Many Elizabethtown College academic departments are associated with national honor societies. These societies accept exceptional students based on academic grades and extracurricular activities. The Etown departments that are associated with national honor societies are business, biology, occupational therapy, history, social work, psychology, sociology and anthropology, mathematics, political science and education. The religious studies, modern languages, computer science and English departments don’t currently have national honor societies but hope to be associated with them in the next few years. The requirements for each honor society vary by department.
The business department is associated with the Delta Mu Delta and Epsilon Phi societies. Dr. Sylvester Williams, associate professor of business law and business department chair, said the top 20 percent of business students are invited to join the society, which currently has 60 members. The business department holds an annual Delta Mu Delta induction ceremony.
At the ceremony, the officers give speeches before a candle- lighting ceremony. The inductees are also given a certificate, pin and cords to wear at graduation. There are several national level scholarships available for members of Delta Mu Delta and in 2013, a member received a Weinstein scholarship for $1,000.
The biology department is associated with the National Biological Honor Society, (BBB). The current president of Etown’s chapter is Sarah Sulon. Students must obtain a 3.0 GPA or higher in biology classes after completing at least three semesters at Etown. Currently, that society has approximately 50 members.
The induction ceremony, which is held during Scholarship and Creative Arts Day, is the same one held all over the country. Members of BBB have the opportunity to publish journal entries and present at regional and national scientific conferences. Most members tutor biology students for a minimum of 10 hours per year, bring in one outside speaker per year and have the option to attend a resume and cover letter workshop.
The social work department is associated with the Phi Alpha Honor Society. Students must be at least sophomores with social work majors, complete eight semester hours of required social work courses, have an overall 3.0 GPA and achieve a 3.5 GPA in all required social work courses.
The Phi Alpha Honor Society has 15 current members and nine new members will be inducted on May 2 during the social work department annual banquet. Dr. Margaret McFarland, professor of social work, explained the society. “Phi Alpha fosters high standards of education for social workers and only invited into membership those students who have attained excellence in scholarship and achievement in social work,” McFarland said. Members of the honor society engage in community service learning at least once during the year.
The department of sociology and anthropology has two honor societies; Alpha Kappa Delta is for sociology majors and Lambda Alpha for anthropology. Sociology and Anthropology Department Chair Dr. Elizabeth Newell, Dr. Robert Wheelersburg and 16 student charter members founded the Iota of Pennsylvania Chapter of Lambda Alpha at Etown in 2008.
At Etown, there are eight members and five students who will be inducted in the spring at the department’s banquet, which will recognize all graduating seniors. The minimum requirements for membership in this chapter are the completion of at least 12 credits in anthropology, a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all required anthropology courses and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
“The purpose of the society is to encourage and stimulate scholarship and research in anthropology by recognizing and honoring superior achievement in the discipline among students, faculty and other persons engaged in the study of anthropology, and providing incentives for exceptional performance by granting certificates of accomplishment,” Newell said. Members of the organization have the chance to earn outside scholarships as well. The organization awards scholarships of $5,000 to a deserving senior anthropology major.
The department of mathematics is associated with Pi Mu Epsilon, for which students must be juniors with a 3.5 GPA or better in all of their math courses. The society holds an induction ceremony with a dinner and speaker every spring semester.
The political science department’s national honor society is Pi Sigma Alpha. “According to the national society, students must have a GPA that places them in the top one-third of their graduating class.” Political Science Department Chair, Dr. April Kelly-Woessner said. “The average GPA awarded in political science is significantly lower than the College average. What this means is that many of our best students cannot make the cut for the honors society due to grade inflation in other departments.”
Kappa Delta Pi is the education department’s national honor society. Dr. Jill Bartoli, a retired faculty member, founded the College’s chapter. “The mission of the organization is to maintain an honored community of diverse educators by promoting excellence and advancing scholarship, leadership and service,” Education Department Chair Dr. Rachel Finley-Bowman, said.
Students are required to have 60 credits or more, be full-time students, have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 and be recommended by the department’s faculty. Currently, Kappa Delta Pi has 50 members and organizes several community service activities during the year to promote the quality of teaching.
The occupational therapy department is associated with Pi Theta Epsilon, the psychology department’s honor society is Psi Chi and the history department participates in the Phi Alpha Theta National Honor Society.
