News Archive
Important Dates to Remember:
September 15, 2017 -Study Abroad Grant Session B deadline
October 1, 2017 -Love of Learning Session B deadline
Images from Phi Kappa Phi 2017 Initiation Ceremony
To see images from the 2017 Spring Initiation, please click here.
To download Dr. Jessica Henry's, Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling and Special Education, Rehabilitation and Human Services Program, keynote speech as a pdf, click here.
Peter Luckie Award for Outstanding Research by a Junior
On April 5th the 2017 Undergraduate Research Exhibit was held at University Park. Since 2008, the Penn State Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi has sponsored the "Peter Luckie Award for Outstanding Research by a Junior" to encourage the participation of Juniors. This year approximately 268 Juniors competed. The award includes a $200 monetary gift. We are proud to announce this year's recipients by category as follows:
Engineering and Physical Science:
Sumit Pareek, Chemical Engineering
Adviser: Dr. Esther Obonyo, Interim Director of Humanitarian Engineering And Social Entrepreneurship & Associate Professor, School of Engineering Design, Technology and Professional Programs, Architectural Engineering, College of Engineering
Title: Pathways to Impact at Scale for Malaria Prevention: Using the Built Environment as a Global Health Strategy
The research is directed at addressing gaps and proposing solutions concerning malaria and the built environment. Success and failure modes of prevention methods implemented by global health agencies are analyzed under the context of urban Kenya and Tanzania. Key findings demonstrate a need for collaborative effort using a systems-level approach.
Health and Life Sciences:
Lianna M. Wodzicki, Plant Science
Advisers: Dr. Sampurna Sattar, College of Agricultural Sciences and
Dr. Gary A. Thompson,
Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education & Director, PA Agricultural Experiment Station, College of Agricultural Sciences
Title: How Does Auxin Signaling Affect Vat Mediated Aphid Resistance?
In this study a chemical inhibitor, α-(phenylethyl-2-oxo)-IAA (PEO-IAA) was applied to Cucmis melo leaf discs and an aphid (Aphis gossypii) fed on it. Through an Electro Penetration Graph the different feeding habits were observed an analyzed to view the affect of the PEO-IAA on aphid antibiosis and antixenosis.
Social and Behavioral Science:
Shanna Aitcheson, Advertising, College of Communications
Niccolo Fazio, College of the Liberal Arts
Olivia McMahon, CAS, College of the Liberal Arts
Yage Zhang, Art History and CAS, College of Arts and Architecture and the College of the Liberal Arts
Adviser: Dr. Erina MacGeorge, Associate Professor, Communication Arts and Sciences
Title: Viewing and Transmission of Antibiotic Stewardship Messages
Our main goal in this study is to promote viewing and transmission of health messages through using the elements of the Informational Utility Model.
Spring Initiation 2017-March 26, 2017
Letters to students nominated to Phi Kappa Phi this year were sent out in December 2016 just prior to semester break. Letters are sent to the student's permanent address. Students can accept their nomination on line following instructions in their nomination letter or the chapter website.
This year's Initiation Ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 26 2017 at 1:00PM at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel.
Noon Registration - all attendees must register at Registration Desk #1 at the Penn Stater Conference Center and Hotel
1:00 PM Ceremony Begins
2:00 PM Lunch Banquet
Cutoff date for accepting your nomination is April 9th, 2017 or March 5th, 2017 if you plan on attending the Initiation Ceremony on April 3rd, 2016.
Dress is semi-formal in keeping with the prestige of the occasion and acknowledging the accomplishments of the initiates. Acceptable men's wear would be: shirt and tie, with or without a suit or sport jacket or a suit. Acceptable women's wear would be a suit (pants or skirt), dress pants or a skirt and a nice top or jacket or a semi-formal dress. Unacceptable dress would include jeans, sandals, sneakers, miniskirts, or bare midriffs.
Initiation dates to remember:
March 26, 2017 - Initiation ceremony at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, 215 Innovation Boulevard, State College, PA 16803 at 1PM.
April 9, 2017 - date online registration is closed for chapter.
Recognition Items
Phi Kappa Phi recognition items (stole, honor cord and medallion) are on sale at the national website, however, it is the policy of Pennsylvania State University that "ornamentation representing honorary societies or nationalities is not approved attire for Penn State commencement ceremonies." (Source: http://commencement.psu.edu/undergrad.html)
23 National Award Winners from the Past Decade
The Pennsylvania State University chapter of Phi Kappa Phi is proud to have 23 national award winners from the past decade. See our impressive roster:
- 2006 Thenappan Chandrasekar - Fellowship
- 2006 Stephanie Eng - Study Abroad
- 2007 Rodney Hughes - Fellowship
- 2008 Jody Kulakowski - Fellowship
- 2008 Thomas Markey - Study Abroad
- 2008 Courtney Waters - Study Abroad
- 2010 Meryn Oswald - Study Abroad
- 2010 Gretchen Renshaw - Fellowship
- 2013 Rebecca Alt - Love of Learning
- 2013 Merle Gilliam - Fellowship
- 2013 Allison Hoover - Study Abroad
- 2013 Natalie Lange - Love of Learning
- 2013 Amanda Stitzer - Love of Learning
- 2013 Joan Yatsonsky - Love of Learning
- 2014 Lauren Bienik - Fellowship
- 2014 Sara Farwell - Love of Learning
- 2014 Michelle Hart - Study Abroad
- 2015 Emily Pia - Study Abroad
- 2015 Olivia Messina - Study Abroad
- 2015 Adam Uliana - Study Abroad
- 2016 Irena Gorski - Fellowship
- 2016 Paulina Erices - Literacy
- 2016 Sara Farwell - Love of Learning
Images from Phi Kappa Phi 2016 Initiation Ceremony
To see images from the 2016 Spring Initiation, please click here.
