Tag Archive for Phi Beta Kappa

Students Elected to Phi Beta Kappa

by Olivia Drake • June 1, 2018

Seventy-eight members of the Class of 2018 were inducted into Wesleyan’s Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa Society, the oldest national scholastic honor society.

On May 26, 78 members of the Class of 2018 were inducted into Wesleyan’s Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa Society, the oldest national scholastic honor society. The Wesleyan Gamma Chapter was organized in 1845 and is the ninth-oldest chapter in the country.

Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest surviving Greek letter society in America, founded in December 1776 by five students who attended the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. The emblem contains the three Greek letters “Phi-Beta-Kappa,” which are the initials of the Greek motto, Philosophia Biou Kybernetes. This essentially means “the love of wisdom is the guide of life.”

The spring 2018 inductees are:

Ryan Adler-Levine, Rachel Alpert, Dakota An, Vera Benkoil, Nicole Boyd, Kerry Brew, Chloe Briskin, Hailey Broughton-Jones, Maxwell Burke Cembalest, Steven Le Chen, Taylor Chin, So Young Chung, Danielle Cohen, Darci Collins, Theresa Counts, Isabelle Csete, Emmet Daly, Joshua Davidoff, Rocco Davino, Nicole DelGaudio, Max Distler, Luisa Donovan, Rhea Drozdenko, Dasha Dubinsky, Rebecca Eder, Sara Eismont, and Julia Gordon.

Also Chris Gortmaker*, Jack Guenther, Kenneth Sabin Hecht, Brandon Ho, Mariel Hohmann, Josephine Jenks, Melissa Joskow, Joanna Korpanty, Gretchen LaMotte, Julia Lejeune, Ariana Lewis, Aryeh Lieber, Anran Liu, Caroline Qingyuan Liu, Maya Lopez-Ichikawa, Christine Mathew, Maile McCann, Louis Medina, Joel Michaels, Eva Moskowitz, Emily Murphy, Andrew Olivieri, Paul Partridge, and Joanna Paul.

by Olivia Drake • December 8, 2017

During an initiation ceremony on Dec. 6, 17 Wesleyan seniors were elected to the Connecticut Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa honor society.

To be elected, a student must first have been nominated by the department of his or her major. He or she also must have demonstrated curricular breadth by having met the General Education Expectations and must have achieved a GPA of 93 and above. During the ceremony, Gamma Chapter PBK President Steven Horst, professor of philosophy, professor of science in society, said this class has a 94.4 GPA and above.

“For students elected this fall, it is an especially exacting selection process because admission is based on a student’s performance at Wesleyan only through their junior year,” Horst said. “These new members’ accomplishments during their years at Wesleyan should be a source of pride for themselves and to their families.”

by Olivia Drake • May 28, 2017

On May 27, 77 members of the Class of 2017 were inducted into Wesleyan’s Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa Society, the oldest national scholastic honor society. They join 14 others who were initiated in fall.

The inductees and their majors include:

Joie Akerson, neuroscience and behavior;
Taiga Araki, biology, government;
Eric Arsenault, chemistry, physics;
Jeremy Auerbach, biology;
Fred Ayres, economics, neuroscience and behavior
Brennan Baker, biology;
Henry Barrett, economics, government;
Clayton Baumgart, physics;
Jordan Bell, neuroscience and behavior;
Kate Bodner, English, hispanic literatures and cultures;
Emma Broder, biology, science in society;
Henry Bushnell, biology, mathematics;
Sarah Corner, English, psychology;
Allison Cronan, film, mathematics;

by Olivia Drake • December 12, 2016

Wesleyan President Michael Roth, pictured in the back row, joins the new members of Phi Beta Kappa for a group photo following their initiation ceremony on Dec. 7 at the Office of Admission

On Dec. 7, 14 members of the Class of 2017 were inducted into Wesleyan’s Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa Society, the oldest national scholastic honor society.

To be elected, a student must first have been nominated by the department of his or her major. He or she also must have demonstrated curricular breadth by having met the General Education Expectations, and must have achieved a GPA of 93 and above. The students in this particular group have GPAs of 93.47 and above and have already met all their undergraduate requirements.

“It’s delightful to be here and celebrate your accomplishments today,” said President Michael Roth during the PBK initiation ceremony. “Being a member of Phi Beta Kappa is a tribute to your abilities and accomplishments, but also your curiosity and desire to learn. We celebrate you and your work as a community of friends, colleagues and teachers.”

by Lauren Rubenstein • May 22, 2016

Members of the Class of 2016 were inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, a national academic honor society, in the Memorial Chapel on May 21. Jim Citrin P’12 P’14 was the featured speaker for the ceremony. (Photos by Tom Dzimian)

Members of the Class of 2016 were inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Society, the oldest national scholastic honor society, in a ceremony May 21 at Memorial Chapel.

