# Pi Alpha Alpha

Pi Alpha Alpha (ΠΑΑ or PAA) is an international honor society for students of public administration. It was founded and is administered by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration.
The organization was formed to promote excellence in the study and practice of public administration and public affairs. There are 167 Pi Alpha Alpha chapters, with more than 30,000 members.

## History

Pi Alpha Alpha was established by National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) in 1974. It was created as an honor society to encourage excellence and recognize students of public affairs and administration. Its first president was Don L. Bowen.
In its first three years, Pi Alpha Alpha established 33 chapters and had initiated 600 members. It held its first national convention in April 1978. It joined the Association of College Honor Societies in 1982 but has since left that organization.
In 1991, it had chartered 78 chapters and initiated 7,800 members. By 2012, it had 162 active chapters, an active membership of 2,359, and a total of 43,363 initiates. As of 2022, there are more than 160 Pi Alpha Alpha chapters. The society has initiated more than 30,000 members.
The society is governed by a national council and executive committee. It annually presents an award for the Best Student Manuscript in Public Administration to a graduate and a doctoral student. It holds biennial meetings in conjunction with NASPAA. Its national headquarters are located in 1029 Vermont Avenue in Washington, D.C.

## Symbols

Pi Alpha Alpha's colors are light blue and gold. Its publications are the PAA Roster and the PAA Brochure.

## Membership

There are three different membership types: student, faculty or staff, and honorary. Undergraduate students are required to have half of the NASPAA degree program coursework completed and at least a 3.7 GPA. Graduate and doctoral students may also join. Membership is for life.
PI Alpha Alpha's national council conveys an honorary membership at its biennial meeting to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the profession.