Spring Initiation 2016-April 3, 2016
Letters to students nominated to Phi Kappa Phi this year were sent out in December 2015 just prior to semester break. Letters are sent to the student's permanent address. Students can accept their nomination on line following instructions in their nomination letter or the chapter website.
This year's Initiation Ceremony will take place on April 3rd, Sunday, 2016 at 1:00PM at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel.
Noon Registration - all attendees must register at Registration Desk #1 at the Penn Stater Conference Center and Hotel
1:00 PM Ceremony Begins
2:00 PM Lunch Banquet
Cutoff date for accepting your nomination is April 17th, 2016 or March 13th, 2016 if you plan on attending the Initiation Ceremony on April 3rd, 2016.
Dress is semi-formal in keeping with the prestige of the occasion and acknowledging the accomplishments of the initiates. Acceptable men's wear would be: shirt and tie, with or without a suit or sport jacket or a suit. Acceptable women's wear would be a suit (pants or skirt), dress pants or a skirt and a nice top or jacket or a semi-formal dress. Unacceptable dress would include jeans, sandals, sneakers, miniskirts, or bare midriffs.
Initiation dates to remember:
April 3, 2016 - Initiation ceremony at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, 215 Innovation Boulevard, State College, PA 16803 at 1PM.
April 17, 2016 - date online registration is closed for chapter.
Recognition Items
Phi Kappa Phi recognition items (stole, honor cord and medallion) are on sale at the national website, however, it is the policy of Pennsylvania State University that "ornamentation representing honorary societies or nationalities is not approved attire for Penn State commencement ceremonies." (Source: http://commencement.psu.edu/undergrad.html)
Images from Phi Kappa Phi 2015 Initiation Ceremony
To view the gallery of the 2015 Phi Kappa Phi Initiation Ceremony, click here. Higher resolution images can be requested by sending an email with the attached image you are requesting to Liz Wood at ery2@psu.edu
Announcing this year's Phi Kappa Phi Initiation Ceremony Guest Speaker - Coquese Washington
We are pleased to announce that Coquese Washington is this year's guest speaker. Coquese Washington was introduced as the fifth head coach of the Penn State women's basketball program on April 23, 2007. The epitome of a student-athlete, Washington graduated from Notre Dame in 1992, a full year ahead of schedule, with a bachelor's degree in history. She went on to attain "Double Domer" status in 1997 after earning her Juris Doctorate from the Notre Dame Law School.
Washington juggled finishing her law degree with the start of her professional basketball career. She returned to the hardwood as a professional in 1997-98, playing for the ABL's Portland Power before spending a two-year stint with the WNBA's New York Liberty (1998-99). She subsequently played with the Houston Comets in 2000 when they won a WNBA title. In 2002, she was traded to the Indiana Fever where she finished her professional playing career in 2003. Washington became the first player in WNBA history to lead three different teams to the postseason.
Washington came to Happy Valley after eight seasons as an associate head coach and assistant coach under Notre Dame, her alma mater. During Washington's eight years on the bench, Notre Dame amassed a 188-69 record with eight NCAA Tournament appearances, including four Sweet Sixteen runs and a National Championship in 2001.
Utilizing her law degree, Washington was a central figure in helping create the WNBA Players Association (WNBPA), serving as the founding president of the WNBPA from 1999 until 2001. She also served as the Executive Vice President of the WNBPA from 2001 until her retirement in 2003. Washington led negotiations for the association's first collective bargaining agreement as the association's president, and as the executive vice president was a mainstay in the negotiations for the league's second collective bargaining agreement, which brought about the first free agency system in women's professional sports.
In addition to assisting with the efforts of the Pink Zone at Penn State to raise money and awareness for breast cancer, Washington created Coquese's Drive for the Women's Resource Center. The first four Coquese's Drive for the Women's Resource Center raised more than $118,000 for the Centre County Women's Resource Center to aid in the fight against domestic violence.
Washington is currently serving on the 29-member WBCA Board of Directors, where she is the Vice President/President-Elect of the Executive Committee after a three-year stint as Treasurer. Washington is also a member of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund Board of Directors and the NCAA Women's Basketball Issues Committee.
Letters of Invitation for Membership
Letters to students nominated to Phi Kappa Phi this year were sent out in December 2014 just prior to semester break. Letters are sent to the student's permanent address. Students can accept their nomination on line following instructions in their nomination letter or the chapter website.
This year's Initiation Ceremony will take place on April 12th, Sunday, 2015 at 1:00PM at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel.
Noon Registration - all attendees must register at Registration Desk #1 at the Penn Stater Conference Center and Hotel
1:00 PM Ceremony Begins
2:00 PM Lunch Banquet
The Penn State Chapter is actively recruiting Student Vice Presidents to represent each college at Penn State. Our current Student Vice Presidents of the Penn State Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi are Rodney Hughes (PhD student in Higher Education) and Bridget Doughtery (Undergraduate student in Energy, Business and Finance).
Cutoff date for accepting your nomination is April 26th, 2015 or March 18th, 2015 if you plan on attending the Initiation Ceremony on April 12th, 2015.
