Students Inducted into Western Illinois University’s Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi
MACOMB/Moline, IL — Western Illinois University’s chapter of the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society was scheduled to host its 48th annual induction ceremony just prior to the Spring 2020 commencement, but the event was cancelled by COVID-19.
Admission to Phi Kappa Phi is by invitation only, and invitations are extended to the top 7.5 percent of juniors, the top 10 percent of seniors and the top 10 percent of graduate students. The honor society is open to all academic disciplines.
The ceremony also recognized scholarship and undergraduate research award winners. This year’s winners of the Phi Kappa Phi Junior Scholarships of $1,000 each were Jessica Schaumberg, now a senior music major from Streator, IL, and Hunter La Croix, now a senior mathematics major from Donnellson, IL.
The winner of the Phi Kappa Phi $500 fellowship, and the Lowell Grabill Undergraduate Research Award was Mariah Dicksen, a Spring 2020 biology graduate, of Lockport, IL. Dicksen won the research award for her paper “Immune Gene Response of Zika-infected Human Macrophages,” and her faculty advisor was Biological Sciences Professor Sue Hum-Musser.
This summer, Dicksen was awarded an $8,500 fellowship from the honor society’s national chapter. She will use the award to pursue a doctoral degree in microbiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison beginning this semester.
WIU faculty members inducted into Phi Kappa Phi included WIU Interim Provost William “Billy” T. Clow; law enforcement and justice administration (LEJA) Professor Todd Lough; LEJA Professor Barry McCrary; Agriculture Professor Winthrop Phippen; Human Resource Management Professor Susan Stewart; and community initiate Nancy Crossman, a retired WIU instructor.
This year’s student inductees, by hometown, include:
ILLINOIS
Alexis: Christi S. Ryner, a Spring 2020 graduate with a master’s degree in special education.
Alton: Kelli C. Thompson, a Spring 2020 general studies graduate.
Augusta: Abigail E. Thompson, a Spring 2020 speech pathology audiology graduate.
Bloomington: Avery Hamm, a Spring 2020 psychology graduate.
Carlinville: Natalie A. Kaganich, a senior forensic chemistry major.
Donnellson: Hunter D. La Croix, a senior mathematics major.
East Moline: Somabe A. Magnon, a Spring 2020 information systems graduate.
East Peoria: Gabrielle L. Cairncross, a Spring 2020 agriculture graduate; Niki L. Nation, a senior anthropology major.
Fieldon: Paige N. Bradshaw, a senior biology major.
Galesburg: Carey J. Anderson, a Spring 2020 sociology graduate.
Lemont: Stephanie L. Becker, a Spring 2020 sociology and anthropology graduate.
Little York: Cindy J. Kane, a Spring 2020 graphic communication graduate and instructional design and technology graduate student.
Macomb: Allison M. DeVolder, a senior law enforcement and justice administration major; Octavio Huerta, a senior biology major; Laura E. Casey, a Spring 2020 college student personnel major; Alyssa Detrick, Summer 2020 graduate with a master’s degree in health science; Gabrielle E. Walker, a senior nursing major; Rajeev Roy, a Summer 2020 graduate with a master’s degree in biology.
Marietta: Alyssa L. Shaw, a Spring 2020 psychology graduate.
Midlothian: Joseph F. Hincks, a Spring 2020 graduate with a master’s degree in political science.
Milan: Ashley E. Minyard, a senior biology major.
Moline: Krystal J. Parks, a clinical mental health counseling graduate student.
Monmouth: Gena L. Hasten, a Spring 2020 graduate with a master’s degree in special education.
Morton: Amanda J. Rickenberg, an educational administration graduate student.
O’Fallon: Ernest S. Tillman, a Spring 2020 graduate with a master’s degree in instructional design and technology.
Pekin: Dakota C. Forbis, a geography graduate student.
Peoria: Lisa A. Gifford, a doctoral student in educational leadership.
Plainfield: Luke D. Glynn, a Spring 2020 law enforcement and justice administration graduate; John E. Gaszak, an instructional design and technology graduate student; Benjamin P. Meyers, a political science graduate student.
Quincy: Nicholas J. Hiland, a law enforcement and justice administration graduate student.
Rockford: Amanda R. Pankhurst, an instructional design and technology graduate student.
Rockton: Isaac M. Peyton, a senior law enforcement and justice administration major.
Sherrard: Kristi M. Geisler, a Spring 2020 graduate with a master’s degree in special education.
Silvis: Patricia Humphrey, a Spring 2020 general studies graduate.
Smithshire: Brenda S. Vancil, a Spring 2020 nursing graduate.
Springfield: Ian M. Stearns, a senior meteorology major.
Streator: Jessica M. Schaumberg, a senior music major.
Wauconda: Shamiran Khoder, a graduate student in instructional design and technology.
Winnebago: Monika A. Mazela, a senior psychology major.
Woodstock: Nicole Roberts, a senior marketing major.
CONNECTICUT
Branford: Meghan Elgee, a health sciences graduate student.
IOWA
Davenport: Scott Dynes, a senior general studies major.
West Point: Lillian H. Schierbrock, a senior music major.
MINNESOTA
Northfield: Cortnie D. Schierman, a health sciences graduate student.
PENNSYLVANIA
New Cumberland: Michael A. Viti, a senior chemistry major.
VIRGINIA
Falls Church: Sherri D. Rhoades, a Fall 2019 general studies graduate.
Richmond: Sean J. LaBat, a master of business administration (MBA) graduate student.
WISCONSIN
Waukesha: Brittany Erickson, a Summer 2020 graduate with a master’s degree in applied statistics and decision analytics.
For more information about Phi Kappa Phi, visit phikappaphi.org.
