On April 27, the Theta of Minnesota chapter of Phi Beta Kappa will be installed at the College of St. Benedict - Saint John’s University.
Phi Beta Kappa Secretary John Churchill and Associate Secretary Scott Lurding will represent the national office of the Society as part of the installation ceremony. ΦBK Vice President Kate Soule will also attend.
The installation ceremony will mark the commencement of Scholarship and Creativity Day for CSB/SJU.
“Phi Beta Kappa is extremely thorough; the Society put us through a real test of endurance as well as a very detailed examination of our faculty, our curriculum, our administration and our budgets,” said Richard Albares, associate professor of sociology at CSB/SJU and one of the faculty leaders of the chapter application process. “It took the efforts of dozens and dozens of people to make this happen.”
“Phi Beta Kappa membership is a validation of College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University’s place among the nation’s best liberal arts and sciences institutions, and a reflection of our long history of academic excellence,” said Baenninger and St. John’s University President the Rev. Robert Koopmann, OSB, in a joint statement. “The granting of the chapter both acknowledges the teaching and scholarly accomplishments of our faculty and offers an opportunity for our very best students to become members of this illustrious honor society.”
“We are thrilled with this news, and we are especially grateful to Professors Richard Albares and Sanford Moskowitz and to CSB administrative staff members Sonja Gidlow and Emily Cook for their leadership during the three-year application process,” Baenninger and Koopmann added.
Phi Beta Kappa has also awarded chapters to Butler University in Indiana, Elon University in North Carolina and James Madison University in Virginia. All of the chapter installations have taken place this spring.