Read more information about the Initiation Ceremony
Materials Science Students Win Phi Kappa Phi Freshman Award at EMS Poster Exhibition
The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences recently held its 2014 undergraduate poster exhibition. The exhibition is organized by the Ryan Family Student Center and showcases the variety of research among undergraduate students in the College’s five departments.
As part of this event, Phi Kappa Phi, a national honors society housed at the EMS Energy Institute, sponsored the Phi Kappa Phi Freshman Achievement Award. Sharon Miller, senior research associate at the EMS Energy Institute, is the current president for the Penn State Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society.
This award went to Victoria Christensen and Tanner Mengle for their poster, “Providing Access to Clean Water with Materials Science.” Christensen is a freshman in Materials Science and Engineering. She is is also an undergraduate research fellow in the Materials Science Department researching nanofiber membranes for their application in water filtration. Mengle is an undergraduate studying in the field of Materials Science and Engineering.
Congratulations to Victoria Christensen and Tanner Mengle, and congratulations to all the other poster award winners.
Michelle Hart wins the 2014 Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grant
Michelle E. Hart has been named one of the fifty 2014 Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grant Winners. Michelle will receive a $1,000 grant to support a study abroad experience in her academic field.
The Pennsylvania State University Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi congratulates Michelle and wishes her the best!
Sara Farwell wins the 2014 Phi Kappa Phi Love of Learning Award
Sara Lynn Nicole Farwell was awarded the 2014 Phi Kappa Phi Love of Learning Award and. She has received one of 160 $500 awards. The Love of Learning Award helps fund post-baccalaureate studies or career development for Phi Kappa Phi members.
The Pennsylvania State University Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi congratulates Sara and wishes her the best!
Lauren Bieniek wins the 2014 Phi Kappa Phi National Fellowship Award
Lauren Bienie has been awarded one of the fity-one Phi Kappa Phi National Fellowships to receive $5,000 entering her first year of Tufts University, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. She is pursuing a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy.
The Pennsylvania State University Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi congratulates Lauren and wishes her the best as she continues her education!
Peter Luckie Award for Outstanding Research by a Junior
On April 9th the 2014 Undergraduate Research Exhibit was held at University Park. Since 2008, the Penn State Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi has sponsored the "Peter Luckie Award for Outstanding Research by a Junior" to encourage the participation of Juniors. This year approximately 40 Juniors competed. The award includes a $200 monetary gift. We are proud to announce this year's recipients by category as follows:
Physical Science and Engineering:
Kelsey A. Czyzyk, Biological Engineering (Natural Resource Engineering Option)
Adviser: Khanjan Mehta, Assistant Professor & Director, Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship, College of Engineering
Title: Water Savings in Low-Cost Greenhouses
By providing a managed microclimate, greenhouses reduce evapotranspiration and therefore conserve water, which is critical for farming in arid and semi-arid regions. This research will quantify the water savings within established low-cost greenhouses in arid and semi-arid, under-resourced regions in Africa.
Social and Behavioral Science:
Kenya Crawford, Human Development and Family Studies
Adviser: Susan McHale, Professor of Human Development and Family Studies
Title:The Longitudinal Links Between Family Experiences and Adolescent Perceived Romantic Competence in Adolescence and Young Adulthood
This study aimed to explore linkages between family experiences in childhood and perceptions of romantic competence in adolescence. Results from a multi-level modeling (MLM) revealed that parent-child intimacy were positively related to adolescence romantic competence. In addition, father-child conflict was negatively associated with adolescents’ reports of romantic competence.
Health and Life Sciences:
Gregory Hunter Babunovic, Microbiology and Immunology and Infectious Disease
Adviser: Kenneth Keiler, Associate Professor of Biochemistry Poster
Title: Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel Class of trans-Translation Inhibitors
The trans-translation pathway in bacteria has shown strong potential as a target for new antibiotics. I have synthesized previously unavailable members of a new class of trans-translation inhibitors. These compounds display broad-spectrum antibiotic activity as well as additive or synergistic effects in combination with other known inhibitors of trans-translation.
The 2014 Phi Kappa Phi National Fellowship Nominee and Winner of the Thomas Eakin Chapter Fellowship
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi currently awards fifty-one Fellowships of $5,000 each and six at $15,000 each to members entering the first year of graduate or professional study. Each active Phi Kappa Phi chapter may select one candidate from among its local applicants to compete for the Society-wide awards.
This year's Chapter nominee for the Phi Kappa Phi National Fellowship and winner of the Thomas Eakin Chapter Fellowship is Lauren Bieniek. Lauren graduated from the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State in 2010 with a double major in Social Justice and Global Development and International Studies and minored in Civic and Community Engagement and Spanish and maintained a GPA of 3.92.
Lauren created numerous opportunities to expand her education beyond the traditional classroom through volunteer experiences in the US as well as abroad in Africa working in education, health care, fund raising and human rights issues. Lauren made the decision to work after her graduation through funded positions to study the intersection of business and development in Africa and their social impact. In particular she held a position with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) as a project manager on the role of private companies in international development and coordinated an Executive Council on Development of government and business leaders.
Lauren currently has a position with the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGOT) funded by a Boren Fellowship for International Study. Boren Fellowships are funded by the National Security Education Program (NSEP), which focuses on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study deemed critical to U.S. national security and are quite competitive. The Boren Award enabled Lauren to continue her work in international development and increase her fluency in Swahili.
She has been accepted for graduate studies at Tufts University, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy; Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs; Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced and International Studies; and American University, School of International Service.