## Chapters

Following is a list of Pi Alpha Alpha chapters. Inactive institutions are in italics.
| Institution | Charter date | Location | State | Status |
| Albany State University | | Albany, Georgia | GA | Active |
| American University | | Washington, D.C. | DC | Active |
| American University in Cairo | | Cairo, Egypt | | Active |
| Appalachian State University | | Boone, North Carolina | NC | Inactive |
| Arizona State University | | Tempe, Arizona | AZ | Active |
| Arkansas State University | | Jonesboro, Arkansas | AR | Active |
| Auburn University | | Auburn, Alabama | AL | Active |
| Auburn University at Montgomery | | Montgomery, Alabama | AL | Active |
| Augusta State University | | Augusta, Georgia | GA | Active |
| Barry University | | Miami Shores, Florida | FL | Active |
| Baruch College | | New York City, New York | NY | Active |
| Binghamton University | | Vestal, New York | NY | Active |
| Boise State University | | Boise, Idaho | ID | Active |
| Bowie State University | | Bowie, Maryland | MD | Active |
| Bowling Green State University | | Bowling Green, Ohio | OH | Active |
| Buffalo State University | | Buffalo, New York | NY | Active |
| California State Polytechnic University, Pomona | | Pomona, California | CA | Active |
| California State University, Bakersfield | | Bakersfield, California | CA | Active |
| California State University, Dominguez Hills | | Carson, California | CA | Active |
| California State University, East Bay | | Hayward, California | CA | Active |
| California State University, Fullerton | | Fullerton, California | CA | Active |
| California State University, Long Beach | | Long Beach, California | CA | Active |
| California State University San Bernardino | | San Bernardino, California | CA | Active |
| Capella University | | Minneapolis, Minnesota | MN | Active |
| Carnegie Mellon University | | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | PA | Inactive |
| Central Michigan University | | Mount Pleasant, Michigan | MI | Active |
| Clark Atlanta University | | Atlanta, Georgia | GA | Active |
| Cleveland State University | | Cleveland, Ohio | OH | Active |
| College of Charleston | | Charleston, South Carolina | SC | Active |
| Columbus State University | | Columbus, Georgia | GA | Active |
| Cornell University | | Ithaca, New York | NY | Active |
| DePaul University | | Chicago, Illinois | IL | Active |
| Drake University | | Des Moines, Iowa | IA | Active |
| East Carolina University | | Greenville, North Carolina | NC | Active |
| Eastern Kentucky University | | Richmond, Kentucky | KY | Active |
| Eastern Michigan University | | Ypsilanti, Michigan | MI | Active |
| Fairleigh Dickinson University | | Teaneck, New Jersey | NJ | Active |
| Florida Atlantic University | | Boca Raton, Florida | FL | Active |
| Florida International University | | Miami, Florida | FL | Active |
| Florida State University | | Tallahassee, Florida | FL | Active |
| George Mason University | | Fairfax, Virginia | VA | Active |
| George Washington University | 1977 | Washington, D.C. | DC | Active |
| Georgia College & State University | | Milledgeville, Georgia | GA | Active |
| Georgia Southern University | | Statesboro, Georgia | GA | Active |
| Georgia State University | | Atlanta, Georgia | GA | Active |
| Golden Gate University | | San Francisco, California | CO | Active |
| Governors State University | | University Park, Illinois | IL | Active |
| Grambling State University | | Grambling, Louisiana | LA | Active |
| Grand Valley State University | | Allendale, Michigan | MI | Active |
| Hamad Bin Khalifa University | | Doha, Qatar | | Active |
| Hawaii Pacific University | | Honolulu, Hawaii | HI | Active |
| Howard University | | Washington, D.C. | DC | Inactive |
| Idaho State University | | Pocatello, Idaho | ID | Active |
| Indiana University Bloomington | | Bloomington, Indiana | IN | Active |
| Indiana University Northwest | | Gary, Indiana | IN | Active |
| Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis | | Indianapolis, Indiana | IN | Inactive |
| Indiana University South Bend | | South Bend, Indiana | IN | Active |
| Iowa State University | | Ames, Iowa | IA | Inactive |
| Jackson State University | | Jackson, Mississippi | MS | Active |
| James Madison University | | Harrisonburg, Virginia | VA | Active |
| John Jay College of Criminal Justice | | New York City, New York | NY | Active |
| Kansas State University | | Manhattan, Kansas | KS | Active |
| Kean University | | Union Township, New Jersey | NJ | Active |
| Kennesaw State University | | Kennesaw, Georgia | GA | Active |
| Kent State University | | Kent, Ohio | OH | Active |
| Kentucky State University | | Frankfort, Kentucky | KY | Active |
| Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus | | Brooklyn, New York | NY | Active |
| LIU Post | | Brookville, New York | NY | Active |
| Louisiana State University | | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | LA | Active |
| Marist University | | Poughkeepsie, New York | NY | Active |
| Marywood University | | Scranton, Pennsylvania | PA | Inactive |
| Metropolitan College of New York | | New York City, New York | NY | Active |
