Phi Kappa Phi Initiation Sunday at TAMIU

Texas A&M International University’s of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and largest all-disciplinary honor society, will induct new members in ceremonies Sunday, Dec. 3 at 2:30 p.m. in Western Hemispheric Trade Center room 111.

Thirty-four undergraduate, 10 graduate student members and six faculty members will be initiated.

Undergraduate students to be initiated are: Rosalie Patricia Aguilar, Daisy Jahzeel Almanza, Juan José Arellano Jr., Cheryl Diane Arnold, Leticia Bowles, Jorge M. Bustos, Gladys Cabriales, Ángela Carrejo, Juan Ramón Cordova, David J. Crawford, Denise Fuentes, Luis Rolando García, Deena Lynn Garza, Brianna Yvonne González, Julissa González, Melissa Lissett Guzmán and Tessa Lauren Haber.

Also, Shawn Marie Humphreys, Juan D. Juanes, Lucia E. Juárez, Cristina Erika Martínez, Elizabeth Martínez, Anna Marie Mastee, Linda Mercado, Marco Antonio Pacheco, Gisselle Pérez-Milicua, Victoria Ann Ramírez, Clarissa E. Rendón, Christina Marie Rodríguez, Viridiana Rodríguez, Jennifer Torres, Toni Lynette Vela, Bonnie Jo Villarreal and
Noé Zapata.

Graduate students to be initiated include: Hilda Elena Cavazos, Andrea L. Guerrero, Benita Gutiérrez-González, J. William David Kirkpatrick, Paul Jonathan Komiak, Angélica Rendón-Salinas, Arlyn Solís, Rogelio J. Soto, Jevony Jeannine Vacca and Matias Ydrogo, III.

Faculty to be initiated are: Dr. Randel D. Brown, associate professor of Education; Dr. Rohitha Goonatilake, associate professor of Mathematics; Bede Lamar Leyendecker, assistant professor of Dance; Dr. Nasser Momayezi, dean, College of Arts and Sciences and professor of Political Science; Dr. Mary A. Petron, assistant professor of Education and Rodney Webb, director, Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library.

Phi Kapa Phi officers are Dr. Thomas R. Mitchell, president, Dr. Kathleen Pletsch de García, secretary, Dr. Deborah Blackwell and treasurer,  Dr. Dan Jones.

In addition to the officers, charter members include Clayton Baum, Dr. Barbara Greybeck, Dr. Juan Homero Hinojosa, Dr. J. Charles Jennett, Patricia Keck, Dr. Ray Keck, Dr. Archibald Laud-Hammond, John Maxstadt, Dr. James Norris, Dr. Doris Rosenow, Dr. Judith Warner and Dr. Judith Zaffirini.

Founded in 1897, The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi annually inducts over 32,000 student, faculty, professional staff and university alumni members from more than 280 select colleges and universities.

Those elected to membership include the upper 7.5 percent of last-term juniors and the upper 10 percent of seniors, the upper 10 percent of graduate students, along with outstanding faculty and alumni.

Since its founding, more than 1 million members have been initiated. Some of the organization's more notable members include former President Jimmy Carter, writer John Grisham, NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence, and Netscape founder James Barksdale.

For additional information, please contact Dr. Mitchell at 956.326.2633, e-mail pkp@tamiu.edu or visit phikappaphi.org

The University will close for the holidays at noon on Friday, Dec. 22.  Offices will reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2007.

Despite office closures, registration for the Spring Semester 2007 continues 24/7at UOnline, located at schedule.tamiu.edu

Spring 2007 classes begin Tuesday, Jan. 16.

University office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu