Winter 2014 Alpha Chi Newsletter Alpha Chi—The National College Honor Society for All Fields—www.AlphaChiHonor.org The Nexus of Science and the Arts Alpha Chi Spring 2015 National Convention to be in Chicago Whether we think of blowing into the Windy City or muscling our way into the City of the Big Shoulders, we’re sure that when the students and chapter sponsors arrive in Chicago for the national convention March 19-21, 2015, things will begin to happen. Our headquarters will be the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers, situated directly on the river in the heart of downtown, one block from Lake Shore Drive and within walking distance to such Chicago landmarks as Navy Pier, the Magnificent Mile, Millennium Park, the Art Institute, and the Loop District. Sponsors and returning students should anticipate program and schedule adjustments this year. We’ve listened to your survey com- photo courtesy of choosechicago.com Convention attendees will enjoy the city of Chicago while considering the theme of Harmonious ments and expanded our agenda to allow both Hemispheres: The Nexus of Science and the Arts. a slightly more relaxed schedule and plenty Student presentations will form the bulk of Our convention speakers: of time to enjoy convention activities and the Friday and Saturday morning schedules, Keynoter University of Buffalo professor Dr. explore the city. The program begins early with a couple of Saturday afternoon sessions Nnedi Okorafor, winner of the World Fantasy Thursday evening, after afternoon check-in added as well. The most significant change Award for best novel in 2011 for Who Fears and registration, with separate welcome is that the culmination of the convention will Death, possesses an imagination the New sessions for students and sponsors and then be on Saturday evening with the keynote York Times terms “stunning.” Born in the a taste of Chicago reception for everyone. address and awards gala. U.S. to Nigerian parents, she incorporates The Research & Creativity Forum (poster We’ll highlight the convention theme, her childhood fascination with entomol- session) will follow, as well as a Performing focusing on the interplay between creativity ogy and other sciences into her children’s, Arts Showcase (look for a call for performers and the sciences, in multiple ways: (continued on page four) in February). Pryor Fellows Lee and Cabeldue Selected Curtis Lee, a doctoral student in civil engineering at Duke University, and Mollimichelle Cabeldue, a master’s student in clinical psychology at Sam Hous- ton State University, are the recipients of the 2014-15 Joseph E. Pryor Graduate Fellowships. The awards, named for the society’s first executive director, are given to a doctoral student who has com- pleted at least two years of graduate study, and to a graduate student in the first or second year of study. Lee, who received a $5,000 stipend, is now in his fourth year of graduate study. He is a 2011 graduate of Texas Lutheran University, where he was a member Curtis Lee Mollimichelle of the Texas Alpha Delta chapter. Cabeldue, inducted Cabeldue in 2012 as an undergraduate at the University of the Incarnate Word, received a $3,000 stipend and is in her 2015-16 Application Information first year of graduate study. www.AlphaChiHonor.org PAGE TWO Alpha Chi Newsletter WINTER 2014 24 Students Win The Robert W. Sledge Fellowship stipend is $3,500, the H. Y. Benedict Fellowship stipend $2,500. Benedict alternates: 1) Holly Anderson, South Carolina Iota, Erskine College; 2) Misha Matsumoto, Hawaii Beta, Hawaii Pacific University; 3) Ashley Fellowships and Meadows, Texas Alpha Delta, Texas Lutheran University; 4) Justin Hawkersmith, Tennessee Delta, Carson-Newman University; 5) Lindsey Lavin, Maine Epsilon, Scholarships University of New England. Kirby Ellis Melanie Long Tennessee Delta, Utah Alpha, Delaney Bivens Carson-Newman Westminster Arkansas Eta, University. Now College of Salt Harding Univer- in master's pro- Lake. Now sity. Studying gram in business pursuing a Ph.D developmental administration at in economics at psychology at Carson-Newman Colorado State the University University. University. of North Caro- SLEDGE SLEDGE lina Greensboro. BENEDICT Megan Bourne Rachael Bradley Ashley Cross Mississippi Beta, North Carolina Georgia Xi, William Carey Zeta, Gardner- Young Harris University. Webb University. College. Now Currently pursu- Now attending pursuing a Ph.D. ing a master's the Gardner- in microbiology degree in art Webb School of and molecular education. Divinity. genetics at Emory University. BENEDICT BENEDICT BENEDICT Anthony Charla Henley Olivia Meyers Fredette Virginia Delta, North Carolina California Zeta, Roanoke Col- Omicron, Cataw- Fresno Pacific lege. Attending ba College. Cur- University. Now the University of rently attending in the master's New Mexico North Carolina program in me- Albuquerque State University dieval studies at pursuing a mas- in the College of the University of ter's degree in Veterinary Medi- BENEDICT Toronto. BENEDICT Latin American BENEDICT cine. studies. Rozen Emily Petrak Crystal Taporco Neupane Pennsylvania Vrbas West Virginia Theta, Thiel Kansas Epsilon, Epsilon, West College. Now Friends Univer- Liberty Univer- a pharmacy sity. Currently sity. Studying student at Lake in the physical French linguistics Erie College therapy doc- at the Univer- of Osteopathic toral program sity of Texas at Medicine. at Wichita State BENEDICT Austin. BENEDICT BENEDICT University PAGE THREE Alpha Chi Newsletter WINTER 2014 2014-15 Sledge, Benedict, Gaston, The Edwin W. Gaston Scholarship stipend is $2,500, the Alfred H. and Nolle Awards Provide Nolle Scholarship stipend $1,500. Nolle alternates: 1) Kristen Elia, Arkansas Iota, Lyon College; 2) Austin Kercheville, Florida Xi, Florida $52,000 for Members’ Graduate College; 3) Alex Hoffman, Indiana Beta, Huntington University; 4) Sarah Evans, Virginia Gamma, Bridgewater College; 5) Kayla Bowers, New and Undergraduate Studies Hampshire Alpha, Colby-Sawyer College. Alexandria Pratik Raghu Pierce Utah Alpha, Sierra Berry Kansas Delta, Westminster Texas Iota, Texas Kansas Wesleyan College of Salt State University. University. Ma- Lake City. Major Major in biology. jor in biomedical in postcolonial chemistry. ethics. GASTON GASTON NOLLE Elise Cade Carl Kornman Allison New York Texas Alpha Xi, Leopold Omicron, SUNY University of Texas Alpha College at Brock- Texas at Tyler. Omega, South- port. Major in Major in kinesi- ern Methodist chemistry and ology and pre- University. Ma- biology. medicine. jor in environ- mental engineer- ing and math. NOLLE NOLLE NOLLE Corey Logsdon Thomas Lake Stephen Noell Missouri Moore V Pennsylvania Epsilon, Missouri Delta, Lambda, Geneva Columbia Westminster College. Major College. Major in College. Major in in cell and mo- graphic design. political science lecular biology. and philosophy. NOLLE NOLLE NOLLE Jana Soares Dustin Walter Sarah Wolf Texas Tau, St. Arkansas Beta, Nebraska Alpha, Edward's Uni- Ouachita Baptist Hastings College. versity. Major in University. Major in flute biology. Major in biology performance, and chemistry. music education, and secondary English educa- tion. NOLLE NOLLE NOLLE PAGE FOUR Alpha Chi Newsletter WINTER 2014 Nnedi Okorafor to be Keynote Speaker March 19-21, 2015 AX National Convention University of Buffalo professor, Dr. Nnedi Okorafor, winner of the World Fantasy (from page one) Award for best novel in 2011 for Who Fears young adult, and adult fantasy and science Death possesses an imagination the New fiction novels. York Times terms “stunning.” Born in the Distinguished Alumnus Reuben Iron- U.S. to Nigerian parents, she incorporates horse-Kent, graduate of Peru State, is a gifted her childhood fascination with entomology artist, with paintings and objects featured and other sciences into her children’s, young at the Smithsonian American Indian Art adult, and adult fantasy and science fiction Museum as well as several other significant novels. collections. Her adult works are Who Fears Death Our collaborative research project: (winner of the World Fantasy Award for Best Students will again be challenged this year Novel), her short story collection Kabu Kabu to create collaborative teams to explore the and her recently released science fiction novel Dr. Nnedi Okorafor intersection between science and art. Teams Lagoon. Her young adult novels are Akata will craft projects using original and second- Witch (an Amazon.com Best Book of the ary research in psychology, painting, bio- Year), Zahrah The Windseeker (winner of the ethics, chemistry, creative writing, history, Wole Soyinka Prize for African Literature), music, sociology, and other academic disci- and The Shadow Speaker (winner of the CBS plines in pursuit of new knowledge. There’s Parallax Award). Her children’s book, Long a $5,000 prize to the winning team! Juju Man, is the winner of the Macmillan Writer’s Prize for Africa. The sequel to Akata The national service project: Witch (Akata Witch 2: Breaking Kola) and from the University of Illinois, Chicago. She Each year at the convention we conclude the Nnedi's next adult work The Book of Phoenix is also a graduate of the Clarion Science Fic- year-long emphasis on extending our scholar- are scheduled for release in 2015. tion and Fantasy Writers' Workshop (2001). ship beyond the walls of the classroom, lab, Earning her B.A. in rhetoric from the Uni- She is a professor of creative writing and or studio. This year’s project, providing art versity of Illinois, C-U, she went on to add literature