Prestigious Honors Society Recognizes Hard-Working Freshmen

“What you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.”

The saying, attributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, was among the remarks made by Dr. Brett Morris, Eastern Kentucky University’s executive director for enrollment management, during his keynote address at the Spring 2019 Alpha Lambda Delta induction ceremony.

The event recognized 35 Colonels who have unquestionably discovered the genius, power and magic inside themselves. These high-achieving students were inducted into the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society for First-Year Success. Requirements for admission into this prestigious group include earning a 3.5 GPA or better during the first semester of college.

“In many ways, Alpha Lambda Delta is one of the hardest honor societies to get into,” said the chapter’s adviser, Dr. Travis Martin. “The first semester of college is often the first time that students will be away from their families. They have to succeed in the classroom while making new friends and learning the language, culture and customs of a completely new environment.”

Inductees were joined by their families, current members, faculty, and staff for the annual ceremony. During his address, Morris reflected on the importance of receiving support from friends and family. His biggest supporter, he said, was his grandmother, Ruby Lewis. It was in one of her journals that he first read the von Goethe quote.

“We all get to different points in our lives with the help and love of a parent, guardian, or someone who is fully invested in us as an individual — in our hopes and dreams,” he said.

This year’s inductees include Imani Anderson, Jayda Baker, Emma Blankenship, Kelly Bova, Madison Campbell, Christina Carpenter, Chase Carson, Holly Carter, Hope Carter, Andrew Cathey, Trent Catlett, Jemima Chong, Jesus Ethridge, David Giffen, Zachary Gowing, Anna Holt, Samantha Kassing, Zoë Lee, Martin Luther, Rebekah McKinley, Audrey Michels, Kelsey Patton, Erika Viva-Ramos, Samuel Rossi, Marissa Savage, Madison Sharp, Nicholas Solomon, Alexandra Stewart, Abbigail Supe, Andrew Taulbee, Brandon Tudor, Gavan VanOver, Renae Weast and Katie Young.

Alpha Lambda Delta was founded as an honor society in 1924 at the University of Illinois by the Dean of Women, Maria Leonard. It soon became a national organization as chapters were established at Purdue University in 1926 and DePauw University in 1927. Growth of the society has continued and now there are nearly 300 chapters.

ALD’s mission is to “encourage superior academic achievement among students in their first year in institutions of higher education, to promote intelligent living and a continued high standard of learning and to assist students in recognizing and developing meaningful goals for their roles in society.” A certified member of the Association of College Honor Societies, Alpha Lambda Delta provides over 83 scholarships totaling $210,000 annually. The Trow Scholarships support undergraduate education, the Stemler Scholarships help fund study abroad experiences and graduate fellowships assist members pursuing advanced degrees.

Alpha Lambda Delta established its chapter at EKU in 2005. In addition to recognizing excellence in the classroom, its members actively find ways to support incoming freshmen. This semester, Alpha Lambda Delta co-sponsored “Saturday Socials” with the Office of First-Year Courses & Learning Communities. These events, which will continue in the fall semester, give students a chance to meet at locally-owned restaurants on weekends, helping them build the kinds of social support networks that improve student retention and success.

In fact, this year’s honorary inductees were all chosen because they support the academic success of first-year students. The three honorees included the ceremony’s keynote speaker, Dr. Morris, Starr Wentzel, director of First-Year Courses & Learning Communities and Jennifer Mullins, ALD co-adviser and administrative assistant for the Office of First-Year Courses.

After the event, Chapter President Samantha Martin and Vice President Kellie Schinzel spoke about upcoming elections and plans for service projects in the fall. All students, especially those in their first semester of college, are encouraged to attend ALD meetings and events.

For more information about Alpha Lambda Delta visit https://firstyearcourses.eku.edu/alpha-lambda-delta or contact Dr. Travis Martin at travis.martin@eku.edu.