Last Updated on December 28, 2022
At Grove City College, we recognize the importance of celebrating academic excellence and student success. We offer students an extensive list of national honoraries focused on academic performance, leadership development, service, and discipline-specific areas of study.
Contact Scott Gordon, Director of Student Activities, or connect with the student leader of any organizations listed.
ALPHA KAPPA DELTA
Alpha Kappa Delta is the international sociology honor society open to sociology majors and maintaining a specified grade point average.
ALPHA MU GAMMA
Alpha Mu Gamma, the national foreign language honorary and service organization, sponsors events designed to encourage the study and understanding of other languages and cultures. Requirements for membership include a 2.75 overall QPA, six hours of “A” work, and three hours of “A” or “B” work in foreign language courses above the 200 level. New members are accepted each fall and spring.
BETA BETA BETA
To encourage scholarly achievement in science, Grove City College’s Eta Zeta Chapter limits its active membership to students who indicate a special aptitude and major interest in biology. Students must be a junior or senior biology major with an overall QPA of 3.0 or better. Associate memberships are available to candidates having an overall QPA of 2.5.
CRIMSON and WHITE SOCIETY
The Crimson and White Society is a group of students selected to be ambassadors for Grove City College. By working with the Offices of Alumni Relations and Advancement, the Crimson and White Society creates a bridge between students past and present. Ambassadors provide alumni, parents, and friends with a realistic assessment of life at Grove City College.
The mission of the Crimson and White Society is to be a meaningful presence at alumni and development events during which ambassadors answer questions about the College, acknowledge the contributions of all graduates, and encourage continued support of the College. Students must have a 2.5 QPA or above and be recommended to apply.
CROWN AND SCEPTRE
Crown and Sceptre is the sophomore women’s honorary for those who display scholarship, leadership, and service during their freshmen year. Freshmen women who attain a 3.0 QPA or better during their first semester are invited to apply. Tapping occurs each spring.
DELTA MU DELTA
Delta Mu Delta is a national honor society established to recognize and reward the superior scholastic achievement of students in business and business-related majors. Qualifications as a member of the Beta Beta chapter include completion of 64 hours towards a bachelor’s degree (12 of which are business or accounting courses), a minimum of 3.2 QPA in their major, and ranking in the top 20% of their class. New members are inducted twice a year.
KAPPA DELTA PI
Kappa Delta Pi (KDP), Tau Alpha Chapter, is an International Honor Society in Education. The purpose of KDP is to promote excellence in and recognize outstanding contributions to education. It endeavors to maintain a high degree of professional fellowship and growth and to honor achievement in education work. Membership is open to all junior and senior education majors who attain a 3.15 QPA and exhibit commendable personal qualities.
KAPPA MU EPSILON
Kappa Mu Epsilon is a national mathematics honorary, which strives to “develop an appreciation for the beauty in mathematics.” Candidate must be in the top 35% of their class, and have completed at least three college courses in mathematics and at least one semester in calculus with a “B” average or better. New members are inducted each semester.
KEMIKOS
Kemikos is a local honorary chemical fraternity dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in the various disciplines related to chemistry and biochemistry. Candidates must have an overall 3.0 QPA, have a major 3.2 QPA, have completed three semesters of chemistry, and have at least 24 credits in chemistry to be considered for membership. Activities include presentation on current topics in chemistry and an annual spring banquet.
LAMBDA EPSILON DELTA
Lambda Epsilon Delta is the elementary honorary which recognizes juniors and seniors with a QPA of 3.15 or better. Grove City College’s Gamma chapter of LED seeks to encourage a high degree of intellectual and professional standards during the period of preparation in the field of elementary education.
LAMBDA IOTA TAU
The Beta Iota Chapter of Lambda Iota Tau is an international literary honorary. Candidates must be in at least their fourth semester and have completed 12 hours of literary courses with an overall QPA of 3.1 and a QPA of 3.3 in their literary coursework. A paper of either a scholarly or creative nature, if accepted, earns admission into the society. Activities include a spring dinner, poetry readings, trips to theatrical performances, and career seminars and job hunting services in the communication and literature fields.
LAMBDA PI ETA
Lambda Pi Eta is the communication honorary for the National Communication Association. The Grove City College chapter was founded in the spring of 2004 and bears the chapter name Pi Phi. The purpose of Lambda Pi Eta is to recognize, foster, and reward outstanding achievement in the field of communications; stimulate interest in the field of communications; promote and encourage professional development among communications majors and alumni; provide an opportunity to discuss and exchange ideas about the field; establish and maintain close relationships and understanding between faculty and students; and explore options for graduate studies.
MORTAR BOARD
Mortar Board is a national honor society for senior college students. Members are chosen from among second semester juniors with QPA’s of 3.3 or higher and who have demonstrated leadership and service to the College community. Mortar Board presents Dessert Theatre once each semester, and in cooperation with Omicron Delta Kappa, the society is responsible for Faculty Follies, Recognition Convocation, Man and Woman of the Year and the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Award.
OMICRON DELTA EPSILON
Omicron Delta Epsilon is an international honorary in the field of economics. The honorary promotes communication and scholastic discourse between students and faculty locally and globally. Students also have access to publish their work in scholarly journals.
