Justin Whiting
Staff Writer
The new Communication Division honor society, Lambda Pi Eta, offers students prestigious opportunities and helps bring attention to their achievements.
The society, which inducted its first 37 members last semester, is extending invitations to dozens more to recognize their academic accomplishments and dedication to their majors. This semester the chapter has changed rules so that communication minors as well as majors can be invited to join.
Laurel Dein, student president of the society, is trying to organize the society and get it more involved on campus, according to Dr. Steven Lemley, faculty adviser for Lambda Pi Eta.
The society helps communication students obtain the same kind of prestige that is offered by the honor societies for other large majors, according to Lemley.
“This is a great way to acknowledge the academic excellence of our students,” Lemley said. “This is great for the students’ resumes and applications for grad school.”
His enthusiasm was shared by Kyle Packham, an alumnus and Lambda Pi Eta member.
“It was a great experience to be one of the first members of Lambda Pi Eta,” said Packham, who graduated last year with a double major in speech communication and political science.
“I hope to see the organization continue to grow and branch out into activities on campus and even in the community.”
The national organization was founded in 1985. It became a part of the National Communication Association in 1988 and became an official NCA honor society in 1995. There are 418 chapters worldwide.
The national organization of Lambda Pi Eta has some main goals: “To recognize, foster and reward outstanding scholastic achievement in communication studies, to stimulate interest in the field of communication, to establish and maintain closer relationships between faculty and students and to explore options for graduate education in communication studies.”
To become a member of Lambda Pi Eta, students are required to have completed 60 units of college-course work, have completed 12 units of communication studies and have a 3.25 cumulative GPA and 3.50 communication studies GPA.
Some students are inspired by the honor offered by Lambda Pi Eta.
“The communication honor society has inspired me to work harder due to the possible gains,” said junior Michael Alahouzos, a current creative writing major. “I hope I will be able to join and that it will give me something prestigious to put on my graduate school application.
“It is also nice to see the Communication Division and communication majors get more recognition.”
11-11-2004