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Senator
A Senatorship is the highest honour that can be bestowed on a member or past member of our organization, and confers "lifetime membership" in Junior Chamber International (JCI). It is a unique way to pay tribute to an individual for his/her dedication and outstanding service on a local, national, or international level.
By extending lifetime membership to deserving Jaycees, the JCI Senatorship provides such members with an enduring link to our organization and all of its members worldwide.
Member organizations are encouraged to include a provision in their constitutions stating that JCI Senators shall also be lifetime members of their respective local and national organizations. The awarding of this status does not exempt an active member from paying regular membership dues to JCI, and the question of whether a Senator shall be obligated to pay local and national dues is wholly a matter for local and national consideration.
Who May be Awarded a Senatorship?: Senatorships may be awarded to current or past members for their commitment and contributions at any and all levels of the organization. To qualify, individuals must have been Junior Chamber members for at least five years. Applications are subject to the written approval of the local, state (where applicable), and national presidents. Presidents are expected to make as many inquiries as they deem appropriate regarding the applicant's Junior Chamber record.
Instructions for Enrollment: An application for Senatorship must be fully completed, and then approved and signed by the presidents of the applicant's local chapter, regional president, national president, and the president of JCI. Consult your national and/or state headquarters for any additional requirements. If the applicant is currently serving as an officer whose signature is required, the next senior officer may sign for him. Senate application forms are available upon request from your national headquarters or the JCI World Headquarters. (Check the bottom of this page for a link to the senate application on the web.)
JCI Canada Requirement: All applications for a Senatorship must be accompanied with a summary (not more than two pages) amplifying the information in the application. The summary and application must demonstrate, beyond a doubt, that the applicant has rendered outstanding service and convince the officers that the individual is deserving of JCI Canada's highest award. Please review Policy 17.1 for full details on how to apply for a Senatorship.
At the same time that the application is forwarded to the JCI World Headquarters for approval and processing, a full payment must be made to JCI. The US$300.00 payment may be made by cheque, (drawn on a U.S. bank, and in U.S. dollars) or credit card (MasterCard, Visa, or American Express). If you wish to pay by credit card, please refer to the corresponding section of the application form. The application will not be approved or processed until the completed form, bearing all necessary signatures, has been submitted, and the entire Senate membership fee has been paid.
Upon approval of the application at JCI Headquarters, the applicant is assigned a number and his name is entered in the Roll of Senators. The new JCI Senator receives an elegant, personalized certificate, an attractive gold membership card in a distinctive packaging, and a special Senators pin. Please allow three weeks for processing, after which the Senator package will be mailed to the address provided on the application.
Presenting a Senatorship: The long history of the Senate can be traced back to a single, great idea, one which has since evolved into one of JCI's most successful and celebrated programs. Over the years, the Senate has markedly enhanced the prestige of Junior Chamber International by giving outstanding members a vested interest in the forward development of the organization.
In 1951, JCI President Phil Pugsley (Past National President of Junior Chamber International Canada) and charter member John Armbruster were discussing a publication entitled "The Log," which Armbruster had been producing for retired officers and directors of the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce. Aware of the vital role "The Log" played in sustaining friendships that had been formed through Junior Chamber, Pugsley struck upon the idea of sending a similar publication to the "alumni" of Junior Chamber International, and asked Armbruster to take on the job. They decided to name the paper "The Elder Statesman," for JCI alumni throughout the world were becoming important citizens of their respective countries, and were, in fact, elder statesmen to younger Junior Chamber members.
The Senate story took another significant turn in New York City in January 1952 at a meeting between Pugsley and JCI representative to the United Nations, Sid Boxer. During their conversation, the two explored important questions about the nature of the organization. Why were past members allowed to drift away from the movement when many would like to preserve some lifelong link to Junior Chamber? Why were local members spending thousands of dollars annually giving gifts to those they wished to honour when the same funds, spent on Junior Chamber International, could work for a cause in which they all believed? Why had an idea like Junior Chamber (then in its fourth decade) taken so long to gather enthusiasts around the world?
Upon considering these questions, Pugsley and Boxer conceived of the idea of a group of distinguished and honoured members, who would, in effect, help to spread the Junior Chamber concept worldwide. The JCI Senate was thus born. The idea was presented to the 1952 JCI World Congress in Melbourne, Australia, where it was approved and incorporated into the JCI bylaws as a category of membership. Since then, well over 58,000 Junior Chamber members in more than 100 countries have been honoured.
- Download Senate Application Form
More information on the Canada JCI Senate can be found at: www.canadajcisenate.com
