92 inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, five awarded for highest GPA

Ninety-two students were inducted into the Lambda of 91̽�� chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for the 2019-20 academic year, and five students received a cash prize and the Thomas A. Wolfe Award for highest GPA among the 2020 inductees.

Inductees were juniors and seniors from four OHIO colleges: College of Arts & Sciences, College of Fine Arts, College of Health Sciences and Professions, and Honors Tutorial College, as well as the Center for International Studies.

The Lambda of 91̽�� Chapter arranged to ship all the inductees their membership certificates and purchased each an honor cord to wear during graduation. “We wanted to do something special for them in light of the need to cancel the induction ceremony,” said Dr. Paul C. Milazzo, associate professor of history and president of the OHIO chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.

“In normal times, we would have celebrated the induction of these outstanding students with friends and family at our annual induction ceremony. Unfortunately, these are not normal times, and public health considerations forced the cancellation of the event this year. But that won’t stop us from acknowledging their hard work and dedication. Once again, we thank President M. Duane Nellis – a proud PBK member in his own right – for paying the initiations fee in full for all new members. He recognizes what an honor PBK membership is for them and for 91̽��. Our 80 percent acceptance rate – the highest ever – is a testament to his generosity,” Milazzo said.

Phi Beta Kappa was originally founded in 1776. Its affiliation with OHIO dates back 90 years, a heritage commemorated by the landmark clock situated at the entrance of Baker Center. Election to the society is one of the highest honors students can attain as undergraduates. It is universally acknowledged as a mark of scholastic distinction, viewed with great favor by graduate schools, professional schools and employers.

Wolfe Awardees
Gillian Null grew up in Columbus, Ohio. She recently graduated from the Honors Tutorial College with a B.S. in Biological Sciences after successfully defending her thesis analyzing DNA-level regulation of virulence in the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. She served as social chair and president of Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society. She also had the opportunity to work on a public health related research project in a NOAA laboratory through her appointment as a Hollings Scholar. Next year, she will be starting medical school at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine where she will be pursuing M.D. and MPH degrees.

Jessie Hartman is from Lebanon, Ohio. She studies social work in the Honors Tutorial College and represents the university as a member on both the cross country and track teams. She plans to pursue a career as a school social worker.

Mariana Matar was born and raised in Lebanon and moved to Ohio at the age of 18 for college. She graduated with a B.S. in economics and a minor in mathematics. She was a student ambassador for the College of Arts & Sciences, a peer mentor for first-year students and a member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She plans on pursuing an advanced degree in applied economics. Her objective after graduate school is to work as an economic analyst in an international organization, like the World Bank, using her multilingual and mathematical skills as well as those in advanced economic research and analysis.

Alli Mancz is currently a rising senior and an English and environmental studies double major in the Honors Tutorial College. Born and raised in Kettering, Ohio, she hopes to live out West after graduation, pursuing her passions through environmental advocacy and creative writing. What form these personal ambitions may take, perhaps working for the National Park Service or earning a master’s degree, is unknown, but integral to her decision remains the ecological crisis. In the more immediate future, Mancz plans to compose a piece of environmental creative nonfiction to serve as her senior thesis, meditating on humanity’s relationship with nature and a woman’s place in conservation writing today.

Jenna LaRue is from Dayton, Ohio. She earned her B.A. in dance and will be starting OHIO’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program this summer. In the future, she would like to work with dancers as a physical therapist and to improve healthcare for this low-income and highly injured population.

