Franklin College’s Alpha Society, the top academic honorary society on the campus, celebrated its 101^st year recently with the induction of 19 students and one faculty member in a ceremony held on campus.

Established in 1922, the organization promotes and celebrates scholarship at the undergraduate level. Students who hold a GPA of no less than 3.50 (on a 4.0 scale) are eligible for membership. Alpha Society admits students across the college’s academic disciplines, but membership is limited to the top 10 percent of the college’s junior and senior classes.

Full-time faculty and staff members who are members of Phi Beta Kappa or Sigma Xi or who achieved summa or magna cum laude from their undergraduate institutions are also eligible.

The induction ceremony was led by Alpha Society President Dan Callon, Ph.D., professor of mathematics. Ben O’Neal, Ph.D., professor and chair of the biology department, delivered the keynote speech: “This research is for the birds: Empowering undergraduates to engage in real research with real conservation outcomes.” The ceremony was followed by a dessert reception. Many family members and friends of the inductees were in attendance. 

Students inducted into the society include:

Jill Anspaugh, an exercise science major, from Shelbyville.

Aaron Black, an exercise science major and fitness minor, from Greensburg.

Sydney Bostic, a chemistry and biochemistry major and biology minor, from Aurora.

Dylan Boswell, an elementary education major, from Butlerville.

William (Joey) Brock IV, an accounting and business/finance major, from Indianapolis.

Devin Isaac Byers, a psychology major, from Mooresville.

Cooper Erwin Davis, a history major and creative writing minor, from Carthage.

Thomas Jon (TJ) Deere, Jr., a biology: biomedical sciences major, from Union, Ky.

Lexi Giddens, a biology major and chemistry minor, from Whiteland.

Isaac Gleitz, a multimedia journalism and Spanish major, from Corydon.

Billie Jarrett, an applied mathematics major and computer science, data science and Spanish minor, from Indianapolis.

Corbin Lee, a sociology and criminal justice major and psychology minor, from Indianapolis.

Elliott McKinley, a creative writing and English major, from Salem.

Rutendo S. Nyamadzawo, a chemistry and biochemistry major and biomedical physics minor, from Harare, Zimbabwe.

Samantha Pankratz, a biology major and chemistry and professional writing minor, from Stevensville, Mich.

Elizabeth Peters, an elementary education major and history minor, from Trafalgar.

Ethan Pollett, a chemistry (industrial) major and mathematics minor, from Taylorsville, Ky.

Zachary Roberts, a multimedia journalism and political science major and professional writing and pre-law minor, from Zionsville.

Hannah Watson, a philosophy major and English, political science and pre-law minor, from Nineveh.

Faculty inducted into the society include:

Jeremy VanAndel, director of professional development and instructor of business, is a resident of Indianapolis (46220). He received his bachelor’s degree from Purdue University Fort Wayne and an MBA from the University of Indianapolis.

For more information, contact Franklin College’s Office of Communications at (317) 738-8185.

POSTED Mar 23, 2023