Phi Upsilon Omicron was founded at the University of Minnesota on February 10, 1909, as an honor society for students of home economics, now called family and consumer sciences.

The society has an Educational Foundation that presents 28 undergraduate scholarships and eight graduate fellowships, awarded annually to its members.

[1] The Greek letters Phi Upsilon Omicron represent the first, second, and last words of the Greek phrase that translates as “The Light of the Home.”[4] The society crest includes a shield with a castle that symbolizes home, a pelican that presents family, and a horn of plants that symbolizes nutrition.

[5] Eligible undergraduate members are majoring and family and consumer sciences and have completed 40 hours with a rank in the top 35 percent of their class.

[1][2] Graduate students in family and consumer science are eligible for membership if they have complete twelve hours with a GPA of 3.2 or higher.