Elon’s Phi Kappa Phi chapter inducts 44 students and one alumna

By April Post, faculty

May 5, 2025

A group of people poses for a photo with a presentation screen that says
Phi Kappa Phi Initiates

On April 23, new members of the nation's oldest multidisciplinary honor society for academic excellence and service were installed.

Forty-five students, faculty, staff and an alumna were inducted into the Elon University Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest multidisciplinary honor society dedicated to academic excellence and service, at a ceremony on April 23.

Added to the chapter’s roster were 30 undergraduates, fifteen graduate students and one alumna.

The keynote address was delivered by Efrain Rivera-Serrano, assistant professor of biology and undergraduate research mentor to the Student Vice President, Ethan Grossberg. Ethan shared a fundraising update in collaboration with Feed the Hunger. PKP Officers Nancy Harris, president; Erin Hone, president-elect; April Post, secretary and treasurer; Shereen Elgamal, former president and Rhonda Belton, alumni relations also took part in the ceremony.

A student in a suit and a faculty member in academic regalia smile together in front of a presentation screen at an awards ceremony.
Phi Kappa Phi Student Vice President, Ethan Grossberg (right) with his mentor Efrain Rivera-Serrano, assistant professor of biology

Susan Semonite ‘89 was inducted into the chapter by Barry Bradberry, former associate dean of admissions and special assistant to the president, after a stellar career in higher education. She has served six years as director of college guidance at the Ranney School in New Jersey, eleven years in undergraduate admissions at Elon University and is currently the senior associate director of admissions at Duke University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Elon University and her Master of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Three people smile and pose together at an academic event, with two wearing medallions and one in graduation regalia.
(Left to right) Barry Bradberry, former associate dean of admissions and special assistant to the president; Phi Kappa Phi inductee Susan Semonite ‘89 and Rhonda Belton, associate director of institutional research.

Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and largest multidisciplinary academic honor society whose mission is “to recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.” Each year, chapters may invite the upper 7.5% of the junior class and upper 10% of the senior and graduate classes.

Since its founding, more than 1 million members have been initiated in the United States, Puerto Rico and the Philippines. More information about benefits of membership can be found at: https://www.phikappaphi.org/members

Phi Kappa Phi Inductees

Alumni
Susan Semonite ‘89

Graduate students
John Acebu
Addie Ackley
Fatema Alhajeri
Mary Cavey
Hailey Firmin
Kendra Haskins
Emily Lyons
Dani Meyen
Ana Penaranda
Robert Plagman
Patricia Raj
William Roberson
Edith Smith
John Walker
Yuqi Yuan

Undergraduate students
Madison Allen
Faith Almond
Emily Beauvais
Issabel Bennett
Mollie Brooks
Brynja Burton
Kira Campagna
Abigail Colburn
Kate Cooper
Lee Crumpler
Kelly Degnan
Meghan Doran
Lindsey Dwyer
Emily Ecker
Kaelyn Elien
Miranda Fitch
Noah Gatenberg
Wilson Holcombe
Jacob Karty
Madeleine Kippe
Jean-Paul Labbe
Olivia Lancashire
Molly Lorden
Lucas Olivera
Sean Posner
Maverick Powell
Ian Prohofsky
Michael Swartz
Paige Toran
Juliet Walker
Mia Zebl

Posted in: Academics & Research Awards & Recognitions Student Experience

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