CHESTERTOWN, MD—The Theta of Maryland chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious academic honor society, inducted 35 new members at a special dinner meeting on Tuesday, February 25. The invitation to join Phi Beta Kappa is extended to about 1 percent of the nation’s graduating college seniors, recognizing their scholastic achievement and their commitment to the liberal arts and sciences. 

At the induction ceremony, Washington College President Mitchell B. Reiss delivered opening remarks on the value of a liberal arts education, emphasizing the significance of the “breadth and depth” of studies that PBK members achieve.  English professor Philip A. Walsh, president of Theta of Maryland, asked the new members to be “advocates for the kind of education” that they have received at Washington College. He spoke to the importance of humility in leadership and teamwork and encouraged guests to focus some of their dinner conversation on the topic of intellectual humility. 

As secretary and historian of the chapter, Assistant Professor of Chemistry James Lipchock gave a brief history of Phi Beta Kappa, beginning with its origins as a secret society founded in 1776 by five students at the College of William and Mary. From the beginning, the society was devoted to liberal education, intellectual fellowship, and freedom of inquiry, with the motto “love of learning is the guide of life.” The society became a national organization in 1883, and today there are 283 chapters at American colleges and universities. Washington College has sheltered the Theta of Maryland chapter since 2007.

The initiation of new members was conducted by Walsh and Lipchock, as well as chapter vice president. Aileen Tsui, an associate professor of art, and treasurer Jesse Schaefer ’12, an associate in the Alumni Office. Resident faculty and staff members of PBK were also in attendance.

 

The new 2014 members are:

Kasey Taylor Baumann

Meredith Dolores Callis

Nicholas Antonio Campisi

Sarah Megan Morrill Cisek

James Leo Comotto, Jr.

Alicia Marie DeBonis

Katie Elizabeth Despeaux

Kathryn Marie Gilley

Michael John Giroux

Aileen Nicole Gray

Samantha Gross

Melissa Nicole Gutkind

Emily Elizabeth Hall

Emily Maureen Hoyle

Rebecca Anne Hull

Allison Rose Kirkpatrick

Katherine L. Kreft

Karyn May Krupsaw

Kelly Ann Kunsch

Jonathan Paul Mahaffey

Christopher Owen Miller

Christopher Patrick Moylan

Rosemarie Helen Mujica

Joel Novick

Carly Anne Ogren

Daina Elise Raiffe

Katie Frances Ridgeway

Lindsay Louise Robeson

Emily Sahadeo

Anna Rose Schutschkow

Allison Marie Speight

Emma Haven Spence

Jeffery Dale Sullivan

Abigail Anne Thomas

Kimberly Ann Uslin

– Kathryn Gilley ’14