The Chapter was honored to have such a qualified candidate for our nomination for a National Fellowship. As our nominee she was also awarded the Thomas Eakin Chapter Fellowship of $1,000.
Phi Kappa Phi Initiation Ceremony Held
Sunday, March 30, 14
The Penn State Chapter of the national honor society, Phi Kappa Phi, held its annual initiation onSunday, March 30. Guest speaker Dr. Susan Russell, associate professor in the School of Theatre, addressed the students and families who were able to attend the ceremony at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center. Thank you to all of this year’s initiates and to all of the friends and family members who support the students.
To view images of the ceremony, click here.
Announcing this year's Phi Kappa Phi Initiation Ceremony Guest Speaker - Dr. Susan Russell
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Susan Russell is this year's guest speaker. Dr. Russell is, first and foremost, an actor. A PSU Associate Professor in the School of Theatre at Penn State, Susan teaches her students that actors create the now and, with their audience, actors work to create a moment. Backed by the open, supportive and inspiring environment of the PSU School of Theatre, Susan¹s research and practice focuses upon theatre¹s ability to make social change.
Dr. Russell received her MA and PhD in Theatre Studies at Florida State University and her BA in Theatre from St. Andrews Presbyterian College. Between her education pursuits, she experienced a twenty-five year career as a professional actor on and off-Broadway as well as a career in regional theatre and opera companies across the country. This included a five year stint in Phantom of the Opera during which time she was an artist/teacher for New York Offstage where she created and carried out workshops in musical theatre perfomance for high-school and university students.
To push her students and the PSU community to create those moments, Susan founded Cultural Conversations in 2007 and serves as its Director. Through theatre, visual art, music and dance, Cultural Conversations brings student, professional and community artists together to talk about social issues. The festival offers each group a unique opportunity: for playwrights, to workshop new works; for students, to work with professional playwrights and artists; and for the community, to witness and participate in conversations defining cultures.
Dr. Russell has received The Penn State Commission for Women's Faculty Award in 2007 for her work in women's leadership and selected for the 2013 Faces of Penn State Campaign for her work with middle and high school students.
Susan Russell, associate professor of theatre, has been named the Penn State laureate for the 2014-15 academic year.
The Penn State laureate, an honorary position established in 2008, is a full-time faculty member in the humanities or the arts who is assigned half-time for one academic year to bring an enhanced level of social, cultural, artistic and human perspective and awareness to a broad array of audiences.
Penn State University Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society cosponsored the TEDxPSU event
For the second year Penn State University Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society cosponsored the TEDxPSU event held on March 2nd at University Park. The theme of this year's TEDxPSU was "Go Further". Schwab Auditorium was the site of the live event and talks were streamed live to the auditorium in the HUB Student Center.
Talks will be posted soon on the TEDxPSU website.
Letters of Invitation for Membership
Letters to students nominated to Phi Kappa Phi this year will be sent out in December 2013 just prior to semester break. Letters are sent to the student's permanent address. Students can accept their nomination on line following instructions in their nomination letter or the chapter website.
This year's Initiation Ceremony will take place on March 30th, Sunday, 2014 at 1:00PM at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel.
Noon Registration - all attendees must register at Registration Desk #1 at the Penn Stater Conference Center and Hotel
1:00 PM Ceremony Begins
2:00 PM Lunch Banquet
The Penn State Chapter is actively recruiting Student Vice Presidents to represent each college at Penn State. Our current Student Vice Presidents of the Penn State Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi are Rodney Hughes (PhD student in Higher Education) and Bridget Doughtery (Undergraduate student in Energy, Business and Finance).
Cutoff date for accepting your nomination is April 13th, 2014 or March 9th, 2014 if you plan on attending the Initiation Ceremony on March 30th, 2014.
Two students receive Peter T. Luckie Award at Undergraduate Exhibition
Two students received the Peter T. Luckie Undergraduate Research Award as part of the 2013 Undergraduate Research Exhibition. Jordanna Lemba received the award for excellence in research in behavioral and social science, and Breecher Hartley Watson received the award for excellence in research in engineering and physical science. These students were joi
The Peter T. Luckie Award is sponsored by the Penn State Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society. The award was started in 2008 to honor Peter Luckie, Professor Emeritus in mineral processing. He served as the Phi Kappa Phi chapter president for 10 years. The award is presented to top juniors at the Undergraduate Research Exhibition. Sharon Miller, senior research associate at the EMS Energy Institute, is the current chapter president.ned by 170 entries from undergraduate students from all Penn State campuses.
Initiation Guest Speaker: Dr. Edgar Farmer
We are pleased to announce that this year's Phi Kappa Phi Initiation Ceremony speaker is Dr. Edgar Farmer, Emeritus Professor of Education. Dr. Farmer’s career has been dedicated to the concept of lifelong learning and extension of the learning landscape to non-traditional students. His career exemplifies the motto of Phi Kappa Phi, "Let the love of learning rule humanity", and its mission "to recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.”
He has served Department Head of Learning and Performance Systems which focuses on adult literacy and globalization, community empowerment through education, examination of technology integration in classrooms of all sorts including traditional schools, museums, corporate training programs, and higher education. He has also served in many other positions at Penn State including Director of Postsecondary Technical & Community College Leadership in the Workforce Education & Development program. He served as an Administrative Fellow in the Office of the Vice President of Research and Dean of the Graduate School.
Phi Kappa Phi Sponsors Poster Award
Phi Kappa Phi sponsored a freshman award at a recent poster exhibition held in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences on December 5. The exhibition was the College’s first undergraduate poster exhibition. There were 26 entries in the exhibition and seven of those were freshman teams.
Jaren Fisher, Mohammed AlSaud, Mohammed Alnahas, and Sven Alagic received the Phi Kappa Phi freshman award for their poster titled “Davis-Besse Nuclear Reactor Vessel Head Degradation,” which was completed for Dr. Douglas Wolfe’s First Year Seminar class.
To read more about the exhibition and other students who received awards, the full story is available on Penn State Live.
Letters of Invitation for Membership
Letters to students nominated to Phi Kappa Phi this year will be sent out in December 2012 just prior to semester break. Letters are sent to the student's permanent address. Students can accept their nomination on line following instructions in their nomination letter or the chapter website.
This year's Initiation Ceremony will take place on March 24th, Sunday, 2013 at 1:00PM at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel.
Noon Registration - all attendees must register at Registration Desk #1 at the Penn Stater Conference Center and Hotel
1:00 PM Ceremony Begins
2:00 PM Lunch Banquet
The Penn State Chapter is actively recruiting Student Vice Presidents to represent each college at Penn State. Our current Student Vice Presidents of the Penn State Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi are Rodney Hughes (PhD student in Higher Education) and Bridget Doughtery (Undergraduate student in Energy, Business and Finance). If you are interested in serving as a Student Vice President please contact Rodney (rph144@psu.edu), Bridget (bad5194@psu.edu) or Dr. Miller (Chapter President, sfm1@psu.edu).
Cutoff date for accepting your nomination is April 7th, 2013 or March 3rd, 2013 if you plan on attending the Initiation Ceremony on March 24th, 2013.
2012 Initiation Ceremony Slideshow
Click here to view the pictures from the 2012 Initiation Ceremony
2012 Winners of the Peter T. Luckie Undergraduate Research Award
The Peter T. Luckie Undergraduate Research Award was started im 2008 in honor of Peter Luckie, Professor Emeritus in Mineral Processing who served as Chapter President for 10 years and is presented each year to top Juniors at the Undergraduate Research Exhibit. The exhibit took place on April 11th at University Park. This year 28 Juniors competed in engineering, life science, physical science and the social and behavioral sciences. This years winners are as follows:
Award in Social and Behavioral Sciences
- 1st Place ($250)
Alexander Kinney (Sociology, Altoona Campus)
Title: "Black Studies and Social Movements"
Award in Engineering and Physical and Life Sciences
- 1st Place ($250)
Pralav Shetty (Mechanical Engineering, UP) , Danhao Ma (Energy Engineering, Altoona), and Dustin Hess (Physics, UP)
Title: Polarized magnetic induced broadening of plasmon-photonics in Fe3O4-siliccon elastomer composite films
- 2nd Place ($200)
Tara Gaab (Animal Science, UP)
Title: Changes in physiology of the retina of migrating birds
Initiation Guest Speaker: Darrin Thornton
Darrin Thornton is an assistant professor of music at Penn State. He joined the School of Music faculty in 2010 and currently serves as an e-Learning Institute Faculty Fellow and director of the Center for the Study of Learning and Teaching while teaching music education courses. His research focuses on music education teacher training, professional development for in-service music professionals, educational access and outreach in music, and adult music engagement and participation.
Prior to this appointment, he taught at the elementary, middle, and high school levels in the state of New York and served on the conducting faculties at the University of Missouri and SUNY-Fredonia. He has more than nineteen years of administrative experience, holding posts at the University of Missouri, SUNY-Fredonia, and Penn State.
Thornton holds an undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and graduate degrees from National Louis University, University of Missouri, and Penn State. Professional affiliations include College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), College Music Society (CMS), National Association for Music Education (MENC), Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA), and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He currently remains active as a performing percussionist, conductor, and adjudicator and assists with the Penn State Marching Blue Band.
Letters of Invitation for Membership
Letters of invitation for membership to students nominees will be sent out over semester break (Beginning of January 2012) to their permanent address. Students can accept their nomination on line following instructions in their nomination letter or the chapter website.
This year's Initiation Ceremony will take place on April 1st, Sunday, 2012 at 1:00PM at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel.
Cutoff date for accepting your nomination is April 15th, 2012 or March 11th, 2012 if you plan on attending the Initiation Ceremony on April 1st, 2012.
Enrollment is Closed
This year's enrollment period for Phi Kappa Phi membership has closed. Certificates of membership and pins will be sent out to members who did not attend the ceremony or enrolled after February 27th.
Please join us for a FREE night of classical music !!!!
Dr. David Northington Concert, Pianist
Saturday, March 19th at 8:00PM
Esber Recital Hall, Music Bldg 1
Penn State University Park Campus
Phi Kappa Phi is proud to sponsor a concert by David Northington, the recipient of the 2010-2011 Phi Kappa Phi Artist Award. Dr. Northington has been a professor of music at University of Tennessee-Knoxville since 1977. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from Yale School of Music.
Northington, has performed concerts and concerto engagements throughout the United States, eastern and western Europe, Canada, China and Russia. In addition, he has led master classes at many of the leading conservatories in these countries.
For more information on Dr. Northington go to www.phikappaphi.org/Web/Awards/PKPSA_David_Northington.html. A copy of the program can be seen here
Letters of Invitation for Membership
Letters of invitation for membership to students nominees will be sent out over semester break (December 2010-January 2011) to their permanent address. Students can accept their nomination on line following instructions in their nomination letter or the chapter website.