OMICRON DELTA KAPPA
Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) is the national leadership honor society which aims to recognize juniors and seniors who have attained a high standard of leadership in collegiate activities. New members are tapped in the spring and fall of each year. In concert with Mortar Board, ODK is responsible for the Senior Man and Woman of the Year Award and the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Award. Members are eligible to receive the Frederick S. Kring Leadership Award for use in their senior year.
PHI ALPHA THETA
Phi Alpha Theta is an international honorary in history which strives to recognize excellence in the field. The chapter awards an annual history prize to an outstanding senior each spring. To be eligible for membership, a student must have at least 12 history credits with at least one “A” and meet a required QPA standard. New members are accepted in both the spring and fall.
PHI SIGMA TAU
Phi Sigma Tau is a society dedicated to awarding distinction to students having high scholarship and personal interest in philosophy, promoting student interest in research and in advanced study of the field, providing opportunities for the publication of student research of merit, encouraging a professional spirit and friendship among those who have displayed marked ability in this field, and popularizing interest in philosophy among the general collegiate population.
PI GAMMA MU
Pi Gamma Mu is a national social science honorary. Its’ dual purpose is to recognize achievement in the field of social science and to inspire social service to humanity. Membership is open to all juniors and seniors who have completed 20 hours with a 3.25 average in the social sciences and also have a minimum 3.1 QPA.
PI SIGMA ALPHA
Pi Sigma Alpha is the national collegiate honor society for students of political science. The Alpha Alpha Sigma chapter is open to all junior and senior political science majors and minors who meet these qualifications: at least 10 hours of political science classes completed (including at least six hours above 200 level), QPA of 3.0 and major QPA of 3.4, and ranking in the top third of their class. New members are inducted each semester.
PSI CHI
Psi Chi is a national honorary that recognizes excellence in the study of psychology. The chapter enables psychology students to gain information about educational and career opportunities within the field of psychology and provides an environment to develop psychological perspectives.
ROUNDTABLE
Roundtable is the sophomore men’s honorary that honors men who display scholarship, leadership, and service during their freshman year. Freshman men who attain a 3.0 QPA or better during their first semester are invited to apply. Tapping occurs in the spring of each year.
SIGMA PI SIGMA
The Grove City College chapter of the National Physics Honorary Society, Sigma Pi Sigma, is for students of high scholastic achievement in the field of physics.
TAU ALPHA PI
Tau Alpha Pi serves to encourage participation and creativity in the various aspects of the theatre arts. Tau Alpha Pi sponsors the student directed One Act Festival in the spring and annually honors outstanding achievement in theatre participation. Bids to the honorary are awarded after the final performance of the last play each semester of a student’s sophomore year, and membership is based on points earned by theatre participation.
THETA ALPHA KAPPA
Theta Alpha Kappa is a national society to recognize excellence in the study of religion and theology. Grove City College’s chapter Alpha Eta Eta recognizes scholastic achievement by students and encourages participation in on-campus and intercollegiate academic writing competitions, seminars, and professional conferences. In general the society supports and furthers the study of religion and theology on campus and in the great academic community.
The Grove City College Alumni Association honored five notable alumni over Homecoming Weekend 2016.
The Jack Kennedy Memorial Alumni Achievement Award is presented annually by the Grove City College Alumni Association in recognition of alumni who have had distinctive success in their field. This year’s recipients encompass a variety of fields, including medicine, business and academia:
• Drs. Sandra (Marshall ’59) Clark and L. Marvin Clark ’53, a physician team, retired after a varied career in medicine divided between private practice in Clarion-Brookville, Pa. and providing medical care in underdeveloped regions of Africa and Indonesia. They continue to present programs on mission work and medical international projects. The Clarks reside in Arizona, where they are proud parents and grandparents.
• Milton W. Shlapak ’59 is president and owner of Shlapak Development Company, an international commercial developer working in Southeast Asia and the United States. He previously worked in engineering design in the space industry for General Dynamics and NASA, where he was chief project engineer for the launch of the Saturn V missile/Apollo program. In 2015, he acquired Merendon Mining and Development Company, a gold mining and hydroelectric company in Peru, Ecuador, Honduras and Venezuela.
• Dr. Brian L. Leftow ’77 is the Nolloth Professor of the Philosophy of the Christian Religion at Oriel College of Oxford University. Since his acceptance of the position in 2002, Leftow became the first non-British philosopher to hold his post since Oriel College was founded in the 14th century. He is the author of nearly one hundred scholarly articles and several books. He and his wife live in Oxford.
The Grove City College Alumni Association established the award program in 1964. The awards were later named in honor and memory of longtime Director of Alumni Relations and Career Services Jack Kennedy ’37, who had an indelible impact on the lives and futures of thousands of Grovers. The awardees are selected each spring by a committee of the Alumni Association.
Also conferred annually is the Alumni Distinguished Service Award, presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the College through consistent service in exceptions ways.
• The Rev. Dr. Richard A. Morledge ’54 is the retired Dean of the Chapel. He guided the spiritual life on campus from 1984 to 1999, during which he directed Harbison Chapel programming, led weekly vespers worship and presided over special ceremonies. He was a dedicated member of the Alumni Council and Board of Trustees. He was a corporate board member of North Hills Passavant Hospital, Pittsburgh; and on the board of directors, Helen Gordon Interests, Inc., Houston, Texas; a community advisory board member of St. Barnabas in Gibsonia; and on the advisory board of Pittsburgh’s Child. He authored two books: “It’s a Great Day in the Kingdom” and “Great Days in the Kingdom.”
