Phi Beta Kappa Inducts Thirty-Seven Members

L-R: Distinguished alumnus Dr. Lewis Gordon ('84, B.A.), Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Mary Papazian, and Dr. Gary Schwartz, director of the Macaulay Honors College at Lehman and the Lehman Scholars Program.

Dr. Lewis R. Gordon ('84, B.A.), Laura H. Carnell Professor of Philosophy at Temple University and director of the Institute for the Study of Race and Social Thought and the Center for Afro-Jewish Studies, gave the keynote address at Lehman's annual Phi Beta Kappa induction on May 7. Professor Gordon received his Phi Beta Kappa Key here twenty-five years ago this month. Inducted during the ceremony were a record-breaking thirty-seven new members, who were applauded by friends and family members in the audience.

Distinguished Professor of History Dr. Joseph Dauben (left) presents a Certificate of Appreciation to Professor Emeritus of English Dr. Edgar Roberts, who has served as secretary of Lehman's Chi Chapter of New York since it was established in 1971.

Also addressing the group were Lehman President Ricardo R. Fernández, Provost Mary Papazian, Professor Gary Schwartz (Languages & Literatures), who introducted Dr. Gordon, Distinguished Professor Joseph Dauben (History), and Professor Emeritus Edgar V. Roberts (English).

President Fernández, Dr. Gordon, and faculty join to congratulate Lehman's Phi Beta Kappa Class of 2009.

Phi Beta Kappa, whose Greek initials represent the motto, "Love of learning is the guide of life," is the nation's oldest undergraduate honor society. Lehman is one of approximately ten percent of the nation's colleges and universities that have been approved for chapters of Phi Beta Kappa, which has over half a million members nationally. Last year, twenty-eight Lehman students were elected to the society.