Family and friends gathered at Lander University recently to witness the fall induction of 60 students into Lander's Alpha Chi National College Honor Scholarship Society.
Membership in Alpha Chi is limited to juniors, seniors and graduate students who are in the top 10 percent of their class. When it was chartered in 1957, Lander's Alpha Chi was the first chapter established in South Carolina. Nationwide, more than 400,000 members have been inducted into the honor society since its beginning in 1922.
"It is an enjoyable occasion for us to give well-deserved recognition to our hardest-working and most-accomplished students," said Dr. John Moore, Alpha Chi faculty coordinator and a professor of philosophy at Lander. "These students give us much to be proud of. They fully represent the 'growth stock' that a Lander education provides."
This fall, the university's Alpha Chi chapter earned a "Star Chapter" designation, meaning it has met certain requirements set forth by the national organization. Lander is one of only about 30 chapters across the U.S. to achieve the prestigious honor this year, Moore said.
At the ceremony, each student signed a registry and was presented an Alpha Chi medallion by deans or representatives from each of Lander's four academic colleges.
The 2014 inductees are:
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES:
• Jessica E. Bass, visual arts, Jonesville;
• Na'Shima J. Carter, history, Williston;
• April N. Chaffins, English/secondary certification, Gaston;
• Kelsie B. Detweiler, music, Abbeville;
• Sarah T. Lynch, mass communication & theatre, Clover;
• Kenneil S. Mitchell, mass communication & theatre, Columbia (29212);
• Julie Parkman, history/secondary certification, Aiken;
• Punit Patel, mass communication & theatre, Greenwood;
• Kaitlin P. Stowe, mass communication & theatre, Gaston;
• William J. Thompson, mass communication & theatre, Gray Court;
• Mary-Katherine J. Tipp, history/secondary certification, Greenwood;
• Brittany N. Webb, mass communication & theatre, Greenville; and
• Creighton M. Whitmire, history/secondary certification, Fountain Inn.
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS:
• Jordan L. Beeler, business administration, Aiken;
• Lainey E. Fenn, sociology, Greenwood;
• Melanie A. Fennell, business administration, Greenwood;
• Savannah L. Green, business administration, Silverstreet;
• Josef S. Myshkovskiy, business administration, Due West;
• Leeanza S. Perrin, sociology, Greenwood;
• Andrew B. Walston, business administration, Greenwood; and
• Michelle S. Weeks, business administration, Abbeville.
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION:
• Tyler M. Brady, elementary education; Honea Path;
• Amanda L. Cash, elementary education, Anderson;
• Breanna C. Cook, elementary education, Lexington;
• Krista D. Etters, elementary education, Chester;
• Paige Fowler, elementary education, Woodruff;
• Rebecca L. Garner, psychology, Waterloo;
• Samantha L. Harmon, early childhood education, Lexington;
• Lynnsey M. Jamison, exercise science, Barnwell;
• Mariana A. Martins, exercise science, Greenwood;
• Noel J. McDaniel, exercise science, Lexington;
• Gabrielle N. McMahon, early childhood education, Greenwood;
• Ansley D. Newell, elementary education, Florence;
• Jenna R. Overholt, early childhood education, Abbeville;
• Amanda A. Pennington, special education, Summerville;
• Kaitlyn E. Peperone, psychology, Lakeland, Tenn.;
• Randi N. Rhodes, early childhood education, Greenwood;
• Susanne E. Shaw, exercise science, Belton;
• Virginia C. Watson, exercise science, Greenville;
• Jordan N. Welmaker, elementary education, Taylors;
• Haley A. Wilson, early childhood education, Joanna; and
• Zachary E. Wilson, psychology, Aiken.
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS:
• Hannah C. Ashley, biology, Hodges;
• Kelsey A. Barrett, biology, Greenwood;
• Donald C. Berni, environmental science, Abbeville;
• Annaruth L. Branyon, nursing, Honea Path;
• Mitzie S. Corona, biology, Greenwood;
• Anna E. Gibson, chemistry, Lexington;
• William D. Hall, biology, Iva;
• Karlee Hiott, nursing, Salem;
• Fayla N. Junior, chemistry, Hendersonville, Tenn.;
• Anyway B. Kapingidza, chemistry, Greenwood;
• Andrea C. Marshall, nursing, Greenwood;
• Erika H. Osborne, mathematics, Fountain Inn;
• Brian G. Riehl, biology, Douglasville, Ga.;
• Nicole R. Schlecht, chemistry, Easley;
• Kathleen E. Schwartz, biology, Greenwood;
• Patricia A. Sorrow, environmental science, Abbeville;
• Jennifer L. Vassy, biology, Gaffney; and
• Kyle H. Williams, computer information systems, Jonesville.