TAMIU Phi Kappa Phi Chapter Initiates 83

In recent ceremonies, Texas A&M International University’s Phi Kappa Phi Chapter 296 initiated 83 new members in ceremonies held in the TAMIU Student Center.

Phi Kappa Phi is the nation's oldest and largest all-disciplinary honor society. Presiding over ceremonies was Dr. Deborah Blackwell, Chapter president.

Highlight of the afternoon ceremony was the naming of Sue Spivey Killam as Honorary Member and graduating senior Giselle Pérez-Milicua as recipient of a $5,000 Phi Kappa Phi Graduate Fellowship from the national Phi Kappa Phi organization.

Graduate students initiated included Hugo Alberto Audiffred, International Business Administration; Ángel Eduardo Cervantes, Business Administration; Jennifer Janet Featherston, History; Francisco G. Garza, International Trade; María Ludivina Garza, Bilingual Education; María Teresa Guardiola, Educational Administration; William J. McCauley, Criminal Justice; Karen Renae Pfitzer, Public Administration and Ruby Rebeca Sánchez, Curriculum and Instruction.

Undergraduate students initiated included: Marc Andres, Biology; Karina Arispe, Early Childhood Reading; Gladys A. Benavides, Bilingual Generalist; Noé Iván Benavides, Music;Danielle Elisabeth Broadfoot, Nursing; Benigna M. Campos, Early Childhood Education; Eliezer Castañeda, Biology; Selina Castillo,Fitness and Sports; Enrique Chapa, Political Science; Ana Paola Cornejo, Spanish; Christine Alyson Cortez, Accounting; James Vincent Cortez, Biology; Alicia Margarita Cruz, English; Linda Lee Cuéllar, Early Childhood Education; Joann Domínguez, History; Lilia Ludim Eskildsen, English; Linda Evans, Nursing; Daniel Flores, Biology; María S. Galindo, Early Childhood Education; Cynthia Angélica Gallardo, Biology and Ysena Rena Gámez, Special Education.

Also, Linda Lizette García, Mathematics; Mayra Maritza García, Early Childhood Education; Rubén García, Business Administration; Esmeralda D. Garza, Early Childhood Reading; Josie Garza, English; Samantha Mabel Garza, Early Childhood Education; María Esther Gómez, Management Information Systems;Carina Belem González, Biology; Dagoberto Guerrero, Jr., Mathematics; Cristina Jolee Hernández, Business Administration; Jonathan Hoguet, Management Information Systems; Carla Lerdo de Tejada, Art; Érica Lynn López, Accounting; Melisa Carol Madrigal, Accounting and Selina Magaña, Early Childhood Education

In addition, Melissa Marie Martin, Biology; Valerie Marie Martínez, Biology; Selina Marie Mata, Biology; Érica Valeria Matos, English;Lori Lamar Montalvo, Biology; Manuel Zacarías Montes, Biology;Dinesh Moorjani, Accounting; Octavio Noé Morales, History and Political Science; Rodolfo Morales III, Political Science; Iván Alberto Morúa, Psychology; Sandra Kristina Pacheco, Psychology; Brenda Peña, English Language Arts and Reading; Stephanie Nicole Reed, English; Julián Everardo Ríos, Psychology; Blanca S. Rosales, Early Childhood Education; Irene Salas, English Language Arts and Reading; Dennise Deyanira Sánchez, Early Childhood Education; Rolando E. Santos, Communications; Cinthia Lizbeth Sierra, English;OscarWidales, Mathematics and Josefina Zavala, Sociology.

Faculty, staff and alumni initiates included: Dr. David L. Beck, assistant professor of Microbiology, Dr. Suzette Marie Bishop, adjunct English faculty; Dr. José J. Cardona-López, associate professor of Spanish; Dr. Sean Chadwell, chair, department of Language and Literature and associate professor of English; José García, vice president for Finance and Administration; Dr. San Juanita G. Hachar, assistant professor of Education; Dr. Peter Fuseini Haruna, associate dean, College of Arts and Sciences and associate professor of Public Administration; Jeanette Hatcher, assistant librarian, Special Collections; Candy Hein, vice president for Institutional Advancement; Héctor A. Herrera, Exxon Mobil Inter-America Inc., vice president of Latin American Region, M.B.A. in Business Administration (’83).

Also, Rogelio Hinojosa, associate librarian, acquisitions; Elizabeth Newman Martínez, associate vice president for Administration; Dr. Lem Londos Railsback, professor of education; Dr. Minita Ramírez, associate vice president for Student Success; Dr. Kenneth John Tobin, director of the Center for Earth and Environmental Studies and associate professor of Geology; Brendan Townsend, director of Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra and assistant professor of Music and Dr. Richard B. Wright, associate Professor of Art History.

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.

The PKP motto is "Let the Love of Learning Rule Humanity."

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

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