| Michigan State University | | East Lansing, Michigan | MI | Inactive |
| Mid-America Christian University | | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | OK | Inactive |
| Mississippi State University | | Mississippi State, Mississippi | MS | Active |
| Mississippi Valley State University | | Mississippi Valley State, Mississippi, | MS | Inactive |
| Missouri State University | | Springfield, Missouri | MO | Inactive |
| New Mexico State University | | Las Cruces, New Mexico | NM | Active |
| The New School For Social Research | | New York City, New York | NY | Inactive |
| North Carolina Central University | | Durham, North Carolina | NC | Active |
| North Carolina State University | | Raleigh, North Carolina | NC | Active |
| Northern Arizona University | | Flagstaff, Arizona | AZ | Active |
| Northern Illinois University | | DeKalb, Illinois | IL | Active |
| Northern Kentucky University | | Highland Heights, Kentucky | KY | Active |
| Norwich University | | Northfield, Vermont | VT | Active |
| Nova Southeastern University | | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | FL | Active |
| Oakland University | | Rochester Hills, Michigan | MI | Active |
| Ohio State University | | Columbus, Ohio | OH | Active |
| Old Dominion University | | Norfolk, Virginia | VA | Active |
| Pace University | | New York City, New York | NY | Active |
| Pennsylvania State University | | University Park, Pennsylvania | PA | Active |
| Penn State Harrisburg | | Lower Swatara Township, Pennsylvania | PA | Active |
| Pepperdine University | | Malibu, California | CA | Active |
| Portland State University | | Portland, Oregon | OR | Active |
| Purdue University Fort Wayne | | Fort Wayne, Indiana | IN | Active |
| Regent University | | Virginia Beach, Virginia | VA | Active |
| Russell Sage College | | Troy, New York | NY | Inactive |
| Rutgers University–Camden | | Camden, New Jersey | NJ | Active |
| Rutgers University–New Brunswick | | New Brunswick, New Jersey | NJ | Active |
| Rutgers University–Newark | | Newark, New Jersey | NJ | Active |
| St. Mary's University, Texas | | San Antonio, Texas | TX | Active |
| Saint Peter's University | | Jersey City, New Jersey | NJ | Active |
| San Diego State University | | San Diego, California | CA | Active |
| San Francisco State University | | San Francisco, California | CA | Active |
| San Jose State University | | San Jose, California | CA | Active |
| Savannah State University | | Savannah, Georgia | GA | Active |
| Seattle University | | Seattle, Washington | WA | Active |
| Seton Hall University | | South Orange, New Jersey | NJ | Active |
| Shippensburg University | | Shippensburg, Pennsylvania | PA | Active |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | | Carbondale, Illinois | IL | Active |
| Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | | Edwardsville, Illinois | IL | Active |
| Southern University | | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | LA | Active |
| Southern Utah University | | Cedar City, Utah | UT | Active |
| State University of New York at Albany | | Albany, New York | NY | Inactive |
| State University of New York College at Brockport | | Brockport, New York | NY | Active |
| Stephen F. Austin State University | | Nacogdoches, Texas | TX | Inactive |
| Suffolk University | | Boston, Massachusetts | MA | Active |
| Tennessee State University | | Nashville, Tennessee | TN | Active |
| Texas A&M University | | College Station, Texas | TX | Active |
| Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi | | Corpus Christi, Texas | TX | Active |
| Texas Southern University | | Houston, Texas | TX | Active |
| Texas State University | | San Marcos, Texas | TX | Active |
| Texas Tech University | | Lubbock, Texas | TX | Active |
| Troy University | | Troy, Alabama | AL | Inactive |
| University of Akron | | Akron, Ohio | OH | Inactive |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | | Birmingham, Alabama | AL | Active |
| University of Alaska Anchorage | | Anchorage, Alaska | AK | Active |
| University at Albany, SUNY | | Albany, New York | NY | Active |
| University of Arizona | | Tucson, Arizona | AZ | Active |
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock | | Little Rock, Arkansas | AR | Active |
| University of Baltimore | | Baltimore, Maryland | MD | Inactive |
| University of California, Riverside | | Riverside, California | CA | Active |
| University of Central Florida | | Orlando, Florida | FL | Active |
| University of Central Oklahoma | | Edmond, Oklahoma | OK | Active |
| University of Colorado | | Boulder, Colorado | CO | Active |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs | | Colorado Springs, Colorado | CO | Active |
| University of Colorado Denver | | Denver, Colorado | CO | Active |
| University of Connecticut | | Storrs, Connecticut | CT | Active |
| University of Dayton | | Dayton, Ohio | OH | Active |
| University of Delaware | | Newark, Delaware | DE | Active |
| University of Georgia | | Athens, Georgia | GA | Active |
| University of Guam | | Mangilao, Guam | GU | Active |
| University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa | | Honolulu, Hawaii | HI | Active |
