New Members Inducted Into Mass. Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa

The Massachusetts chapter of Phi Beta Kappa (PBK) inducted new members into its ranks and held a ceremony for all PBK members of the Class of 2000 yesterday. Ten percent of the senior class--inducted in the spring of their junior year, in the fall of their senior year and at the end of senior spring--is part of the elite academic society.

Professor of the History of Science Everett I. Mendelsohn opened the ceremony, which was attended by more than 200 friends and family and the senior members.

"No one of you is here accidentally. You've made it to the very top of a very stiff group of competitors," Mendelsohn said.

After honoring faculty members and inducting honorary members into PBK, the audience was treated to performances by the Racliffe Choral Society and the poet Heather McHugh '70, who received an honorary degree.

Professor of Afro-American Studies K. Anthony Appiah, who also received an honorary degree, turned the ceremony to a personal note. He talked about his family's own experiences and travels in a multicultural world, and then offered advice to students entering the paradoxical "global village."

"Our most basic social identities are no longer village identities. Relations between citizens must be relations between strangers," Appiah said.

He advised that "we display concern for fellow human beings without demanding they become like ourselves."

"Our differences can be resources for each other," Appiah said.

The College sends letters to students who have been selected on the basis of their high grades. They then have to send two teacher recommendations. The PBK committee decides based on students recommendations and transcript and the diversity of classes they have taken.

"I know it's a big honor," said Garrett Moritz '00.

Moritz was particularly happy because he said he struggled with some classes in his first year. He said he worked hard to bring his grades up after that.

"[It was] hard to balance sports and academics," added Moritz, a member of the Harvard Lightweight Crew team.

However he thinks that rowing helped with his discipline.

"I think if I wasn't training in the afternoons, it would have been hard not to waste time," Moritz said.

Elizabeth M. Boschee '00 also said that she made a "concerted effort" academically, but added that she did not need to sacrifice her social life or extracurriculars.

"My passion was in my extracurriculars," Boschee said.

Nicholas J. Proudfoot '00 said that he "didn't feel all that limited. I worked on my classes to the extent of my interests."