NSU Horizons Spring 2018

6 NSU HORIZONS AROUND NSU Maria Petrescu, Ph.D., was a doctoral student when she joined the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Today, the associate professor at the H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship is encouraging qualified students to join the honor society’s new chapter at NSU. “One great advantage for student members is that they are eligible for a large number of grants and fellowships,” said Petrescu, who is president of NSU’s chapter, which began initiating student members in February 2018. Pro- grams range from $15,000 fellowships for graduate school to $500 Love of Learning grants for continuing education and professional development. Students also will have access to an extended, interdisciplinary, professional network and career resources. “All of these will be of great help to their academic and professional development,” she added. Founding members of NSU’s chapter—including NSU president and CEO George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D.; Board of Trustees chair Ronald G. Assaf; vice chair Barry Silverman, M.D.; and provost and executive vice president for academic affairs Ralph V. Rogers, Ph.D.—signed the charter creating the chapter during a ceremony in January at the Alvin Sherman Library. That was followed by the initiation of NSU leadership, deans, and faculty members. Some, like Petrescu, had already been initiated at other institutions. “The values of Phi Kappa Phi are very much aligned with NSU’s core values—including academic excellence and research,” Hanbury said. Founded in 1897, Phi Kappa Phi inducts about 30,000 students, faculty members, professional staff members, and alumni each year from select colleges and universities in North America and the Philippines. NSU is the 345th chapter. Membership is by invitation only to the top 10 percent of college seniors and graduate students and the top 7.5 percent of juniors. Faculty and staff members, and alumni who achieve scholarly distinction may also be eligible to join. The new chapter will enhance NSU’s recognition and help attract outstanding students and faculty members who contribute to distinctive research. “The characteristics that make [Phi Kappa Phi] unique among leading honor societies are its policy of selecting members from…diverse fields and all disciplines,” said Jeffrey Michelman, the society’s southeast regional vice president, who led the installation of the new chapter at NSU. A university seeking a chapter is evaluated on its educational philosophy and institution purposes and the quality of instruction, research, personnel, and facilities. Besides Petrescu, faculty members serving as chapter officers and founding members include president-elect Patricia Rose, secretary Sonia Kay, and treasurer Rachelle Dorne. In addition to Hanbury, Assaf, Silverman, and Rogers, founders include interim executive vice president and chief operating officer Frederick Lippman, Farquhar Honors College dean Don Rosenblum, assistant dean Saul Sztam, professor emeritus Susan Davis, and faculty members Bryan Armentrout, Max Ito, Judith McKay, Timothy Miller, and Glenn Scheyd. New members include college deans Kimberly Durham, Jon Garon, John Preston Jones, Harold Laubach, Roni Beth Leiderman, David Loshin, Linda Niessen, Marcella Rutherford, Yong Tao, Johannes Vieweg, Elaine Wallace, Brad Williams, and Honggang Yang and NSU University School head William Kopas. “Students who are inducted will add a nationally recognized [honor society] to their credentials and will have access to competitive awards and grants. This honor society also creates opportunities for faculty involvement and service,” said Rosenblum. ¨ Phi Kappa Phi Installs New Chapter at NSU BY KATHLEEN KERNICKY Camille Isaacs (left) is welcomed as a new member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society by Kimberly Durham, Psy.D.