Western Illinois University Students Honored for Academic Achievement
MACOMB/Moline, IL – Thirty-two Western Illinois University students were inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society during the chapter’s 51st induction ceremony Thursday, April 6.
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 graduate students who have a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Phi Kappa Phi is open to all students and is the oldest and largest honor society that inducts people from every academic field. It’s motto is “let the love of learning rule humanity.”
The ceremony also recognized scholarship and undergraduate research award winners.
The winner of this year’s chapter fellowship, and a $500 prize, is senior Whitney Piper, of Macomb, who graduates next month with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. She is also the Exercise Science Departmental Scholar and a Centennial Honors College Scholar.
By winning the chapter fellowship, Piper is now eligible for one of the up to $8,500 fellowships offered each year by the national Phi Kappa Phi office. WIU students have been awarded national fellowships several times in recent years.
During the ceremony, the WIU chapter also presented two Lowell Grabill Undergraduate Research Awards for excellence in academic writing. First place went to Piper with her paper, “Bar Balance Perception as a Percentage of One Repetition Maximum for Bench Press.” Her mentor is Associate Professor of Kinesiology Steven Radlo and she was presented a $500 prize for her paper.
The competition’s second place award went to WIU senior Ashley Bratkovich, of Peru, IL, for her paper, “The Social and Occupational Impact of Stuttering in the Workplace.” Bratkovich’s mentor is Assistant Professor of Speech Pathology and Audiology Julie Cox. Bratkovich was presented with a $300 prize for her paper. She will graduate next month with a degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology, and she is a Centennial Honors College Scholar.
The WIU chapter also presented a $500 Phi Kappa Phi Scholarship to WIU junior biology major Abigail Roussin, of Brookfield, IL.
WIU faculty members inducted into the WIU chapter as faculty initiates during the ceremony include Assistant Professor of Communication Stacey Macchi and Assistant Professor of Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration Megan Owens. Faculty are chosen for the honor by the strength of their research and scholarship, their achievements, and their commitment to serving the University.
This year’s student Phi Kappa Phi student inductees, by hometown, include:
Illinois
Adams
Quincy – Adam Yates, a senior Law Enforcement and Justice Administration major
Cass
Virginia – Kristy Gebhardt, a Reading Specialist graduate student; Mackenzie White, a senior Art (BFA) major
Clinton
Breese – Allison Elias, a junior History (Pre-Law) major
Cook
Brookfield — Abigail Roussin, a junior Environmental Biology major
Morton Grove – Ramona Bellino, a senior General Studies major
Niles – Katie Velez, a graduate student in Instructional Design and Technology
Oak Lawn – Patience Scott-Buford, a graduate student in Special Education
Fulton
Cuba – Melissa Jones, a senior Psychology major
Hancock
Basco – Isaac Munson, a junior Exercise Science major
Carthage – Annie Sholl, a senior Elementary Education major
Hamilton – Dane Pfeiferling, a junior Chemistry major
Kane
Maple Park – Jessica Alonso, a senior Agriculture major
Knox
Oneida – Molly Blust, a junior Speech Pathology and Audiology major
Lake
Mundelein — Liana Yasmin Elayan, a graduate student in Public Safety Administration
LaSalle
Ottawa – Carter Chiaventone, a junior Law Enforcement and Justice Administration major
McDonough
Adair – Chelsea Baughman, a graduate student in Instructional Design and Technology
Good Hope – Shelby Gandara, a senior Social Work major
Macomb — Nicole Lyles, a graduate student in Special Education (Teaching); Caryn Royer, a graduate student in Special Education (Teaching); Catherine Wallace, a graduate student in English
Rock Island
Moline – Samantha Biermann, a senior Liberal Arts and Sciences major; Andrew Parker, a graduate student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Rock Island – Teresa Dothard – Campbell, a senior General Studies major
Taylor Ridge – Jessica Tuckey, a graduate student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Sangamon
Springfield – Emily Woods, a graduate student in English
Will
Plainfield — Olivia Couch, a graduate student in Public Safety Administration; Steger – Joseph Zaylik, a junior Pre-Business Business Analytics – Applied Statistics major
Other states
Texas
Plano – Gloria Osei, a doctoral student in Educational Leadership – Organizational Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
International
Nigeria — Ifeanyichukwu Okwesa – a graduate student in Applied Statistics and Decision Analytics; Martin Uwakwe, a graduate student in Applied Statistics and Decision Analytics
Philippines
Meycauayan — Paolo Gabriel Romero, a graduate student in Music – Piano
For more information about Phi Kappa Phi, visit phikappaphi.org.
