The University of Maine at Presque Isle chapter of Phi Eta Sigma inducted 18 students into its national honor society earlier in the academic year. The induction ceremony lasted only 45 minutes, but provided students with a prestigious honor.
In addition to becoming members of this national honor society, inductees received some special items that will be worn when they graduate. Among those items are cords and a medallion, which signify them as a member of the honor society.
Phi Eta Sigma is a national honor society for college students. Its goal is to encourage and reward academic excellence among college students. The society gives more than $285,000 in scholarships annually, according to the website. It is the oldest and largest freshmen honor society, founded at the University of Illinois on March 22, 1923. There are now more than 350 chapters throughout the United States, and more than 1 million inducted members. Phi Eta Sigma was voted into membership into the Association of College Honor Societies in 1937. Only two societies have had longer continuous memberships.
Including the new inductees of this year’s class, a total of 226 scholars have been inducted into the Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society at the University since it was rechartered on October 7, 2005.
“This year’s class of 18 students is a great addition to Phi Eta Sigma. As members, they will perform service to UMPI and the community as well as maintain their high scholastic achievement. It is great to have such strong leaders interested in joining our group,” Jim Stepp, Dean of Students, said when speaking about the national honor society.
New inductees include: Gaila Allan, Mitchell Bartlett, Elizabeth Bishop, Dana Boardman, Derek Boudreau, Jessica Campbell, Emma Day, Candy Easton, Darci Faye, Theodore Gilliam, Caleb Hobbs, Amanda Hotham, Jeffrey Kiser, Shawna McDonough, Marissa McGovern, Hillary Pelkey, Nicholas Reid, and Abigail Riitano.
This year’s executive committee includes: President Erica Hemphill, Vice President Amanda Larrabee, Treasurer and Secretary Kelsey Churchill, Senior Advisor Rebecca Stepp, and Advisor James Daniel Stepp, Dean of Students.
