ongratulations to the 27 outstanding Lehman students who were inducted May 16th into Phi Beta Kappa. This is one of the largest classes ever to be inducted into the Chi chapter.

Membership in Phi Beta Kappa, the nation's oldest liberal arts honor society, is an honor conferred by invitation in recognition of scholarly achievement in the liberal arts and sciences. Election to the Lehman chapter is based on high scholarship in a broad liberal curriculum. Only about two percent of the College's senior class, and less than one percent of the junior class, is elected each year.

Families and friends attended the ceremony, held in Carman Hall, which included a keynote address by Distinguished Professor of English and U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins. Receiving the Anne Grossman Memorial Award in Mathematics was Senior Ruchi Kalra.

In addition to Ruchi, those inducted included Yanire Abreu, Christy A. Adamsky, Monique L. Aspinall, Isaac B. Boamah, Monika Brzostowska, Adele Carambia, Marysabel del Carpio, Michael P. D'Nodal, Kip A. Ephraim, Marvin N. Flemming, Francisca Joseph, Christina M. Lepore, Tania Maldonado, Elizabeth McGoldrick, Kathleen N. Minoo, Zoraida Moreno, Tenille PabÛn-Rodriguez, Elvira Pichardo, Florangel Reyes, Maria L. Rodriguez, Alexandra R. Saltos, Tanja J. Schuster, Rasheeda L. Smith, Scarlet Ubaldo, Gregory L. Van Voorhis and Carol Y. Williams.

Prof. Joseph Dauben (History), advisor to the Chi chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, begins the initiation ceremony.

Lehman President Ricardo Fernández congratulates the students and their families on this honor.

Prof. Emeritus Edgar Roberts (English) provides information on the origins and history of Phi Beta Kappa, as well as the unusual etymology of some of the words in the English language.

Prof. Dauben congratulates one of the new members.

Ruchi Kalra, winner of the Anne Grossman Memorial Awardd, signs the official registry of the Chi chapter.

Prof. Gary Schwartz, vice president of the Chi chapter, gives one of the new members her certificate of membership.

Prof. Dauben administers the oath of induction.

Distinguished Professor of English and U.S. Poet Laureate reads a poem written by W.H. Auden upon the occasion of Auden's induction into Phi Beta Kappa as part of the 1946 class at Harvard.

On behalf of the chapter, Prof. Schwartz thanks Eileen Ourvan, keeper of the records, for her work and dedication. Mrs. Ourvan, a Lehman alumna who works with Prof. Schwartz in the Lehman Scholars Program, plans on retiring from the College next fall.

Some of the 2002 inductees with their families and friends.

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