UK’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter inducts 22 new members 12 Honors students
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 25, 2024) — The University of Kentucky chapter of Phi Beta Kappa recently inducted 22 new members into the prestigious academic honor society. This year’s induction ceremony was held Wednesday, April 17, at the Lewis Honors College (LHC) Scholars Lounge and featured a keynote address from John Thelin, professor emeritus in the College of Education.
“We are approaching the 100th anniversary of the Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and we are enormously proud of the students admitted to our chapter,” said Lynn Hiler, chapter coordinator. “This honor recognizes their hard work and commitment to a liberal arts education in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.”
Celebrating excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest and the most prestigious honor society and opens many doors over the course of members’ careers. It contributes to opportunities for life-long learning and rounded lives outside of career, which follows the society’s motto “Love of Learning is the Guide to Life.” Phi Beta Kappa elects more than 15,000 new members a year from 290 chapters across the United States. There are also nearly 50 active alumni associations across the country that allow members to continue active affiliation with the society after graduation.
“It is an incredible honor to be inducted as a member of Phi Beta Kappa,” said Anna Puderbaugh, recent Phi Beta Kappa inductee. “I am grateful for my professors at the University of Kentucky who have encouraged a genuine love for learning and education in the liberal arts and sciences.”
The UK chapter of Phi Beta Kappa would like to encourage the many faculty, staff and graduate students who are Phi Beta Kappa members to get involved with the campus chapter. With an invigorated PBK chapter on campus, volunteers can develop campus-wide programming and take advantage of opportunities offered by the national office, such as their visiting scholars program. If you would like to engage with the UK chapter or receive communications from the chapter, please reach out to C. Lynn Hiler, program coordinator for the Chellgren Center, at clynnhiler@uky.edu or Pearl James, interim faculty advisor, at pearl.james@uky.edu.
The 2024 inductees are:
College of Arts and Sciences
- Trinity Grace Adams, LHC
- Malissa Tippavanh Bouakham
- Eriel N Burns, LHC
- Ryan David Crane
- Hannah Elaina Croom, LHC
- Shria Ananthkumar Holla, LHC
- Hassan K. Kashif, LHC
- Cierra Grace Ledford
- Christopher Joseph Mattingly
- Connor Ashton Medley
- Carleigh Drew Parr, LHC
- Anna Claire Puderbaugh, LHC
- Nicholas Alexander Relich, LHC
- Midori Saito
- Grayson Elizabeth Soucy
- Zora Evelyn Woolfolk, LHC
College of Communication and Information
- Richard Nathaniel Lucas
- Garrett J Wright, LHC
Pigman College of Engineering
- Anna Erpenbeck, LHC
College of Fine Arts
- Avery Anne Schanbacher
- Sophie Caroline Wingo
College of Social Work
- Kotomi Selina Yokokura, LHC
UK’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter is supported by the Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence, the Lewis Honors College and the Office of the President. For more information on membership, contact chellgrencenter@uky.edu.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
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