| University of Houston | | Houston, Texas | TX | Active |
| University of Houston–Clear Lake | | Houston, Texas | TX | Inactive |
| University of Illinois Chicago | | Chicago, Illinois | IL | Active |
| University of Illinois Springfield | | Springfield, Illinois | IL | Active |
| University of Kansas | | Lawrence, Kansas | KS | Active |
| University of Kentucky | | Lexington, Kentucky | KY | Active |
| University of La Verne | | La Verne, California | CA | Active |
| University of Louisville | | Louisville, Kentucky | KY | Active |
| University of Maine | | Orono, Maine | ME | Inactive |
| University of Maine at Augusta | | Augusta, Maine | ME | Active |
| University of Maryland, College Park | October 1999 | College Park, Maryland | MD | Active |
| University of Massachusetts Boston | | Boston, Massachusetts | MA | Active |
| University of Memphis | | Memphis, Tennessee | TN | Active |
| University of Michigan–Flint | | Flint, Michigan | MI | Active |
| University of Minnesota | | Minneapolis, Minnesota | MN | Active |
| University of Mississippi | | Oxford, Mississippi | MS | Inactive |
| University of Missouri | | Columbia, Missouri | MO | Active |
| University of Missouri–Kansas City | | Kansas City, Missouri | MO | Active |
| University of Missouri–St. Louis | | St. Louis, Missouri | MO | Active |
| University of Montana | | Missoula, Montana | MT | Active |
| University of Nebraska Omaha | | Omaha, Nebraska | NE | Active |
| University of Nevada, Las Vegas | | Paradise, Nevada | NV | Inactive |
| University of New Haven | | West Haven, Connecticut | CT | Active |
| University of New Mexico | | Albuquerque, New Mexico | NM | Active |
| University of New Orleans | | New Orleans, Louisiana | LA | Active |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | | Charlotte, North Carolina | NC | Active |
| University of North Carolina at Pembroke | | Pembroke, North Carolina | NC | Active |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | | Wilmington, North Carolina | NC | Active |
| University of North Dakota | | Grand Forks, North Dakota | ND | Active |
| University of North Florida | | Jacksonville, Florida | FL | Active |
| University of North Texas | | Denton, Texas | TX | Active |
| University of North Texas at Dallas | | Dallas, Texas | TX | Active |
| University of Oklahoma | | Norman, Oklahoma | OK | Active |
| University of Oregon | | Eugene, Oregon | OR | Active |
| University of Pittsburgh | | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | PA | Active |
| University of Rhode Island | | Kingston, Rhode Island | RI | Active |
| University of San Francisco | | San Francisco, California | CA | Active |
| University of South Carolina | | Columbia, South Carolina | SC | Active |
| University of South Dakota | | Vermillion, South Dakota | SD | Active |
| University of South Florida | | Tampa, Florida | FL | Active |
| University of Southern California | | Los Angeles, California | CA | Active |
| University of Tennessee | | Knoxville, Tennessee | TN | Active |
| University of Texas at Arlington | | Arlington, Texas | TX | Active |
| University of Texas at Dallas | | Richardson, Texas | TX | Active |
| University of Texas at El Paso | | El Paso, Texas | TX | Active |
| University of Texas at San Antonio | | San Antonio, Texas | TX | Active |
| University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | | Edinburg, Texas | TX | Active |
| University of Texas–Pan American | | Edinburg, Texas | TX | Inactive |
| University of the Pacific | | Stockton, California | CA | Inactive |
| University of Toledo | | Toledo, Ohio | OH | Inactive |
| University of Utah | | Salt Lake City, Utah | UT | Active |
| University of Vermont | | Burlington, Vermont | VT | Active |
| University of Virginia | | Charlottesville, Virginia | VA | Active |
| University of Washington | | Seattle, Washington | WA | Active |
| University of West Florida | | Pensacola, Florida | FL | Inactive |
| University of West Georgia | | Carrollton, Georgia | GA | Active |
| University of Wisconsin–Madison | | Madison, Wisconsin | WI | Active |
| University of Wyoming | | Laramie, Wyoming | WY | Active |
| Valdosta State University | | Valdosta, Georgia | GA | Active |
| Villanova University | | Villanova, Pennsylvania | PA | Active |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | | Richmond, Virginia | VA | Active |
| Virginia Tech | | Blacksburg, Virginia | VA | Active |
| Walden University | | Minneapolis, Minnesota | MN | Active |
| Wayne State University | | Detroit, Michigan | MI | Active |
| West Chester University | | West Chester, Pennsylvania | PA | Active |
| West Virginia University | | Morgantown, West Virginia | WV | Active |
| Western Carolina University | | Cullowhee, North Carolina | NC | Active |
| Western Michigan University | | Kalamazoo, Michigan | MI | Active |
| Westfield State University | | Westfield, Massachusetts | MA | Active |
| Willamette University | | Salem, Oregon | OR | Active |
| Wright State University, Dayton Campus | | Dayton, Ohio | OH | Active |
* ↑ University divided into two institutions in 2024.
* ↑ Chapter formed at Southwest Texas State College, now Texas State University.

