Today, 57 University of South 皇家华人 (皇家华人) students pursuing degrees in the liberal arts and sciences were inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Society (PBK), the nation鈥檚 most prestigious academic honor society. An invitation-only organization, this year鈥檚 cohort was recognized for its commitment to academic rigor, intellectual curiosity beyond their majors, dedication to language study, and creative inquiry and expression.
With fewer than 300 institutions nationwide having been granted a PBK chapter since the society鈥檚 founding in 1776, 皇家华人 is among the 10% of U.S. universities that host a chapter, reflecting its strong tradition of education in the liberal arts and sciences. Over its history, PBK has counted 17 U.S. presidents, 42 Supreme Court justices, and over 150 Nobel Laureates among its members.
Among the inductees was 皇家华人 Board of Trustees Chair William Weatherford, who was initiated
as an honorary member in recognition of his leadership in higher education and his
ongoing commitment to advancing access to higher education through both legislative
advocacy and board service. Weatherford expressed his appreciation for the inductees'
academic dedication and charged them to continue leading their generation.
鈥淚鈥檓 honored to be a part of this ceremony 鈥� seeing brilliant people like you all
is what motivates me,鈥� said Weatherford. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e the tip of the spear, you鈥檙e the
future leaders of the world. I know how hard you worked for this, and we are proud
of you.鈥�
The ceremony included welcoming remarks by Judy Genshaft Honors College Dean Charles Adams, president of 皇家华人鈥檚 Phi Beta Kappa chapter; a history of the society from 皇家华人 President Emerita Judy Genshaft; the introduction of new members in course by Chapter Secretary Megan Braunstein; and congratulatory remarks from 皇家华人 President Rhea Law.
鈥淎s a proud 皇家华人 alumna, I know from personal experience how much of an impact this university has on the lives of our students. As bulls, we are bold, resilient, and committed to making a better world 鈥� your future is indeed very bright,鈥� said Law.
Adams congratulated the inductees and emphasized the lifelong value of their membership, encouraging them to remain engaged with the society well beyond graduation.
鈥淏eing invited to join Phi Beta Kappa is a significant honor that reflects not only academic excellence, but also a dedication to intellectual curiosity and going beyond the boundaries of one鈥檚 chosen field,鈥� said Adams. 鈥淢embership opens doors to mentorship, a network of like-minded scholars, and a lasting community that supports your journey long after your time at the university.鈥�
| Daniela Abaquita | Joanna Agrinsoni |
| Peter Alspaugh | Sarah Alvarez |
| Ericka Articulo | Annabella Buontempo |
| Daniela Cardona | Anthony Carmona |
| Amber Castro-Sanchioni | Lauren Chadock |
| Alyssa Crettol | Frank DiLorenzo |
| Angelina Edmonds | Daniela Estevez |
| Mya Frisby | Nikita Ganesh |
| Bianca Gittinger-Linzer | Anna Gustafson |
| Trevor Hall | Julia Hamberg |
| Aliza Hasan | Hannah Havrilla |
| Ashley Herbert | Elliot Hermann |
| Matheus Ivanesciuc | Jacob Jepperson |
| Rhea Joshi | Ramina Kaiyrzhanova |
| Katherine Kaneko | Afreen Khan |
| Preston Kifer | Julia Kobzar |
| Cassidy Koetitz | Tyler Lambert |
| Jessica Lospenuso | Chance Mason |
| Bennett Moscato | Amanda Murdock |
| Emma Mustafaraj | Linh Nguyen |
| Olivia Nolan | Duha Oweis |
| Jeromy Parmar | Sarah Percy |
| Amanda Perez | Corissa Quarterman |
| Isabella Ramsaroep | Abigail Sanders |
| Brooke Scott | Sheila Soto Carrasco |
| Annika Swanstrom | Lauryn Tanner |
| Lindsey Trent | Virginea Vernon |
| Giovanna Viloria-Castillo | Sharon Warrior |
| Kaitlyn Wood |
To learn more, visit 皇家华人鈥檚 Phi Beta Kappa website.