The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
James Madison University


Information about Phi Kappa Phi at James Madison University

Chapter News

Purpose

Phi Kappa Phi Forum

Membership Eligibility

Membership Benefits

Fellowships and Awards

Current Membership

 

National Organization


Chapter News

The chapter initiated 57 seniors and 55 juniors during its 2007 initiation ceremony held April 23rd in the Festival Conference and Student Center at James Madison University. The chapter also initiated Dr. T. Windsor Fields, Professor of Economics, and Dr. Maureen G. Shanahan, Interim Director of the JMU Honors Program. Dr. Michael J. Golgano, Head of the History Department, addressed the attendees.

This year's winner of the chapter's Elizabeth B. Neatrour Memorial Award for the outstanding graduating senior is Erica H. Bonanno. This award carries a $500 stipend to support graduate study.

The chapter's 2006-2007 Honors Thesis Award goes to Kristen Klein, a Psychology major, for her thesis "Attribution Errors in Sexual Harassment: Examining Kelley's Model."


Purpose

The primary objective of the national Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is to encourage academic excellence by recognizing and encouraging superior scholarship in all academic disciplines.

The JMU chapter of Phi Kappa Phi achieves these goals through the following activities:

  • Each year, the JMU chapter honors juniors and seniors in all majors with outstanding academic achievements as demonstrated by their high cumulative grade point averages. Phi Kappa Phi is the most selective of all the honor societies on JMU's campus--typically no more than five percent of the junior and senior classes are offered admission to the chapter.
  • The JMU chapter, in conjunction with the Shenandoah Association of Phi Beta Kappa, yearly makes an Honors Thesis Award. This award carries a cash prize of $250. Click here to see the list of Phi Kappa Phi thesis award winners.
  • The JMU chapter annually awards the Elizabeth B. Neatrour award to an outstanding graduating senior. This ward carries a stipend of $500 to support graduate study.
     

Phi Kappa Phi Forum

The national society publishes a quarterly journal for distribution to its active members. Each issue of the Phi Kappa Phi Forum is devoted to a significant theme and addresses prominent issues of the day from an interdisciplinary perspective. The journal features articles by scholars inside and outside the academic community. In addition to timely articles, each issue of Phi Kappa Phi Forum contains selected poetry and reviews of current books and periodical literature.

The Forum also includes a newsletter, Phi Kappa Phi Focus, detailing the societies national and regional programs and news about chapters and members.


Eligibility

Junior and senior students in good standing are eligible for election to membership in Phi Kappa Phi. Each Spring semester a committee of faculty from the JMU chapter obtains a listing of juniors in all majors at JMU with sufficiently high cumulative GPAs. The chapter membership votes on the list of nominees to certify them worthy of membership. Those students selected are invited to join the chapter. New members are initiated in a ceremony in April.

Faculty are also eligible for nomination to Phi Kappa Phi. Each Spring the chapter solicits nominees from its membership. The vita of nominated faculty are considered by the chapter members using stated criteria of selection. New members are initiated in the ceremony in April.


Student Membership Benefits

Because Phi Kappa Phi is a nationally recognized and academically prestigious organization, students who can claim membership in Phi Kappa Phi show employers and graduate school admissions committees evidence of their academic achievements and their commitment to scholarly pursuits. Membership in Phi Kappa Phi is thus a means for students to signal their superior performance and achievements in higher education.

Upon initiation into the organization, students receive a year's subscription to the Phi Kappa Phi Forum, a Phi Kappa Phi pin, charm, or tie tack, a medallion to wear at graduation, and a certificate of membership.

Juniors will have an opportunity to compete the year following their initiation for an $8000 fellowship or a $2000 award of excellence  granted by the national organization, and for smaller scholarships granted by the JMU chapter.

Phi Kappa Phi members may use the national organization's Career Connection Service to help search for a job. Furthermore, members are eligible for a discount of $75 off The Princeton Review GMAT, GRE, LSAT or MCAT preparation courses. More details are available at the national website.


Fellowships and Awards of Excellence

The Phi Kappa Phi Foundation was incorporated in 1969 to promote academic excellence and achievement by means of scholarships and fellowships. To support first-year graduate work, the society offers annually through the Foundation 50 Fellowships and 30 Awards of Excellence, on a competitive basis, to graduating students who have been initiated into the society and who have also been nominated by their chapters for the competition.

Several members of the JMU chapter of have received national Phi Kappa Phi fellowships and awards of excellence since the chapter's founding in 1974. Recent award recipients include the following chapter members:

Takara C. Shourot: Phi Kappa Phi Award of Excellence ($2000 scholarship), 2005
Kelly J. Baker: Phi Kappa Phi Award of Excellence ($2000 scholarship), 2004
Vera G. Dianova: Phi Kappa Phi Graduate Fellowship ($8000 scholarship), 2003

The chapter annually gives the Elizabeth B. Neatrour Memorial Award to an outstanding graduating senior. This award carries a $500 stipend to support graduate study. The following students are recent award recipients:

    Erica H. Bonnano (2007)


Current Membership of Phi Kappa Phi at JMU

Officers:

President

Dr. Susan Palocsay

Vice-President

Dr. J. Christopher Arndt

Secretary

Dr. Roger A. Soenksen

Treasurer Dr. Kay M. Knickrehm

Chapter Relations

Dr. Christopher Fox

Past President Dr. Andrew I. Kohen

Faculty and Staff:

Dr. Elizabeth Adams

Dr. J. Christopher Arndt

Dr. James L. Barnes

Dr. Steven H. Fairchild

Dr. T. Windsor Fields

Dr. Christopher Fox

Dr. Joan Frederick

Dr. Norman Garrison

Dr. Roger Hall

Dr. David K. Jeffrey

Dr. Marilou M. Johnson

Dr. Kay M. Knickrehm

Dr. Andrew I. Kohen

Dr. Susan W. Palocsay

Dr. Alvin M. Pettus

Dr. Linwood H. Rose

Dr. J. Barkley Rosser

Dr. Maureen G. Shanahan

Dr. B. Douglas Skelley

Dr. Roger A. Soenksen

Dr. Jon Mase Thompson

Dr. Anna Umbreit Dr. Chong Kun Yoong  

Students:

Seniors Inducted in 2007 Juniors Inducted in 2007
Seniors Inducted in 2006 Juniors Inducted in 2006

Seniors Inducted in 2005

Juniors Inducted in 2005

Seniors Inducted in 2004

Juniors Inducted in 2004

Seniors Inducted in 2003

Juniors Inducted in 2003

Seniors Inducted in 2002

Juniors Inducted in 2002

Seniors Inducted in 2001

Juniors Inducted in 2001

Seniors Inducted in 2000

Juniors Inducted in 2000

Seniors Inducted in 1999

Juniors Inducted in 1999

Seniors Inducted in 1998

Juniors Inducted in 1998