162 UNC-Chapel Hill students inducted into Phi Beta Kappa

UNC-Chapel Hill’s student body has once again received honors from the nation’s most prestigious academic society. Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest and most honored academic society in America, inducted 162 UNC Chapel Hill students as new members last week. One of this year's inductees comes from UNC Hussman: Claire Cathleen Maloney ’20, a media and journalism major and a history minor.

As well as academic performance, Phi Beta Kappa celebrates intellectual honesty and tolerance, a broad range of intellectual interests, and a lifelong commitment to the pursuit of learning. Past and present members have included 17 American presidents, 41 U.S. Supreme Court justices, more than 140 Nobel Laureates and many artistic, intellectual and political leaders. UNC Chapel Hill’s chapter, Alpha, was founded in 1907 and is the oldest in the state.

The students all passed strict requirements to make the society’s cut. Less than 1% of all college students qualify for Phi Beta Kappa. To be eligible, a student must complete 75 hours of coursework in the liberal arts and sciences with a GPA of 3.85 or better (on a 4-point scale), or 105 hours of coursework in the liberal arts and sciences with a 3.75 GPA.

UNC School of Medicine research professor Terence C. Holt gave the keynote address at the induction ceremony, where each student received a certificate and a Phi Beta Kappa key.

UNC-Chapel Hill’s 2019-20 Phi Beta Kappa officers are students Michala Patterson, president; Gayathri Das, vice president; and Becca Sullenger, recording secretary. James L. Leloudis, professor of history, and the Peter T. Grauer Associate Dean for Honors Carolina and director of the James M. Johnston Center for Undergraduate Excellence, is chapter executive secretary and faculty advisor. Read the full list of UNC-Chapel Hill inductees here.