Wesleyan President Michael Roth welcomes the new members of Phi Beta Kappa.

The Wesleyan Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa was organized in 1845 and is the ninth-oldest chapter in the country. Membership is conferred for high scholastic achievement. Fall election eligibility is based on a student’s grades at the end of junior year; spring election is based on four-year achievement.

Seventy-three students were inducted at the ceremony. They join fifteen other seniors inducted in December 2015.

PHI BETA KAPPA SPRING 2016

Holt Akers-Campbell
Elizabeth Marie Alexion
Hannah Monica Ang Ang
Leah Ruth Bakely
Maya Sarah Berkman
Stephanie Rose Blumenstock
Rebecca E. Brill
Kristin Ione Bumsch
Christopher O’Neal Caines
Matthew Werner Chilton

by Laurie Kenney • December 3, 2015

Fifteen seniors were inducted to the university’s Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa during a ceremony on Dec. 2.

by Olivia Drake • December 4, 2014

On Dec. 3, Wesleyan welcomed 15 students elected to early decision membership in Phi Beta Kappa.

Fifteen Wesleyan students were elected to early decision membership in Phi Beta Kappa during an initiation ceremony Dec. 3.

To be elected, a student must have demonstrated curricular breadth by having met the General Education Expectations, and must have achieved a grade-point average of 93 and above. For students elected in the fall, it is an especially exacting selection process because admittance is based on a student’s performance at Wesleyan only through their junior year.

by Olivia Drake • May 27, 2014

President Michael Roth, pictured in center, honored newly-elected Phi Beta Kappa members in Memorial Chapel on May 24.

Wesleyan President Michael Roth inducted 77 Class of 2014 students into the university’s Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa on May 24. He honored the students during a Spring 2014 initiation ceremony in the Wesleyan Chapel. Faculty, staff, students and families attended the event.

Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest surviving Greek letter society in America, founded in December 1776 by five students who attended the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. The emblem contains the three Greek letters “Phi-Beta-Kappa,” which are the initials of the Greek motto, Philosophia Bio Kubernetes. This essentially means “the love of wisdom is the guide of life.”

The inductees and their majors are:

by Olivia Drake • December 6, 2013

Twelve students, accompanied by Wesleyan President Michael Roth, attended the Phi Beta Kappa initiation ceremony Dec. 4.

Phi Beta Kappa, Wesleyan’s honor society, welcomed 12 new members during an initiation ceremony Dec. 4 in the Office of Admission. These students have been elected to early decision PBK membership, and hold a GPA of 94.89 and above.

“These new members’ accomplishments during their years at Wesleyan should be a source of pride to themselves and to their families,” said Anna Shusterman, vice president of the Connecticut Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and assistant professor of psychology.

At left, Dean Louise Brown, secretary and marshal for Phi Beta Kappa, and Wesleyan President Michael Roth, congratulated the Phi Beta Kappa inductees.

“For students elected in the fall, it is an especially exacting selection process because admittance is based on a student’s performance at Wesleyan only through their junior year,” Shusterman said.

Also for this election, students must have completed all of their undergraduate work at Wesleyan.

The students, all from the Class of 2014, are: Amy Blum, Benjamin Jacobs, Sinéad Keogh, Carolyn Lipp , Ayala Mansky, Rebecca McClellan, Elliot Meyerson, Setareh O’Brien, Rachel Olfson, Patrick Sarver, Ema Tanovic and Ga Eun Yoo.

Class of 2017 Dean Louise Brown, secretary and marshal for Phi Beta Kappa, and Professor of Philosophy Steven Horst, Phi Beta Kappa treasurer, presented and welcomed the new initiates. Wesleyan President Michael Roth also congratulated the new members.

Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest surviving Greek letter society in America, founded in December 1776 by five students who attended the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. The emblem contains the three Greek letters “Phi-Beta-Kappa,” which are the initials of the Greek motto, Philosophia Bio Kubernetes. This essentially means “the love of wisdom is the guide of life.”

Photos of the ceremony are below: (Photos by Olivia Drake)

New Phi Beta Kappa member Setareh O’Brien is double majoring in psychology and neuroscience and behavior. Currently, she is organizing an intervention program for students struggling with binge eating. O’Brien balances her coursework with dance, assistant teaching, and involvement in several mental health-related student groups.

by Olivia Drake • December 11, 2012

Fifteen seniors joined Phi Beta Kappa honor society on Dec. 5. (Photos by Olivia Drake)

Fifteen students from the Class of 2013 were elected to early-decision membership in Phi Beta Kappa during an initiation ceremony Dec. 5. Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest surviving Greek letter society in America, dating back to 1776.

