LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas Alpha chapter of Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society recently inducted 153 new members in a joint ceremony for 2020 and 2021.

David Slusky, president of KU’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter and associate professor of economics, presided at the virtual ceremony in May. The national secretary and CEO of Phi Beta Kappa, Frederick Lawrence, was a guest speaker. Jennifer Harrison, vice president of the chapter and director of the Business Leadership Program and the Jack Dicus Business Honors Program; Dietrich Earnhart, professor of economics and chapter historian, and Anne Wallen, secretary-treasurer and director of the Office of Fellowships, welcomed and congratulated the new initiates. Students received certificates and signed the register by appointment to allow for social distancing.

Sarah Crawford-Parker, director of the University Honors Program, was inducted as an honorary member of the chapter and gave an address on the value of the liberal arts and sciences.

Sam Steuart, a 2020 graduate and 2019 inductee, and Laura Phillips, a 2021 graduate and 2020 inductee, gave the student responses on the Phi Beta Kappa value of friendship.

Election to Phi Beta Kappa recognizes a student’s high academic achievement while pursuing a broad and substantive liberal arts curriculum. To be eligible for consideration for membership, students must be graduating seniors with a minimum grade-point average of 3.65 on a 4.0 scale, or be juniors with a minimum 3.9. Anonymous transcripts of candidates are reviewed holistically by a committee of Phi Beta Kappa faculty and staff members. For 2020, 47 seniors and 20 juniors were initiated. For 2021, 58 seniors and 28 juniors were initiated. 

Local students initiated are: Taelyr Blehm, Russell, 2021 senior; Rylie Koester, Hoisington and Katherine Schroeder, Larned, both 2020 seniors.