Eckerd College Inducts 28 Into Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society

Eckerd College inducted 28 students and alumni into its Phi Beta Kappa chapter on May 14, recognizing exceptional achievement in liberal arts and sciences.

The group included 24 seniors, three juniors, and Melissa Seixas, a 1992 graduate who now serves as president of Duke Energy Florida.

Phi Beta Kappa, founded in 1776 at the College of William & Mary, is the nation's oldest academic honor society. Only about 10% of American colleges and universities have chapters. Eckerd established its Zeta Chapter in 2004.

Seniors must maintain at least a 3.75 GPA in liberal arts coursework and demonstrate intermediate proficiency in a language other than English. Juniors must achieve at least a 3.9 GPA.

"Phi Beta Kappa recognizes students who have embraced the depth and breadth of a liberal arts education," said Lisa Bonner, associate professor of chemistry and president of Eckerd's chapter.

Senior Thea Rind spent three years in the Chemical Oceanography Lab researching seafloor ecosystem health on the West Florida Shelf. She will begin a research assistant position this fall studying environmental impacts of deep-sea mining before pursuing graduate school.

Seixas attributed her career success to her Eckerd education. "My time there taught me how to listen, collaborate and lead with curiosity," she said.