Sociology major Evan Okun ’13 accepts his Phi Beta Kappa membership papers from Dean Louise Brown, PBK chapter secretary and marshall. Okun teaches a class at the juvenile detention in Middletown, which examines literary technique and societal inequality through rap songs.

The organization’s Greek initials signify the motto, “Love of learning is the guide of life.”To be elected, a student must first have been nominated by his or her major department. He or she also must have demonstrated curricular breadth by having met the General Education Expectations, and have achieved a grade-point average of 93 percent. Members of the Fall 2012 class all have GPAs of 94.48 percent or above.

Sally Bachner, president of the Connecticut Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and associate professor of English, said for students elected in the fall, it is an especially exacting selection process and the election is an extremely prestigious one, because admittance is based on a student’s performance at Wesleyan only through their junior year.

“The students gathered here today represent a broad range of learning and commitment to excellence in a major, in some cases two or more majors, or a major that combines several disciplines,” she said, during the initiation ceremony. “These new members’ accomplishments during their years at Wesleyan should be a source of pride to themselves and to their families.”

Bachner was joined by the chapter’s vice president Anna Shusterman, assistant professor of psychology; chapter treasurer Steven Horst, chair and professor of philosophy; chapter secretary and marshall Louise Brown, dean for academic advancement/dean for the Class of 2013; and chapter historian Lorna Scott, assistant to the vice president for student affairs.

The elected students and their majors are:

Benjamin Abravanel, English and psychology; Evan Baum, chemistry; Julianne Edwards, biology, molecular biology and biochemistry, Science In Society; Scott Greene, chemistry;

by Olivia Drake • December 19, 2011

President Michael Roth welcomed 13 students (12 pictured) to Wesleyan's Phi Beta Kappa Dec. 7.

Thirteen seniors joined the U.S.’s ninth oldest Phi Beta Kappa chapter during an induction ceremony Dec. 7.

President Roth and Professor Gary Yohe congratulate Rachel Merzel '12 for being elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Election to the society is based on fulfillment of eligibility requirements. For students elected in the fall, admittance is based on a student’s performance at Wesleyan only through their junior year. A student first must have been nominated by his or her major department. He or she also must have demonstrated curricular breadth by having met the General Education Expectations, and have achieved a grade point average of 93.00 or above.

Phi Beta Kappa was founded in 1776, during the American Revolution. The organization’s Greek initials signify the motto, “Love of learning is the guide of life.”

The students and their majors are: Brittany Laine Baldwin-Hunter, biology; Alicia Doo Castagno, American studies; Ali Khalid Chaudhry, economics/mathematics and computer science; Lee Solomon Gottesdiener, chemistry/neuroscience and behavior; Zin Lin, mathematics and computer science/physics; Cassidy Siegel Mellin, neuroscience and behavior/psychology; and Rachel Leah Merzel, chemistry.

Also Emma Kathryn Mohney, English/romance languages and literatures; Emma Elaine Paine; English; Reed Leon Sarney, mathematics and computer science; Allegra Stout, feminist, gender and sexuality studies/psychology; Brianna Megan van Kan, College of Letters/music/Russian languages and literature; and Kathryn Emily Wagner, biology/molecular biology and biochemistry.

Chapter President Gary Yohe,

by Olivia Drake • June 22, 2011

Phi Beta Kappa members pose for a group photo following the initiation ceremony May 21 in Memorial Chapel. (Photo by Nam Anh Ta '12)

The Society of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest academic honor society, welcomed 87 members to the Gamma of Connecticut Chapter May 21.

Election to the society is based on fulfillment of eligibility requirements, including a grade point average of 90 or above and the satisfactory completion of general education requirements prior to commencement. Phi Beta Kappa was founded in 1776, during the American Revolution. The organization’s Greek initials signify the motto, “Love of learning is the guide of life.”

The students join the ninth oldest Phi Beta Kappa chapter in the United States—founded in 1845.

During the ceremony, Wesleyan president Michael Roth made welcoming remarks and Alberto Ibargüen ’66, HON ’11 CEO of The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, delivered the keynote address. Chapter President Gary Yohe, the Huffington Foundation Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies, initiated the members.

Sally Bachner, assistant professor of English, is the chapter’s vice president and Anna Shusterman, assistant professor of psychology, is the chapter treasurer.

Fifteen seniors from the Class of 2011 were elected to Phi Beta Kappa during the 2010 fall semester. These students and their majors are:

Arion Blas – economics

Wei Dai – physics, mathematics

Elizabeth Dalton – art and art history