In 1982, Stetson University was the first private university in Florida to achieve membership in the oldest and most prestigious liberal arts and sciences honor society in the United States – Phi Beta Kappa. Phi Beta Kappa honors outstanding students in the arts and sciences. Membership is for life, with alumni chapters active around the country. Members work to foster and promote excellence in the arts and sciences – at their universities and beyond. Even now, only 280 colleges and universities have membership in PBK, representing just 10 percent of American institutions of higher learning that have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.

As reported on Stetson’s Phi Beta Kappa website, PBK counts among its membership, past and present, some of our country’s most famous intellectuals. Each year, consideration for membership goes to those junior and seniors in the upper 10 percent of arts and sciences majors. Candidates have a GPA of 3.7 or higher and must meet a foreign language requirement. Candidates must demonstrate “a commitment to liberal studies.”

Earlier this year, as part of the special programs that PBK offers its institutions and surrounding communities, Stetson welcomed Professor Penelope Boston, director of Cave and Karst Studies at New Mexico Tech, to guest lecture about “The Planet Within: Caves from Earth to Mars and Beyond.” In her talk, Boston discussed scientific exploration, careers in science and research in the giant crystal caves of Naica, Mexico.

At a ceremony in April, guest speaker Dr. Thomas Doherty, professor and chair of American Studies and professor of film studies at Brandeis University, addressed the 22 Stetson University students, most of whom are pictured above, along with President Wendy Libby, who were inducted into Stetson’s Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. The following list of inductees include the candidates for degrees from December 2013 and May 2014. They are listed below along with their majors and graduation year:

Shannon Abelson (BA Philosophy, Dec. ‘13)

Stephanie Bettis (Aquatic & Marine Biology, ‘14)

Madeline Briggs ’14

Gwendolyn Brown, ‘14

Jewel Connelly (BA Communication Studies, Dec.  ‘13)

Loren Cooper (BA English, Dec. ’13)

Jennifer Curtis (Spanish, Communication Studies, ‘14)

Collin Dougher (Honors Self-Designed Major in Applied Statistics, ‘14)

Noelle Held ‘14

Nikki Holtzer ‘14

Kiara John (Psychology, Religious Studies, ‘14)

Robert Jones (Political Science, ‘14)

Ava Lapham (Social Science,’14)

Matthew Lebron ‘14

Allen Love ‘14

Annie Moore (History, English) ‘14

Christian Porzenheim (Psychology,’14)

William Proper (BA History, Dec. ‘13)

Danielle Sanderson, ‘14

Sammi Smith, ‘14

Joshua Solomon ,‘14

Michelle Vergara (Honors Self-Designed Major in Behavioral Economics, ‘14)

Maurie Murray contributed to this story.