Pennsylvania State University

Noah Ritter, of Whitehall, and Sara Siddiqi, of Northampton, were initiated into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Ritter is pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering. Ritter and Siddiqi are among approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.

Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 under the leadership of undergraduate student Marcus L. Urann, who had a desire to create a different kind of honor society - one that recognized excellence in all academic disciplines. Today, the society has chapters on more than 300 campuses in the United States and the Philippines. Its mission is “to recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.”

Since its founding, more than 1.5 million members have been initiated into Phi Kappa Phi. Some of the organization’s notable members include former President Jimmy Carter, NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence, novelist John Grisham and YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley. Each year, Phi Kappa Phi awards nearly $1 million to outstanding students and members through graduate and dissertation fellowships, undergraduate study abroad grants, funding for post-baccalaureate development and grants for local, national and international literacy initiatives. For more information about Phi Kappa Phi, visit phikappaphi.org.

Wilkes University

Wilkes University students Kate Hall, of Northampton, and Sarah Covert, of Catasauqua, were inducted into the Passan School of Nursing during an April 7 ceremony. Both students received their lab coat and signed the nursing pledge.

Wilkes University is an independent institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence through mentoring in the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs. Founded in 1933, the university is on a mission to create one of the great small universities, offering all of the programs, activities and opportunities of a large, research university in the intimate, caring and mentoring environment of a small, liberal arts college, at a cost that is increasingly competitive with public universities. In addition to 47 undergraduate majors, Wilkes offers the doctor of nursing practice, doctor of education and doctor of pharmacy degrees and more than a dozen master’s degree programs, including the master of business administration and master of fine arts in creative writing.

Lebanon Valley College

Ryan Johnson, of Bath, was inducted into Phi Alpha Epsilon, Lebanon Valley College’s honor society celebrating academic achievement and volunteer service. Johnson, a graduate of Bethlehem Catholic High School, is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in early childhood education and special education. To be eligible for this award, students must achieve a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.6, complete at least 24 credits of Constellation LVC coursework and achieve the bronze level of service hours (as determined by the Office of Spiritual Life) at the conclusion of the fall semester prior to graduation.

Lebanon Valley College offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts and humanities; business and communications; education; health professions; social sciences and psychology; and science, technology, engineering and math. Advanced health professions degrees include a master of athletic training, a master of speech-language pathology and a doctor of physical therapy. Online and graduate programs include an MBA with four concentrations and a general option offered on-campus or partially or fully online, a master of science in STEM education, an Integrative STEM Education Certificate, a master in music education and a Modern Band Certificate. In 2018, the college was listed as No. 1 in the country for graduate job placement by the career guidance site Zippia.com, using federal data. The 357-acre campus is in Annville.

Cedar Crest College

Kelly Fenstermaker, of Coplay, was inducted into Delta Mu Delta. Delta Mu Delta was founded in 1913 by faculty from Harvard, Yale and NYU to recognize exceptional students in the field of business. The Cedar Crest Lambda Chi chapter was established in 2010.

Located in Allentown, Cedar Crest College was selected as a “Top Regional College” and a “Best Value” in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings from 2012 to 2019 and a “Best College for Veterans” in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019. In addition, the college was recognized as a 2018-2019 College of Distinction, and the School of Adult and Graduate Education was ranked a Top 25 school for nontraditional students by Best College Reviews in 2017. Cedar Crest was ranked by College Choice as the No. 12 best women’s college in 2016. Founded in 1867, Cedar Crest currently enrolls approximately 1,700 students - full time, part time and graduate - in more than 50 fields of study.

Fairleigh Dickinson University

Brooke Sherwin, of Coplay, a student at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Florham campus, located in Madison, N.J., has been named to the honors list for the fall 2018 semester. To qualify for the honors list, a student must carry a 3.5 or better GPA out of a possible 4.0 and be enrolled in a minimum of 12 letter-graded hours (four courses).

FDU’s Florham campus is located on the former Vanderbilt-Twombly estate in suburban Morris County. Its focus is on providing outstanding on-campus and residential living opportunities, hands-on learning experiences, strong graduate and professional school preparation and customized educational options, all framed by a global perspective. Devoted to the preparation of world citizens through global education, Fairleigh Dickinson University is New Jersey’s largest private university and features more than 100 liberal arts and professional degree programs, two international campuses, dozens of partnerships with internationally renowned institutions and special programs and status within the United Nations. For more information, visit fdu.edu.