2019-20 Inductees
•   Saraya Abner, majoring in English
•   Mashael Aldossary, majoring in linguistics
•   Abigail Beers, double majoring in Spanish and linguistics
•   Adele Bergmeier, majoring in biological sciences
•   Gryphon Beyerle, majoring in English: creative writing
•   Krista Boop, double majoring in psychology and sociology-criminology
•   Jade Winter Braden, majoring in English
•   Wyatt Brady, double majoring in psychology and biological sciences
•   Rachel Broughton, majoring in anthropology
•   Madeline M. Brown, majoring in anthropology
•   Christa Burton, double majoring in psychology and sociology-criminology
•   Kollin Byrne, majoring in English
•   Jacob H. Conaway, majoring in anthropology
•   Jasmine Covarrubias, majoring in psychology
•   Miriam I. Curp, double majoring in history pre-law and classical languages
•   Courtney J. Cyrilla, majoring in psychology
•   Charles Dell, majoring in sociology-criminology
•   Micaela Eberhard, majoring in classics
•   Katelyn N. Edwards, double majoring in sociology-criminology and psychology
•   RaeAnn Elizabeth Ensworth, double majoring in political science and strategic communication
•   Morgan Eriksen, double majoring in history and classical languages
•   Alenka Fairley, majoring in psychology
•   Ammar Fauzi, majoring in biological sciences
•   Katerina Feddersen, majoring in psychology
•   Kevin Thomas Fletcher, triple majoring in biological sciences, environmental botany, and photography
•   Madison Foltz, majoring in English: cultures, rhetoric and theory
•   Madison Maree Fox, majoring in English literature and writing with a minor in history
•   Olivia Gemarro, double majoring in English: creative writing and sociology-criminology
•   Courtney Gibson, majoring in psychology
•   Danni Grottla, majoring in English: literature and writing
•   Jessica Hartman, majoring in social work
•   Emily Nicole Hinkle, majoring in wildlife and conservation biology
•   Sean Hollowell, double majoring in environmental studies and geography
•   Madison Paige Jeffrey, majoring in sociology
•   Erika Johnson, majoring in English: literature and writing
•   Elizabeth Kimson, double majoring in classical civilization and anthropology
•   Jahmir King, double majoring in global studies: war and peace and global studies: East Asia
•   Jillian A. Kinsley, double majoring in French and Spanish
•   Emily Nicole Klumb, majoring in psychology
•   Mirakel Kolbeck, double majoring in psychology and English: literature and writing
•   Phoenix Terra LaCombe, majoring in sociology-criminology
•   Emilia Roosa Susanna Lahtinen, majoring in biological sciences with a minor in German
•   Heather Lambert, majoring in social work
•   Jenna LaRue, majoring in dance
•   Shelly Lisle, majoring in art history
•   Abigail Logar, majoring in economics
•   Jessica Xiao Jin Long, majoring in art history
•   Allison Nicol Mancz, double majoring in English and environmental studies
•   Phoebe Mastrandreas, double majoring in political science pre-law and global studies: Southeast Asian studies
•   Mariana Matar, majoring in Economics with a minor in mathematics
•   Haili McCormick, majoring in English: creative writing
•   Kiersten Nicole Mitchell, double majoring in political science pre-law and sociology-criminology
•   Jayda M. Morgan, majoring in political science
•   Brea Muzykoski, double majoring in political science pre-law and African American studies
•   James Nally, double majoring in Spanish and psychology
•   Dana Norris, majoring in anthropology with a minor in biology
•   Izabella Northrup, majoring in linguistics
•   Alysse Jean Nowak, majoring in biological sciences with a minor in Spanish
•   Gillian Null, majoring in biological sciences
•   Kaitlin Owen, double majoring in linguistics and English: creative writing
•   Jessica R. Partridge, majoring in English
•   Jack Patterson, majoring in English: literature and writing
•   Kaley Potter, majoring in psychology
•   Demi Reed, majoring in forensic chemistry
•   Raeline Noelle Reeves, majoring in psychology
•   Allison Robertson, double majoring in Spanish and Spanish education
•   Abigail Robson, double majoring in global studies - war and peace and political science
•   Olivia Rocco, double majoring in theater and Spanish
•   Kristina Saraceno, triple majoring in political science, psychology and sociology-criminology
•   Ava Michelle Schmidt, majoring in geography - urban planning and sustainability
•   Daniel Seas, majoring in psychology
•   Spencer W. Seide, majoring in political science
•   Cassidy Rose Selep, double majoring in Spanish and strategic communication
•   Allison Shryock, double majoring in environmental studies and geography
•   Alyssa Nicole Skikus, double majoring in English: literature and writing and classical civilizations
•   Samuel Smith, majoring in geography - globalization and development
•   David Spires, majoring in environmental biology
•   Hayden Spurgeon, double majoring in social work and women's, gender and sexuality studies
•   Kayleigh Faith Stelling, double majoring in psychology and screenwriting and producing
•   Tucker Vincent Sullivan, majoring in economics
•   Megan Sweeney, majoring in environmental biology
•   Courtney Talbot, majoring in French
•   Kaylyn Noel Temple, majoring in war and peace - Latin American studies and European studies
•   Emma C. Thompson, majoring in biological sciences with a minor in psychology
•   Jordan Thompson, double majoring in history and world religions
•   Carlie Tianello, majoring in political science

About the Wolfe Award
In 1975, the Thomas and Edna Wolfe Estate provided an endowment to 91̽�� to honor with a cash prize those students initiated into Phi Beta Kappa who earned the highest grade point average. The awards are in memory of Thomas M. Wolfe and intended by the Wolfe family "to recognize scholastic excellence and attainment, and to acknowledge our debt to higher education."

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