Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest and most prestigious honor society in the nation for the liberal arts and sciences, turns 240 years old this month.
In celebration, the University honors the 13 members of the Class of 2017 who were elected as juniors last May.
They are:
- Ben Abbatematteo (biomedical engineering) from Seekonk, Massachusetts.
- Jessica Bernstein (optical engineering) from Riverside, Connecticut.
- Lauren Bolz (chemistry and economics) from Queensbury, New York.
- Benjamin Dees (mathematics) from Pittsford, New York.
- Ellen Grinnell (British and American Literature and Spanish) from Framingham, Massachusetts.
- Maria Janczak (computer science and economics) from Hillsboro, Oregon.
- Catherine Jay (brain and cognitive science) from Geneva, Switzerland.
- Howard Kenney (religion and economics of healthcare) from Spokane, Washington.
- Alec Kirkley (physics and mathematics) from Rochester, New York.
- Jessica Newman (British and American literature and vocal performance) from Sudbury, Massachusetts.
- Yifan Ni (mathematics and financial economics) from Xi’an, China).
- Wendy Snyder (mechanical engineering) from Ossining, New York).
- So Han Florence Yip (mechanical engineering and business) from Hong Kong.
The University’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter was founded in 1887. Members are chosen based on exceptional academic performance and a letter of recommendation from a faculty or staff member.
