Phi Beta Kappa, the nation�s oldest and largest academic honor
society, was founded on December 5, 1776, by five students at the
College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA. It was the first
society to have a Greek letter name and to introduce the essential
characteristics of such societies: an oath of secrecy (discarded in
1831), a badge, mottoes in Latin and Greek, a code of laws, and an
elaborate initiation ritual.
As the Gamma chapter of Vermont, Saint Michael�s is one of only
three Vermont institutions to have Phi Beta Kappa chapters, along
with the University of Vermont (Alpha) and Middlebury College
(Beta). Of the 220 Catholic colleges in the country, only 20 have
chapters, four of them in New England: Saint Michael�s, Boston
College, Holy Cross and Fairfield.
While Biology majors have typically been well represented among
the PBK inductees each year, there is a bumper crop this year. We
are proud of the seven biology majors (Kaitlyn Begins, Derrick
Cumberbatch, Maggie Ecker, Anna Gauthier, Matt Jordan, Jennifer
Lermond, and Chelsea Myers), one biochemistry major (Jeff Dukette)
and one biology minor (Amanda Willette), who will be inducted this
year. While not a biology major, we are also proud of Sarah Brault,
a psychology major and daughter of our Administrative Assistant,
Denise Brault, who is also among the inductees this year. Given that
a Chapter may induct only up to 10% of the senior class into PBK, it
is a considerable honor to be chosen. The Induction Ceremony was
held Friday, April 8th at 4:30 PM in McCarthy Recital Hall.
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