This year's Initiation Ceremony will take place on March 20th, Sunday, 2011 at 1:00PM at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel.
Cutoff date for accepting your nomination is April 3rd, 2011 or February 27th, 2011 if you plan on attending the Initiation Ceremony on March 20th, 2011.
The 2010 Peter T. Luckie Research Award for Outstanding Research by a Junior
The Peter T. Luckie Research Award was awarded on April 7th, 2010 at this year's Undergraduate Research Exhibit held in the HUB Alumni Hall. Each award is $200 sponsored by the Penn State Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi in honor of Peter T. Luckie who served for 10 years as Chapter President. One award is present in three areas: physical sciences and engineering, social and behavioral sciences and arts and architecture. This years winners are pictured.
L to R:
Kristen Granger - in the area of Social and Behavioral Sciences majoring in Human Development. Her research topic was “Bullying and Victimization Among 1st Grade Students: Examining Reliability, Validity and Bully-victim Affective Ties”
Elly Okkelberg - in the area of Sciences and Engineering majoring in Materials Science and Engineering and Art History. Her research topic was Analyzing Ancient Egyptian Faience Glass Beads
Elise Sun –in the area of Arts and Humanities and majoring in Keyboard Performance, piano and performed Piano Sonata No 1 by Prokofiev.
Penn State Chapter Nominee is Awarded National Fellowship
Gretchen Renshaw, a senior music major in euphonium performance at Penn State, is this year's recipient of the Thomas Eakin Chapter Fellowship of $1,000 and was awarded a $5,000 National Fellowship.
Gretchen was the national first place winner of the Music Teachers National Association Young Artist Brass Competition in Atlanta, Ga., March 2009, after previously winning at the state and regional levels. For the competition, she performed a 45-minute recital that included original music or transcriptions from the Baroque, Romantic and Contemporary time periods. Renshaw is a student of Velvet Brown, professor of tuba and euphonium at Penn State, who successfully coached three other students to this national award. Gretchen credits Brown as being her most influential teacher. “She has really pushed me a lot. From where I started she’s kept pushing me farther and farther so that I can reach as much of my potential as possible in these four years. She is constantly making sure that I’m not satisfied with were I am right now.” To reach that next level, she tries to put in four to five hours a day practicing on euphonium and tuba.
While at Penn State, Renshaw has received numerous honors, including winning the 2009 Penn State Symphonic Wind Ensemble Concerto Competition and receiving a 2009 Penn State Summer Discovery Grant for the project, The Simone Mantia Collection: Archiving Euphonium History. Brown also provided her with the opportunity to participate in a student exchange program at Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England, in 2007, where she studied for a semester under the tutelage of Steven Mead, a world-renown euphonium player. She plans to pursue master’s and doctoral degrees in music and teach on a collegiate level in tuba and euphonium.
Her musical instruction began at age 5 with the violin, followed by the piano at 7. In fourth grade, at the encouragement of the school band director, she picked up the euphonium for the first time. Last January, as a junior at Penn State University, she started playing the tuba as well. She will be performing her senior recital on Wednesday April 21st at 8:00PM at the Esber Recital Hall on the University Park Campus.
Princeton Review - Feb. 20, 2010
Princeton Review will be hosting a free, LSAT practice test this Saturday (2/20) from 10 AM to 1:30 PM in 258 Willard. To sign up, students must visit PrincetonReview.com/LSATNTD
Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship: Application deadline to Chapter Feb. 10, 2010
Every year, the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi awards fifty-seven Fellowships of $5,000 each and three at $15,000 each to members entering the first year of graduate or professional study. Each Phi Kappa Phi chapter may select one candidate from among its local applicants to compete for the Society-wide awards. Our chapter nominee will also receive a $1,000 Chapter Fellowship. Applications and information can be found at:
http://www.phikappaphi.org/Web/Awards/Fellowship.html
Applications should be sent/delivered to:
Dr. Sharon Miller, President Penn State Chapter PKP
417 Academic Activities Bldg
sfm1@psu.edu
Phi Kappa Phi Blitz Week - January 25th - January 29th University Park Campus
Door prizes, Food and Information!
Ask questions - we have answers
*Daily*
Look for us at the HUB 10:00-2:00 Monday-Thursday and Schreyer Honors College, 11:00-1:30 Atherton Hall
*Free Evening Sessions*
- Monday: 5:30/6:30/7:30 "All you need to know about PKP", 325 HUB
- Tuesday: 5:30 "Scholarship and Award Session", 208 HUB
- Wednesday: 5:30 "Princeton Review Strategy Session for GRE and other Professional Entrance Tests", 325 HUB
- Thursday: 5:30/6:30/7:30 "All you need to know about PKP", 208 HUB
Phi Kappa Phi Blitz Week
Officers of the Phi Kappa Phi PSU Chapter and Headquarters will host an information booth at the HUB each day from 10AM-2PM to answer questions about the benefits of membership in Phi Kappa Phi. We will also be sponsoring evening sessions on:
- "How to Choose an Honor Society"
- "How to Search and Apply for Fellowships and other Financial Awards" (cosponsored by the University Fellowship Office)
- "Strategy Session for the GRE" presented by The Princeton Review
- "Practice GRE Test" presented by The Princeton Review
Check back for date, time and location (most sessions will be held in the HUB)
Dr. Barbara Farmer, Phi Kappa Phi 2010 Initiation Ceremony Invited Speaker
Dr. Barbara Farmer is the Director of Multicultural Affairs in the Office of Diversity Outreach and International Engagement in the College of Information Sciences and Technology. Dr. Farmer has a long history of service in the are of education ranging from her position as an elementary school principal to her activities empowering students in their educational journey within the community and the university setting. Dr. Farmer has participated in numerous courses at Penn State and in the community and has hosted "What Matters", a show related to education and diversity issues, on WPSU and WPSX. She is a former Business Education teacher in Hampton, Virginia, and Raleigh, North Carolina. She earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, a Master's degree in Administration/Supervision from North Carolina A & T State University and her BA at Hampton University. She has authored, coauthored and compiled several books related to leadership roles in school; extra-curricular and community activities as well as diversity in America. Dr. Farmer recently acted as emcee for the thirty-third annual Renaissance Fund Dinner. The Renaissance Fund, founded in 1969, supports academically talented students in financial need, with 410 scholars receiving support this year.
