Thursday, November 20, 2008

Greek Honors Society

Sororities aren't just about partying.
Scholarships

Every semester, graduating seniors who have a 3.5 grade point average or higher and second semester juniors who have 3.65 GPA or higher receive an invitation to be initiated into the Phi Kappa Phi honor society. This year, Phi Kappa Phi chapter received a 50-year honor society award. To continue to have the honor society, the top 10 percent of students at the school should maintain a 3.5 GPA or above, said Gus Lease, the SJSU chapter president. Phi Kappa Phi honor society in 1954 with Fresno State University, Lease said.

Phi Kappa Phi is one of many recognized honor societies in the nation, and it has existed for more than 100 years, Lease said. SJSU joined the honor society early in comparison to the other institutions, Lease said. We're Chapter 67 in the national society, and today they have almost 300 chapters. Lease said he wants students to understand what a privilege it is to be in Phi Kappa Phi. About 800 Phi Kappa Phi invitations are sent every year to students with a 3.5 GPA or higher, however, only some students are initiated.

A lot of them don't want to take the time to fill out an application. When Stacey Ruesch, a senior photojournalism major, received a Phi Kappa Phi invitation, she said she lost the paperwork and didn't apply for membership. However, Ruesch had an opportunity to meet with Lease, and he recommended that Ruesch apply for the $2,000 fellowship from the SJSU chapter.

Before she joined the honor society, Ruesch said, she thought, I'm not going to get a scholarship, that will never happen to me, but I did." Although Ruesch has a college fund, she said because of an economic crisis, she had a little difficulty paying tuition. "But now I have a scholarship, and that helps me a lot, Ruesch said. Ruesch is the only local student who received a $2,000 chapter fellowship last semester.

Even though some students have a GPA higher than 3.5, they may not receive the invitation, Lease said. If this happens, Lease said, students shouldn't hesitate to ask to join the honor society. Having proof that students were in the top 10 percent of students in the university is very honorable, Lease said. Even though students worked hard during their school years, if their effort isn't recognized, Lease asked, Who else will honor you?

The honor society isn't only for students, but also for outstanding faculty and community members, Lease said. They are recommended by other faculty members. Each year we will invite three-to-five faculty members, but they have to be recommended and voted on to membership, he said.

Head football coach Fitz Hill was invited to join Phi Kappa Phi this March.
I was very honored, Hill said. It has been always very important to me combining athletic and academic. It is great combination of teaching students about life to let them know that you can do both.

Lease said, "Everybody likes to be honored." He said he can't find anybody in any field who doesn't want to be honored. Lease, a lecturer and an emeritus chair of the school of music and dance, has been teaching at SJSU for 55 years. Exactly 30 years ago, Lease was the president of the chapter, and last year he was re-elected as president.

He is a very unique individual and fun to be around. It's been great thanks to Phi Kappa Phi (of ) San Jose State. It was very fortunate he felt I was a qualified to receive such a distinguished award. Hill said. Once a student becomes a member, they have several scholarship opportunities.

Some are offered the opportunities to study abroad and fellowship in both local and national chapters, Lease said. Local chapters give $2,000 awards for second-semester juniors such as the one Ruesch received, however, students are expected to come back to study at SJSU. National chapters also give $5,000 awards for graduating seniors who will continue their education at graduate schools, Lease said. Learning doesn't stop when people finish their college studies, Hill said. Learning is a long-term continuation. Hard work, studying and persistence" are the keys to learning, Lease said. Lease said he is very proud of SJSU to have a 50-year honor society award. He said, It's wonderful that we here at San Jose State can honor students for 50 years for academic achievement.

No comments: