[2][3] Pi Kappa Phi's mission statement is "To create an uncommon and lifelong brotherhood that develops leaders and encourages service to others for the betterment of our communities."

The fraternity's vision statement is "A future where every Pi Kappa Phi embraces his role as a leader, puts service before self and improves the world around him.

Pi Kappa Phi operates its own philanthropy, The Ability Experience (formerly known as Push America), which works with individual chapters to serve people with disabilities.

[5] Among the most notable members are Senator Lindsey Graham, former Wisconsin Governor and founder of Earth Day Gaylord Nelson, baseball hall of famer Joe Sewell, social media entrepreneur and actor Jimmy Tatro, politician George Wallace Jr., and several former governors of the states of Mississippi, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.

Pi Kappa Phi was founded in 1904 by Andrew Alexander Kroeg Jr., a 19-year-old senior at the college; Simon Fogarty Jr., a 17-year-old junior; and Lawrence Harry Mixson, a 16-year-old sophomore.

The college's monthly magazine was staffed by the officers of the Chrestomathics, forming the equivalent of a modern-day student government.

[8] Kroeg, Mixson, Fogarty, and a group of their friends, all non-fraternity men, began forming an opposition party.

Several meetings were held at Mixson's home on Wentworth Street leading to the formation of Nu Phi, which stood for "non-fraternity."

[8] On December 10, 1904, a meeting of the loyal Nu Phis was held at Fogarty's home at 90 Broad Street to establish a new fraternity.

[8] Wagener, who was a student of Greek and Latin, recommended the letters Pi Kappa Phi and their secret meaning as the official new name of the group.

Simon proposed the design of the fraternity's pin, a black enamel diamond with the Greek letters ΠΚΦ engraved in gold with a star and lamp as additional elements.

[6] Kroeg developed "Articles of Incorporation" and the name Pi Kappa Phi became legally registered in the state of South Carolina on December 23, 1907.

In 1909, Delta chapter at Furman University formed and operated in secret until state laws changed, allowing fraternal organizations.

[12] In 2021, the chapter at Virginia Tech was removed from campus and lost its national charter after it was determined they were guilty of hazing and causing upwards of $18,000 worth of damage to their on-campus fraternity house.

[13] In 2020, the fraternity at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was put on interim suspension after holding large parties linked to outbreaks of COVID-19 cases.

[17] Similarly, the Iota Psi chapter at Boise State University was suspended for five years following "repeated violations," according to the school.

[22] In November 2017, a Florida State University (FSU) student named Andrew Coffey was found unresponsive the morning after an unaffiliated off campus house party.

[30] After the death of University of Missouri freshman Jack Lipp at a Pi Kappa Phi fraternity rush party in December 2014, his parents settled for $5 million with the property owner and future developers of the site.

The incident occurred during an out-of-control rush party at Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, leading to Lipp's death.

[31] An alleged pledge notebook of Pi Kappa Phi's North Carolina State University chapter was found in Raleigh.

[32][33] A student pledging the California State University, Northridge chapter of Pi Kappa Phi died in the summer of 2014 during a mandatory 18-mile hike in what his family alleges was a hazing ritual.

[40] In 2000, the California State University, Chico chapter was dissolved and later permanently banned after the alcohol-related hazing death of freshman student Adrian Heideman.