Phi Kappa Phi Letters of Invitation to be sent out over semester break
Letters of invitation for nominees will be sent out over semester break to student's permanent address. Nominated students may enroll on line at www.phikappaphi.org/web/join/psu.html Details for enrollment are included in the letter of invitation. The initiation ceremony is on Sunday, April
11th at 1:00PM. For more details go to www.energy.psu.edu/pkp/initiation.html
Announcing the 2009 Phi Kappa Phi Award for Outstanding Junior Research presented at the Undergraduate Research Exhibit, Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi sponsored awards recognizing outstanding research by a juniors at the annual Undergraduate Research Exhibit. Awards in the amount of $250.00 are presented in three areas: Art and Humanities, Social and Behavioral Science, and Science and Engineering. This year two awards were presented in the category of Science and Engineering. This year's recipients are as follows:
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| Arts and Humanities Brian Durocher, Major: Music Education, University Park Campus, Marimba performance. |
Social and Behavioral Sciences Kaitlin Farnan, "Multiple Intelligences in the Economics Classroom" Major: Education, Altoona Campus |
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Science and Engineering |
Science and Engineering |
Attention!!! Volunteer Opportunities for Students in State College School District as Tutors
*Urgent Call for K-12 Tutors Needed for Spring 2009*
Volunteer are needed on Wednesdays and/or Thursdays (3:30-6:00 each day, one-hour minimum per week), in a classroom environment during the school day, or in various other capacities. Math, science, social studies, foreign language, English, English as a Second Language, and K-6 tutors/mentors are needed. For those without transportation, bus tokens are available to those sites in the district where buses run on a regular schedule.
Volunteers in Public Schools provides students in the State College Area School District, grades K-12, with no-cost tutoring/mentoring assistance. Volunteers fill requests that have been received from teachers in the district for tutors and/or classroom aides. Our program is ongoing throughout the school year, but it usually takes a few months into the school year to get going full strength due to SCASD students taking a while to recognize their needs. My placements depend on matching student's needs with the tutor's interests/availability, so things sometimes work out well and other time the right match doesn't materialize.
We have several options for participants: you can work with students/teachers during the day in a classroom setting, help out at one of our after-school tutoring centers on Monday-Thursday, work with K-5 students at our evening parenting programs, or help out with our middle school’s Science Olympiad. The typical time investment is from 1-2 hours a week. Secondary Education majors and all volunteers interested in working with grades 6-12 should include their primary field of study but also list any strengths in the areas of math, science, English, or foreign language you may have, since the majority of my requests come from the latter fields and the more subjects you can tutor, the more chances there will be to place you! Elementary Education majors and those volunteers interested in working with grades K-5 should list as many daytime, after-school, and evening time slots as possible. Education majors in need of hours: an important thing to keep in mind is that our program doesn't tend to yield a host of hours. Most sites are only 1-2 hours per week, so unless you have the time to commit to multiple sites, you won't be able to count on getting all of your hours completed with our program in one semester.
Download application information
Pictures of the 2009 Spring Initiation - March 22, 2009
See pictures from the 2009 Spring Initation
Spring Initiation 2009- March 22, 2009
Letters of invitation for initiation in Spring 2009 will be sent out to nominees in December 2008 and January 2009. The initiation and buffet luncheon will be held on March 22, 2009 at 1:00PM in the President's Hall at The Penn State Conference Center Hotel.
New Student Vice President to be appointed this April
Adrianne Mills will be appointed as a Student Vice President of the Penn State Chapter, Berks Campus. Andrianne is a junior at The Pennsylvania State University’s Berks Campus majoring in Business with a concentration in Financial Services. Adrianne previously attended East Carolina University. Currently, she is working on independent research in the socio-economic field. She plans to continue her research in this area, as well as others, during the remainder of her undergraduate degree and beyond. Upon graduation, Adrianne plans to work as an Investment Manager while completing her Graduate degree. When not in class, studying, or conducting research, Adrianne enjoys spending time with her family, reading the news, and trail running. Her hope to increase the visibility and activities of Phi Kappa Phi at the Berks Campus.
