73 Seniors Elected to Phi Beta Kappa

During her four years at Wesleyan, Katherine “Kat” Eaton ’21 not only fell in love with creative writing, but she also discovered interests in martial arts, fire spinning, and tabletop roleplaying games—Dungeons & Dragons, Monster of the Week, Masks, and more. “Basically, I’m a storyteller, whether that’s on my own or with other people,” Eaton explained.

Eaton, who graduated on May 26 with honors for her English thesis titled “Myths and Legends of Aetheria: A Study in Worldbuilding,” is also among only 88 students from the Class of 2021 to graduate with Phi Beta Kappa honors.

On May 24, she and 72 of her peers were inducted into the Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa during a virtual ceremony. At Wesleyan, only 12 percent of each graduating class is elected to PBK, the oldest national scholastic honor society. Election is based on fulfilling general education expectations and having a grade point average of 93 or above.

Students are nominated by their major departments or class dean.

“I take enormous pleasure in recognizing your accomplishments—not just your good grades—but for having a sense of curiosity and independence of spirit,” Wesleyan President Michael Roth ’78 said during the ceremony. “The faculty who nominated you take good character quite seriously. So let me congratulate you and send you my gratitude and appreciation for all your great work.”

The students join 15 others who were elected early-decision during a virtual ceremony on Dec. 2, 2020.

The following seniors, noted below with their major(s), have been elected into Wesleyan University’s Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, Spring 2021:

Jack Fox Baum: economics, philosophy
Hannah Rice Berman: English, Italian studies
Michael Evan Planells Bloom: film studies, psychology
Tess Hildegard Brunner: neuroscience and behavior
Benjamin Drury Bushnell: computer science
Kin Wai Cheung: economics, mathematics
Julia Chung: English, theater
Tracy Elizabeth Cooper: French studies, music
Charlotte Blythe Curnin: psychology
Joseph Cutler: computer science
Carol Dalgarno: molecular biology and biochemistry
Ruby Paulina Duffy: College of Social Studies
Katherine Elizabeth Eaton: English
Elizabeth Chatwin Edwards: anthropology, environmental studies
Lucas Eras Paiva: anthropology, computer science
Talia Jamie Feldscher: biology, science in society
Claudia Jo Ferrara: education studies, psychology
Graciela Gautier-Jusino: Russian, east European, and Eurasian studies
Danielle Gozzo: English, psychology
Xiangyi Guo: College of East Asian Studies, psychology
Nour Saida Harzallah: College of Integrative Sciences, molecular biology and biochemistry, physics
Maya Stefania Hayda: art history, English
Marion Newcomb Humphreys: neuroscience and behavior
Mary Johnson: religion
Jack Joseph Jontz: government, psychology
Julia Elizabeth Kahn: psychology, science in society
Noah Joseph Kline: American studies
Emily Caldicott Leggat: biology
Wei Li: economics
Sam Libberton: anthropology, psychology, science in society
Frances Lin: earth and environmental sciences, environmental studies
Sophie Linett: science in society
Julien Lavalette Loo: economics, romance studies
Sarah Beth Lucente: English, film studies
Benjamin Warren Lyon: art history, art studio
William Matrone Mack: economics
William McCloskey Mahoney: College of Letters
Andrew Keith Martin: economics
Elizabeth Miller Schai: sociology
Emily Flora Moon: neuroscience and behavior
Minxuan Ni: College of Social Studies, French studies
Andrew Ross Northrop: neuroscience and behavior
Ciara Jeanne O’Flynn: art studio, psychology
Margaret Elizabeth O’Hanlon: environmental studies, government
Alma Pres: anthropology, sociology
Katerina Ramos-Jordàn: dance, English
Lucia Thomas Robinson: film studies
Eric Douglas Roe: studio art
Simon Sayer Rothman: physics
Rebecca Johnson Rubenstein: feminist, gender, and sexuality studies, Hispanic literatures and cultures
Matthew Nam Rubenstein: physics
Cameron Bayard Scharff: environmental studies, philosophy
Gabriel Asher Siegel: government
Jesse Storm Simmons: anthropology, biology
Jonah Max Skolnik: government, medieval studies
Felicia Rose Soderberg: feminist, gender, and sexuality studies, government
Lisa Cheryl Stein: music, religion
Claudia Mathilde Stenbaek: neuroscience and behavior
Emma Winston Stern: french studies, government
Lauren Anne Stock: sociology, theater
Shirley Sullivan: dance, psychology
Zuzu Taylor Tadeushuk: English, feminist, gender, and sexuality studies
Harrison Tan: neuroscience and behavior
Yaqian Tang: mathematics
Tyla Taylor: education studies, Hispanic literatures and cultures, psychology
Acadia May Thielking: biology, science in society
Khanh Dan Tran: economics
Alex Tripp: music
Niels Vizgan: chemistry
Phoebe Tharaka Vlahoplus: history
Catherine Weng Xi: College of Social Studies, environmental studies
Donglai Yang: earth and environmental sciences, physics
Betsy Zaubler: American studies, theater