Students initiated to Phi Alpha Theta honor society

The University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma recently initiated 12 students into the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for students studying history. This is the first year the honor society has been recognized at USAO, making these students the founding class for the chapter. Membership to Phi Alpha Theta is open to undergraduate students who have completed a minimum of 12 semester hours in history, achieved a minimum GPA of 3.1 in history courses and who have a GPA of 3.0 or better overall. Membership is not limited to history majors.

“I am very proud of this inaugural class of Phi Alpha Theta students,” said James Finck, assistant professor of American history and chapter advisor. “Their academic achievements have secured them lifetime membership to the honor society allowing them to stand proudly alongside over 350,000 other PAT members. This chapter of PAT offers our university another opportunity to recognize exceptional academic achievement by our students.”

Phi Alpha Theta is a professional society whose mission is to promote the study of history through the encouragement of research, good teaching, publication and the exchange of learning and ideas among historians. The honor society seeks to bring students and teachers together for intellectual and social exchanges which promote and assist historical research and publication by members in a variety of ways.

The students who accepted membership and were initiated are:

• Matthew Buchanan
• Rodney Burges
• Cody Coponiti
• Reagan Elkins
• David Gregg
• Christopher Housman
• James Kiper
• Emily Ladd
• Julie Ladd
• Emily McBrayer
• Mary Newcome-Hatch
• Kryste Turley
• Joseph Weiss