Fairleigh Dickson University

Ariana Gambler, of Northampton, a student at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Metropolitan campus in Teaneck, N.J., has been named to the dean’s list for the fall 2018 semester. To qualify for the dean’s list, a student must carry a 3.2 or better GPA out of a possible 4.0 and be enrolled in a minimum of 12 letter-graded hours.

The Metropolitan campus features a university atmosphere with an international perspective, attracting students from the United States and around the world. Undergraduates have access to the resources of a major graduate center and nearby New York City as an integral part of their learning experience. Devoted to the preparation of world citizens through global education, Fairleigh Dickinson University is New Jersey’s largest private university and features more than 100 liberal arts and professional degree programs, two international campuses, dozens of partnerships with internationally renowned institutions and special programs and status within the United Nations. For more information, visit fdu.edu.

Kutztown University

Kendra O’Malley, of Catasauqua, was one out of 36 Kutztown University students to be inducted into the Iota Iota Iota, known as Triota, Women’s & Gender Studies Honor Society at its induction ceremony April 23. Inductees are women’s studies minors who have demonstrated active involvement in promoting women’s issues and gender equality. Triota is an emerging honor society for students in women’s studies. The society’s Alpha chapter began at Metropolitan State College in Denver, Colo. The Alpha chapter has been working to organize local chapters on campuses nationwide for the purpose of applying for national status from the National Association of College Honor Societies. The goal of Triota is to recognize and promote excellence within the discipline of women’s studies. Historically, women’s studies programs have shown some reluctance to support honor societies because elitism and exclusion are contrary to feminist principles of equality, inclusion and nonhierarchical processes and structures. Having wrestled with this question at KU, we believe it is appropriate to recognize and honor the achievements of students who elect to concentrate in women’s studies.

King’s College

Lauren Sterner, of Northampton, a student at King’s College, Wilkes-Barre, was recently inducted to the college’s Delta Epsilon Sigma Honor Society. A junior medical studies major with a biology minor, Sterner is a dean’s list student and a member of the Alpha Epsilon Delta Honor Society. She is also on the cross-country and track and field teams and serves as a college tutor and biology laboratory aide. The national organization was founded in 1939 and the King’s chapter was established in 1964. Candidates for membership must have a record of outstanding academic accomplishment, a demonstrated commitment to service and have completed at least 50 percent of their course work for a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.6.

Florida Institute of Technology

Scott Stauffer, of Walnutport, was initiated into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Stauffer is among approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.

Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 under the leadership of undergraduate student Marcus L. Urann, who had a desire to create a different kind of honor society - one that recognized excellence in all academic disciplines. Today, the society has chapters on more than 300 campuses in the United States and the Philippines. Its mission is “to recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.”

Since its founding, more than 1.5 million members have been initiated into Phi Kappa Phi. Some of the organization’s notable members include former President Jimmy Carter, NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence, novelist John Grisham and YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley. Each year, Phi Kappa Phi awards nearly $1 million to outstanding students and members through graduate and dissertation fellowships, undergraduate study abroad grants, funding for post-baccalaureate development and grants for local, national and international literacy initiatives. For more information about Phi Kappa Phi, visit phikappaphi.org.

Kutztown University

Kutztown University inducted 38 students into the Tau Sigma National Transfer Honor Society at its induction ceremony April 11. Tau Sigma was incorporated in 1999 at Auburn University, and there are more than 175 chapters across the country.

Tau Sigma National Honor Society is a growing, prestigious organization on KU’s campus for transfer students. Established in 2016, the Eta Mu chapter is the third Tau Sigma chapter within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Currently at more than 100 members, this chapter has been recognizing transfer students who earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher in their first semester at KU.

Catasauqua: Amber Shook

Coplay: Brandon Schaeffer

Whitehall: Megan Fink, Jillian Rex

Founded in 1866, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is a proud member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education located on 289 acres nestled in the beautiful East Penn Valley in Berks County. As the region’s center for excellence in academics, culture and public engagement, KU’s programs and reputation for quality offer students the opportunity to discover lifelong avenues of learning and discovery. KU students select from more than 100 areas of study within four colleges in a diverse liberal arts academic environment. To complement their studies, KU’s NCAA Division II athletics program with 21 varsity sports joins the more than 160 student clubs and organizations providing students with a variety of activities for learning and discovery.