1963–1964 | John H. de Boisblanc | Louisiana State University |
| 1964–1965 | Thomas P. Ewbank | Indiana University |
| 1965–1966 | John D. Eadinger | The University of Western Ontario |
| 1966–1967 | James A. Smith | Louisiana State University |
| 1967–1968 | David A. Keyko | Drew University |
| 1968–1969 | Peter L. Andrus | University of Pennsylvania |
| 1969–1970 | Michael F. Adams | David Lipscomb College |
| 1970–1971 | Lloyd N. Hardesty | Idaho State University |
| 1971–1972 | Ralph W. Kalish Jr. | George Washington University |
| 1972–1973 | Segundo J. Fernandez | University of Miami |
| 1973–1974 | George S. Latimer | Fordham University |
| 1974–1975 | Craig A. Miller | College of Insurance |
| 1975–1976 | Gregory W. Faulkner | Baruch College |
| 1976–1977 | Howard H. Hendrick | Bethany Nazarene College |
| 1977–1978 | Neil G. Giuliano | Arizona State University |
| 1978–1979 | Paul L. Frantz | Montana State University – Bozeman |
| 1979–1980 | Mark C. Musso | Wichita State University |
| 1980–1981 | Thomas M. Andrews | Wright State University |
| 1981–1982 | Kenneth P. Burke | University of South Florida |
| 1982–1983 | David A. Kelly | University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh |
| 1983–1984 | James D. Troyer | Pacific Lutheran University |
| 1984–1985 | Susan E. McClernon | The College of St. Scholastica |
| 1985–1986 | Randall S. Williams | Auburn University at Montgomery |
| 1986–1987 | Delaine R. Swenson | Whitworth College |
| 1987–1988 | Scott A. Bearby | University of Notre Dame |
| 1988–1989 | Oliver P. "Opy" Yandle | Loyola University New Orleans |
| 1989–1990 | Wendy L. Schrick | St Martin's College |
| 1990–1991 | Jason I. Steiner | New York University and Hofstra University |
| 1991–1992 | David B. Pilati | Bowling Green State University |
| 1992–1993 | Jim Beck | Washington University in St. Louis |
| 1993–1994 | Justin T. Core | Pierce College |
| 1994–1995 | Matthew O'Keefe | Boston College |
| 1995–1996 | Carol Clyde | Radford University |
| 1996–1997 | Sujal Shah | Rutgers University |
| 1997–1998 | Hugh Simmonds | University of the West Indies – Mona |
| 1998–1999 | Cathy Lenter | West Virginia University |
| 1999–2000 | Christopher Zock | Arizona State University |
| 2000–2001 | Jayme Sloan | Arizona State University |
| 2001–2002 | Cindy Brigham | Indiana University |
| 2002–2003 | Rupert Welsh | University of the West Indies – Mona |
| 2003–2004 | Dan Conrod | Southern Illinois University Carbondale |
| 2004–2005 | Troy Dibley | George Washington University |
| 2005–2006 | Brian Egger | Willamette University |
| 2006–2007 | Alec Macaulay | Duke University |
| 2007–2008 | Amanda Badali | Arizona State University |
| 2008–2009 | Kristen Reed | State University of New York at Potsdam |
| 2009–2010 | Jason Stewart | College of Wooster |
| 2010–2011 | Amanda Marfisi | Angelo State University |
| 2011–2012 | Steven Spriggs | Texas A&M University |
| 2012–2013 | Josephine Lukito | State University of New York at Geneseo |
| 2013–2014 | Daniel Tsang | Loyola University Chicago |
| 2014–2015 | Kathy Le | University of Alberta |
| 2015–2016 | Racheile Ricklefs | Indiana University |
| 2016–2017 | Shayna Cole | Ball State University |
| 2017–2018 | Justin Crofoot | The University of Alabama |
| 2018–2019 | Laura Belmont | Arizona State University |
| 2019–2020 | Billy Hackett | University of Florida |
| 2020–2021 | Tana Early | The University of Alabama |
| 2021–2022 | Kyle Lank | Rutgers University |
| 2022-2023 | Tyler Kearns | Boston University |
| 2023-2024 | Zachary Kahn | Northeastern University |
| 2024-2025 | Taylor DiCicco | University of Alabama |
A. $^^$ Mr. Creasy and Mr. Alford were president before a charter and separate constitution and by-laws were created for Circle K.