UK's Phi Kappa Phi Chapter Inducts 70 New Members

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 13, 2013) — During ceremonies held in the University of Kentucky Student Center Monday, Nov. 11, the UK Chapter of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi inducted 65 new student members, along with five honorees representing UK faculty, staff and administration.

Each fall, the university’s chapter inducts juniors, seniors, graduate students, professional students and faculty into the organization.  Membership is by invitation only to the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students and the top 7.5 percent of juniors. Faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction also may qualify.

This year, the five inductees in the faculty, staff and alumni category are:

• UK Provost Christine Riordan

• Dean of Libraries and William T. Young Endowed Chair at the University of Kentucky Terry L. Birdwhistell

• Senior Diversity Advisor to the Dean of the UK College of Medicine Chester Grundy

• Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce Senior Professor and former director John Stempel

• College of Fine Arts Dean Michael S. Tick

The UK Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, established in April 2009, has earned recognition from the honor society's national headquarters in each of the past three years, twice as a Chapter of Merit and once as a Chapter of Excellence.

Phi Kappa Phi is the oldest, largest, and most selective honor society for all disciplines in the nation. Founded in 1897, Phi Kappa Phi has over 300 chapters at universities across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.  Since its founding, the honor society has initiated more than 1.25 million members. Each year, around 30,000 new members are inducted into Phi Kappa Phi and the society annually distributes $500,000 for various scholarship, study abroad, literacy initiatives and other related endeavors.

The UK chapter is part of the Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence within the Academy of Undergraduate Excellence at UK.

Here is a complete list of the 2013 UK undergraduate and graduate student inductees:

MEDIA CONTACT: Carl Nathe, 859-257-3200/carl.nathe@uky.edu.