New Phi Kappa Phi honor society chapter formed at Alfred State

The new Alfred State chapter of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society was installed in a ceremony Thursday evening in the Allegany Room of the Central Dining Hall. 

Charter members include Chair of the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Technology Department Edward Tezak, Dean of the School of Applied Technology Craig Clark, Senior Director of Health and Wellness Services Hollie Hall, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Technology Associate Professor Christopher Tomasi, Computer and Information Technology Assistant Professor Evan Enke, Librarian Barbara Greil, Bursar of Student Records and Financial Services Martha McGee, Social and Behavioral Sciences Professor Regina Pollard, and Digital Media and Animation Assistant Professor Jeremy Schwartz. 

Pollard and Schwartz are new initiates, along with Alfred State President Dr. Skip Sullivan, Vice President of Academic Affairs Kristin Poppo, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Bob Curry, and Dean of the School of Architecture, Management, and Engineering Technology John Williams. Charter members who are not new initiates had their Phi Kappa Phi affiliation at another institution changed to the Alfred State chapter Thursday. 

Officers are Tomasi (president), Enke (vice president), Greil (secretary), McGee (treasurer), Pollard (scholarship and awards officer), and Schwartz (public relations officer). 

Tomasi, who was installed as honor society president by Dr. Rick Shale, professor of English at Youngstown State University, said, “Today we celebrate excellence. We gather to initiate worthy individuals into the honor society of Phi Kappa Phi. These persons have been chosen on a basis of their superior scholarship and we are pleased and proud that each has chosen to become part of a century-old community of scholars and professionals that includes individuals who have distinguished themselves in positions of leadership and whose careers have been characterized by achievement.”

Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, according to www.phikappaphi.org, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. It has chapters on more than 300 campuses in the United States and the Philippines. Each year, around 30,000 members are initiated, and only the top 10 percent of a graduating class and the top 7.5 percent of juniors are invited to join.

Alfred State, according to Tezak, will initiate eligible students into the honor society for the first time in a ceremony that will take place in April at a date to be determined. Tezak said he has worked on forming a Phi Kappa Phi chapter at the college for the last two years.

“Since the honor society is interdisciplinary, it is ideally suited to Alfred State,” he said. “Membership is an academic recognition that will follow our students throughout their lifetime. It is an honor well-earned.” 

In addition to Phi Kappa Phi, other honor societies at Alfred State include Chi Alpha Epsilon, Phi Theta Kappa, Psi-Beta, Sigma Tau Epsilon, and Tau Alpha Pi.

In photo above: Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Technology Associate Professor Christopher Tomasi, left, is installed as president of the Alfred State chapter of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society Thursday by Dr. Rick Shale, professor of English at Youngstown State University.