## Notable members

* Osayi Alile, entrepreneur and human development expert
* Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF, Director of the Peace Corps, New York State Senate, and president of the New York City Council
* Lynette Boggs, Miss Oregon 1989 and local politician in Nevada
* Kahlil Carter, gridiron football player and coach
* Linda Melconian, Massachusetts Senate
* John A. Nucci, senior vice president of external affairs at Suffolk University
* Suzanne Rivera, bioethicist and science policy researcher
* Sunny Sanwar, artist, environmental activist, and entrepreneur
* Lewis Sorley, author, intelligence analyst, and military historian
* Nicolas Valcik, author

### Honorary members

Following are some of Pi Alpha Alpha's honorary members.
* Richard W. Bolling (1986, honorary), United States House of Representatives
* Luther F. Carter (2008, honorary), president of Francis Marion University
* Henry Cisneros (1982, honorary), United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and Mayor of San Antonio, Texas
* H. Brent Coles (1998, honorary), Mayor of Boise, Idaho
* Linda W. Cropp (2005, honorary), Council of the District of Columbia
* Donald M. Fraser (1983, honorary), United States House of Representatives and Mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Bob Graham (1985, honorary), Governor of Florida and United States Senate
* Eric Greitens (2011, honorary), Governor of Missouri
* Jayne Harkins (2010, honorary), first woman to have served as the U.S. Commissioner of the International Boundary and Water Commission
* Glenda Hood (1993, honorary), Secretary of State of Florida and Mayor of Orlando
* Kay Bailey Hutchison (1995, honorary), United States Ambassador to NATO, United States Senate, Treasurer of Texas, and Texas House of Representatives
* Mike Lowry (1987, honorary), Governor of Washington
* Edwin Meese (1981, honorary), 75th United States Attorney General
* Steven H. Miles (2006, honorary), physician and professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School
* Bart Peterson (2004, honorary), Mayor of Indianapolis
* Michelle Rhee (2009, honorary), Chancellor of District of Columbia Public Schools
* Norm Rice (2007, honorary), Mayor of Seattle
* William Ruckelshaus (1984, honorary), 1st and 5th Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and 13th United States Deputy Attorney General
* Terry Sanford (1997, honorary), Governor of North Carolina
* Hilda Solis (2002, honorary), United States Secretary of Labor and United States House of Representatives
* Elmer B. Staats (1991, honorary), Comptroller General of the United States
* Merrett R. Stierheim (1999, honorary), public administrator in Miami-Dade County, Florida
* George Voinovich (2001, honorary), United States Senate
* Michael R. White (1992, honorary), Mayor of Cleveland and Ohio Senate
* Douglas Wilder (2000, honorary), Governor of Virginia
* Anthony A. Williams (2001, honorary), Mayor of the District of Columbia
* Andrew Young (1987, honorary), Mayor of Atlanta, United States Ambassador to the United Nations, and United States House of Representatives