Phi Alpha Theta/Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Societies Induction Ceremony

The departments of History and Philosophy and Political Science, Economics and World Languages at Purdue University Northwest held their annual Honor Society Induction Ceremony for Phi Alpha Theta (PAT) and Pi Sigma Alpha (PSA), organized by Maribel Lopez, Hadassah Moore and Beth Simac.

On Thursday, April 22 members and organizers came together over Zoom to celebrate and congratulate the new PAT and PSA candidates. Kathleen Tobin, Ph.D. and Richard Rupp, Ph.D. hosted the ceremony, followed by many other professors who contributed to the celebration of the inductees. Yohlunda Mosley, Ph.D., Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, provided congratulatory remarks to the ceremony honorees.

The ceremony featured guest speaker Donald Reichert, who created an endowed scholarship of $50,000, “The Donald and Ruth Reichert Scholarship” for undergraduate political science majors who are attending PNW, his previous university of two years before transferring to Purdue University in West Lafayette.

“I wanted to give back to the institution that gave me my real start in life,” stated Reichert, who honored his first political science professor and “lifelong friend” Doris Pierce, Ph.D. Pierce taught classes in local and urban politics and public law as a professor at Purdue University Calumet for thirty-two years.

Faculty advisor Kenneth Kincaid, Ph.D. inducted eighteen new members into the PNW Alpha Epsilon Theta Chapter. According to its official website, “Phi Alpha Theta is an academic honor society for colleges and universities whose mission is to promote the study of history through the encouragement of research, good teaching, publication and the exchange of learning ideas among Historians.”

Faculty advisor Yu Ouyang, Ph.D. inducted eight new members into the PNW Tau Psi Chapter. Pi Sigma Alpha is the National Political Science Honor Society, made to recognize and promote high academic achievement in the field of political science.

Scholarship presentations, showcase videos, and awards were all featured. Awards were presented for the “Outstanding Economics Students” to recipients Elizabeth Hutson, Leon Kah and Taylor Kroon. Janusz Duzinkiewicz, Ph.D. then presented the “Outstanding Liberal Studies” awards to recipients Sherri Moore and Jeremy Ogrizovich. Lastly, Yu Ouyang, Ph.D. presented the final award of “Special Recognition” to recipients Tyler Dillon and Jasmine Flowers.

Although this ceremony was held over Zoom, everyone made it a positive experience to celebrate the achievements of these Purdue Northwest students. “I think a night like this is so special because we can hear individual students’ stories,” professor Meg Rincker, Ph.D. co-sponsor of Pi Sigma Alpha stated.

Congratulations to all of the new inductees and outstanding students that represent Purdue University Northwest. The faculty and staff wish you great success in the future!