UAM NEWS
UAM Alpha Chi Named One of 15 Notable Chapters in US
The Arkansas Zeta Chapter of Alpha Chi College Honor Society at the University of Arkansas at Monticello has been named a Notable Chapter for the 2023-2024 academic year. This award recognizes UAM’s significant role in and support for the society’s ideals. Only 15 of the 297 Alpha Chi chapters nationwide received the distinction this year, and UAM was one of only three chapters honored in Arkansas.
For the second consecutive year, UAM’s chapter achieved Notable Chapter status by fulfilling essential criteria of chapter success, including submitting a national student scholarship application, having one advisor and one student delegate participate in the annual national convention, delivering a student presentation at the convention and hosting a service-oriented activity organized by the university chapter.
Dr. Kate Stewart, professor of English at UAM and sponsor of UAM’s Arkansas Zeta chapter of Alpha Chi, stated, “I am pleased that UAM’s chapter has received recognition from the national office. The support of our administration and the diligence of our members enable us to fulfill our motto of ‘making scholarship effective for service.’”
Dr. Carol Strong, professor of political science at UAM and sponsor of UAM’s Arkansas Zeta chapter of Alpha Chi, stated, “The students of Alpha Chi, under the leadership of Dr. Kate Stewart, are wonderful ambassadors for UAM. I have accompanied many groups of UAM students to the annual Alpha Chi conferences and have always been impressed with how competitive they are with other students across the country.”
According to its website, the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society “is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies, the nation’s only certifying agency for college and university honor societies” and only invites the top ten percent of eligible junior, senior and graduate students to join. Alpha Chi promotes “student creativity and research, excellence and service in action, personal growth through diversity, equipping compassionate listeners and leaders, academic and professional mentoring and making scholarship effective for good.”
The society celebrated its 100th year in 2022; the Arkansas Zeta Chapter was established in 1956. UAM’s chapter has been recognized as a Star Chapter, the highest honor a local chapter can receive, and students have won national and regional fellowships and scholarships for their original research. In 2024, Destiny Forrest, a senior English student at UAM, won a national scholarship at the annual convention for her original scholarly paper.
The formal initiation ceremony for new members is scheduled for the spring semester. In addition, the chapter plans to host Academic Olympics, a quiz bowl competition open to all UAM students. This event will take place in the Memorial Classroom Building, and the first-place winner will receive tuition and bookstore credit. Dates and times will be announced closer to the event.
For more information about the Alpha Chi chapter at UAM, contact Dr. Kate Stewart at stewart@uamont.edu.