2009 Nominee for Phi Kappa Phi National Fellowship and Chapter Fellowship Award
*Emily Edelstein
(Chapter Fellowship Award and National Fellowship Nominee)*
Emily Edelstein is this year’s nominee for a National Fellowship ($5,000) and recipient of the Tom Eakin Chapter Fellowship ($1,000). Emily is a non-traditional student in that she began her education at the John C. Campbell Folk School in North Carolina which is based on the Danish philosopher NFS Grundtvig who believed in the non-competitive, community-based adult education. Emily studied traditional crafts including weaving, music, blacksmithing and other crafts. At 22, Emily enrolled at The Pennsylvania State University, Berks College where she entered the Global Studies program. She was a member of the Schreyer’s Honor College and graduated with highest distinction and honors in Global Studies graduating with a GPA of 3.98. Her academic awards include: Boscov’s Academic Achievement Award, Young Investigator’s Research Award, and Evan Pugh Award. Her honor’s thesis was titled “ Highland Handicraft Organizations: A Comparison of Southern Appalachia and Cuzco-Area Peru” for which she was granted a Schreyer’s Honors College Travel Grant to cover her travel to Peru to conduct research for her thesis.
In addition to her academic studies she was involved in campus as well as professional theater productions in New York as a costume designer building upon her interests in textiles. She has traveled to Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands as part of International Law Studies.
Since her graduation in May 2007 she returned to the John C. Campbell School in Brasstown, North Carolina to teach and “give back” to the community. She also was successful in writing a grant to the Ferbee Foundation for the Brasstown Community Center to obtain new furniture.
Her academic goal is to pursue a graduate degree in International Development and Affairs and has applied to The School of International Studies, American University; The School for International Training in Vermont; The New School, New York; and The Pennsylvania State University. Her ambition is to work for a non-profit or NGO that focuses on working with artisan groups in developing countries to develop products for the US market thereby providing local jobs and economic growth.
*Claire Berryman (Chapter Fellowship Awardee)* 
Claire is recipient of the Thomas Eakin Chapter Fellowship ($1,000). Clair is completing her degree in Nutritional Science with a minor in Business/Liberal Arts at University Park. Her achievements include: 4 time Academic All-Big Ten Honoree, a full Track and Field Athletic Scholarship to The Pennsylvania State University, Captain of the Women’s Cross Country Team, 8 time Varsity letter winner in Cross Country and Indoor/Outdoor Track and Field, and member of Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society. She was also 1st runner up, 2009 Miss Student Athlete and nominated for the Sportsmanship Award at the 2008 Indoor Track and Field Big Ten Championship.
In addition to her academic and athletic commitments, Claire has also found time to volunteer in the local elementary school, participate in THON at Penn State to raise money for pediatric cancer research Claire worked as a research assistant in Dr. Kris-Etherton’s lab studying “Postprandial Effects of Walnut Components versus whole walnuts on oxidative stress, inflammation, platelet function and endothelial function in volunteers with moderate hypercholesterolemia”. Her future research interests include the connection between nutrient status and the body’s immune functions, the immunological implications of disease on micronutrient status and the affect of oxidative stress on the body. To this end, she plans to pursue a MS and PhD in Nutritional Science at one of the following institutions: The Pennsylvania State University; University of California, Davis; Tufts University; and The University of North Carolina. Ultimately her goal is to secure a position as a professor of nutritional biology to continue her research interests.
Chapter Fellowship Awards and National Fellowship Award Nominee
The Penn State Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi is pleased to announce the awarding of two Chapter Fellowships for 2008. The award is in the amount of $1,000. Normally only one Chapter Fellowship is awarded, however, the Chapter felt that two applicants were equaling outstanding and therefore two fellowships were awarded. Formal presentation of the Fellowships will be made at this year's initiation ceremony on April 13th at the Penn Stater.
*Jody Lucas Kulakowski 
(Chapter Fellowship Award and National Fellowship Nominee)*
Jody is a senior majoring in Letters, Arts and Sciences with a minor in Women's Studies with a GPA of 3.92. She has presented creative work (prose and poetry) at conferences and published in numerous forums. She has co-edited an Anthology of Short Prose (Mammoth Publishing). Her research papers have focused on the influence of various religions in the writings of Thoreau, the nature and misunderstandings of the feminist interpretations in the writings of Virginai Woolf and the role of religion in the lives of black women from pre-slaveryAfrica to the present. She has been active in the Commission for Women, Legal Affairs Liasion, Delta Mu Sigma Honor Society, Peer Mentor in literature and women's studies and many other on campus activities. She has received the Freshman Writing Award, Women's Studies Award, Prse Award, Creative Non-Fiction Award, Janet M. Burns Mentorship Award and Outstanding Adult Learner Award for three consecutive years. She was awarded the Palumbo Endowed Scholarship, Strasser Scholarship, Delta Mu Sigma Scholarship, DEF Adult Learner Scholarship and many others. Jody is a non-traditional student as a returning adult learner and a mother of four. Her plans are to attend University of Pittsburgh to pursue a MFA in creative non-fiction. Jody is also this year's nominee for a National Fellowship in the amount of $5,000.
*Tara H. Saunders (Chapter Fellowship Award)* 
Tara is a senior majoring in History and Comparative Literature with a minor in Spanish with a GPA of 3.95. She is a member of the Schreyer Honor's College writing on the cooperative living proposals and experiments from the late 19th and early 20th century put forth by female reformers. She has received numerous grants and scholarships including departmental enrichment grants, Academic Excellence Award from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, Presidental Academic Excellence Award and the Hintz Honors Scholars. She has been awarded the Margaret Bixler Kolpak Memorial Award in History as well as the President's Freshman Award amoung others. She has been active in numerous campus clubs as well as community activities including an intership with the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Centre County Historical Society and numerous other museums and historical socieities. Tara plans on attending Indiana University to pursue a PhD in American History and Women's History.
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