Circle K is the largest collegiate community service, leadership development, and friendship organization in the world. Circle K clubs are organized and sponsored by a Kiwanis club on a college or university campus. It is a self-governing organization and elects its own officers, conducts its own meetings, and determines its own service activities.
Circle K is an international community service organization with over 12,000 members worldwide in over 7 countries. Circle K blends community service and leadership training with the opportunity to meet many other college students at service projects, conferences, and conventions.
Each club works closely with their school and local community in planning and implementing projects that best serve the needs of that particular area. Clubs within the same basic geographic area (divisions), also work together on larger projects. On the district level, clubs within the boundaries of California, Nevada, and Hawaii also work to achieve common goals and service initiatives, and come together at conferences, conventions, and large scale projects (see "events" page). This gives members the opportunity to work closely with and get to know many different people, not just those at their own school.
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 humankind's potential.
In 1936, the Kiwanis Club of Pullman, Washington, established Circle K HouseEat Washington State College, which was rented to young men who needed assistance to attend college. For ten years the "Circle K House" became affiliated with a Greek letter organization, although it continued to be sponsored by the Pullman Kiwanis Club.
Eleven years later in 1947, Circle K transitioned from a fraternity to a service-oriented organization. That year, during September, the first Circle K club similar to our present day organization, was chartered at Carthage College in Carthage, Illinois.
In 1949, two more clubs were organized, including one in Canada, making Circle K international. There were 147 Circle K clubs in 1955, when Circle K was officially recognized as a sponsored organization of Kiwanis International.
Campus and Community Service: Because of CKI's rich history of helping others, members of CKI clubs share in the tradition of serving their campuses and communities. CKI members, by planning and participating in projects and activities, volunteer their time, talents, ideas and skills for the purpose of making a longlasting and far-reaching impact on their environment.
Leadership Development: Through the CKI structure, every Circle K'er has the unique opportunity to develop leadership skills by serving as an officer or committee chair. Whether it be serving as a club project chair, district officer or international officer, each member has the opportunity to discover and develop talents and skills.
Professional Development: Involvement in Circle K will allow college students to apply what they learn in the classroom to everyday situations. The skills that are developed and the opportunities experienced through involvement in Circle K will increase a student's employability after college. Furthermore, Circle K's connection to Kiwanis promotes career networking between collegians and professionals.
Friendship: Because CKI is organized on more than 500 college and university campuses in nine countries, members have the unique opportunity to become friends with collegians throughout North America. Attendance at divisional, district, and international conferences and conventions provides members the special chance to learn of diverse perspectives, make new friends all over North America, share ideas and concerns, and travel.
Scholarship Opportunities: Through the generous efforts of the Kiwanis International Foundation and Kiwanians in the thirty districts of CKI, up to thirty $1,000 scholarships (one per district), are made available to CKI members. At the International Convention, additional scholarships are presented to Circle K'ers who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, service, and scholarship.
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