Phi Beta Kappa Initiation

June 7, 2010

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – In April 2010, Illinois Wesleyan University inducted 34 juniors and seniors into Phi Beta Kappa, said to be one of the most prestigious academic fraternities in the nation. The undergraduate honors society fosters and recognizes excellence in the liberal arts and sciences.

Phi Beta Kappa chapters are present in approximately 10 percent of the nation’s colleges and universities and of these institutions only 1 in 10 arts and sciences graduates are selected for membership.

Since 1776, Phi Beta Kappa has accumulated some the up-and-coming young leaders from across the country, including 17 U.S. Presidents, 38 U.S. Supreme Court Justices and 136 Nobel laureates. Other famous Phi Beta Kappa members include Booker T. Washington, Hellen Keller, Condoleza Rice, Tom Brokaw, Alexander Graham Bell and Peyton Manning.

This year 11 IWU juniors join the ranks:

Elizabeth Ave Maria
Karina Grace
Jennifer Biess
Kristen Hosack
Eliot Boden
Stephanie Swope
Kundan Chaudhary
Nicole Travis
Cassie DeVore
Amy Uden
Noah Dunham

And 23 IWU seniors:

Osama Awan Christopher Betzle Susan Blunck Alison Brown David Buesing Kerry Devitt Kerry Gremo Ellen Ho Kate Krempely Jessica Lancaster Stephen Little Aislinn Lowry

Mari Mermelstein Vijeta Pamudurthy Jordan Pate Kelly Petersen Julie Regenbogen Isabella Rossi Maria Roth Jennifer Sanderson Laura Spradlin Katherine Utesch Travis Williams

Contact: Jessica Hinterlong '11, (309) 556-3181