Phi Beta Kappa is the nation’s oldest academic honors society. (Founded December 5, 1776)
Tau of Pennsylvania 2021 Induction
The Tau of Pennsylvania Chapter at Ursinus College was installed as a Chapter of the Society on March 29, 1992.
An outdoor, physically-distanced induction ceremony for initiates was held on Friday, May 14, at 3 p.m. on Ursinus College’s campus. A recording of the ceremony is available below for inductees’ families to view.
2021 Induction Ceremony Recording
Congratulations from PBK 2021 Families
Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest and most respected academic honor society in the United States, having been established at the College of William and Mary in 1776. Membership in Phi Beta Kappa signifies excellence in one’s entire academic experience as an undergraduate. Furthermore, only a small fraction of all colleges and universities in the US possess a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Election of members is also limited to no more than fifteen percent of any senior class, with no more than twenty percent of these students having been elected during the junior year.
Junior students with a Grade Point Average at or above 3.75 and senior students with GPA at or above 3.50 are eligible for nomination and thus consideration for Phi Beta Kappa. Students must also have completed a full year of intermediate level language in college.
Each year the Tau Chapter solicits nominations from faculty and staff. A committee of Chapter members then reviews student records and makes recommendations to the entire Tau Chapter as to which students it recommends for membership. The Tau Chapter considers these recommendations and additional students brought forth independently by Chapter members. This meeting results in the list of students who are offered membership in the Society by the Tau of Pennsylvania at Ursinus College.
Along with election and initiation of new members each year, the Tau Chapter supports the John Moore Wickersham Sophomore Book Award. This award, in the form of a book and certificate, is presented at the initiation each spring to the sophomore(s) with the highest GPA after 3 semesters at Ursinus College. Occasionally, the Chapter invites Phi Beta Kappa scholars to speak at events open to the entire campus.
Class of 2021
Nareen Babaian
Mary Baldy
Dominique Ballinger
Brittney Bedrossian
Caroline Bormann
Nicole Bryce
Olivia Byrne
Stephanie Chell
Emily Cid
Ana DerSimonian
Hailey DiCicco
Molly Divis
Neve Durrwachter
Naomi Epstein
Samuel Ernst
Matthew Furgele
Angela Gervasi
Malcolm Godshall
George Gordon
Myla Haan
Emily Harris
Jacqlyn Henigan
Karen Herrera
Jacob Kang
Shayna Kushner
Sarah Lafharis
Meghan Lashley
Gillianne Lux
Sophie May
Hannah Merges
Marisa Morano
Autumn Murphy
Caitlin O’Neill
Lucas Olshevski
Chase Opperman
Taylor Pyle
Vikki Rueda-Juarez
Kathleen Saddler
Benjamin Sallavanti
Morgan Sotoloff
Aliyah Stephens
Briana Strickland
Rachel Thornton
Brianna Valerio
Emma Warnick
Madeline Wert
Carver Wolfe
Adam Zucker
Thea Pastras *elected as Junior*
Elvi Sopiqoti *elected as Junior*
Class of 2022 (elected as Juniors)
Jesse Wun
Jenna Menapace
2021 John Wickersham Book Award Winners (sophomore prize - Class of 2023)
Rachel Arthur
Alexandria Fowler
Rebekah Kline
Faculty and Staff Resident Members
Meghan Brodie ’00
Stephen Buss ’08
Alyssa Caffarelli ’13
Thomas Carroll
Cathy Chambliss
Glenda Chao
Abbie Cichowski ’10
Marcia Clouser
Mark Ellison, President
Rebecca Evans, Treasurer
Denise Finney
Roger Florka
Quinn Gilman-Forlini ’15
Lisa Hanover
Stephanie Mackler
Jonathan Marks
Kassandra Martin-Wells
Kara McShane
Anthony Nadler
Eric Parnell, Vice President
Christian Rice ’98
Jordan Scharaga ’17
Mark Schneider
Domenick Scudera
Paul Stern
Jennifer Stevenson
Erin Stroble ’02
Susanna Throop
Angela Upright ’17, Historian
Jon Volkmer
Emeriti
William E. Akin
A. Curtis Allen
Hugh Clark
Nancy Hagelgans
Joyce Lionarons
Ellen Matthews
David Mill
Patricia Schroeder ’74
Martha Takats
Victor Tortorelli
John M. Wickersham
In Memoriam
S. Ross Doughty ’68
Bobby Fong
C. Dallett Hemphill
Richard King