The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi Inducts 130 Students This Year at UMass Amherst

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On Sunday, March 26, 2023, the UMass Amherst chapter of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi inducted 130 students into their prestigious cohort. The nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline honor society, the top 7.5% of juniors with at least 75 completed credits, the top 10% of seniors with at least 90 completed credits, and graduate students are invited to join the society annually.

Christine E. Hatch, extension associate professor in the Department of Earth, Geographic and Climate Sciences, and president of the UMass chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, hosted the ceremony.

“I have the enormous pleasure of seeing in front of me a highly distinguished, accomplished, and potential-filled group of young scholars,” she said. 

Hatch went into detail about the inception of Phi Kappa Phi, and how the UMass chapter is the third oldest one.

“[The UMass chapter’s] aim is to promote learning, scholarship, and character on the Amherst campus,” she added.

She then introduced the other members of the executive board and explained the proceedings of the ceremony. Following this, she introduced the guest speaker, Tricia Serio, provost and senior vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, to address the gathering.

The achievements that brought you to this ceremony today tell me that this society’s motto, ‘Let the love of learning rule humanity,’ resonates as strongly with you as it does with me. —

Serio described her journey into academia and research, and how her love for learning helped her beat many odds. “[There was] a 0.1% chance that I would even be a professor, and essentially a 0% chance that I would be a provost,” she said, highlighting how deeply she values education and learning. 

“As we celebrate your achievements today, I encourage you to reflect on your own love of learning and how it has brought you to this day and the ways in which you can continue to enrich your lives and expand your horizons into the future.” 

“I ask you to be intentional about how you will leverage these opportunities to make the world a better place for all through your unique contributions,” she added.

Following Serio’s address, associate dean of Commonwealth Honors College Elena Carbone presented the 2023 Distinguished Service Award to John McCarthy, provost emeritus and professor of Linguistics, who was recognized for his advanced scholarship in linguistics and continual support of Phi Kappa Phi for the last 10 years.

“[ McCarthy’s] attendance and participation in our induction ceremonies, as a speaker and then provost, encouraged membership in Phi Kappa Phi and helped to showcase how important inclusivity [in the Society] is,” said Carbone.

“His own background and accomplishments show his ‘Love for Learning,’ and we at the UMass chapter of Phi Kappa Phi will always be grateful for his support.” 

The students were then officially inducted into Phi Kappa Phi. Each inductee was asked to go up on stage with their certificates, introduce themselves, explain their academic interests, and describe what they will be doing the following year. Some mentioned that they’ll be delving deeper into their research, while others were hoping to explore their career options in the industry. Numerous Honors students also described their plans for the Honors Thesis and how they’ll be conducting their research.

After they spoke on stage, each student received a rose and a pin that symbolized their membership in Phi Kappa Phi. Hatch then recited a poem, adapted from the Bowdoin College website, that described what these students accomplished at UMass. 

She concluded by congratulating the new members of their accomplishments: “By virtue of your superior scholarship, by virtue of what you have achieved and what you are, it is now my privilege to declare you to be members in good standing of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. May you continue to merit this high honor and fully realize the potential that this honor testifies you possess.” 

The gathering then proceeded into a reception for the new members to get to know each other. 

John Ferriera, a sophomore biochemistry and molecular biology major, said: “It’s very gratifying. Receiving this invitation is a tangible reflection of how hard I’ve worked in these past two years.”

I’m looking forward to engaging with the driven and diverse community of scholars with which I’m now connected. Oftentimes at college, you tend to associate with those in your major or area of interest. As a member of Phi Kappa Phi, I am able to reach out to bright individuals excelling in all fields. —John Ferriera