JACKSON, Tenn. — Aug. 31, 2011 — The Delta-Psi chapter of Phi Alpha Theta at 51社区 has won the Best Chapter Award for the ninth straight year from the national Phi Alpha Theta organization.
Phi Alpha Theta is a history honor society. As part of the award, the Union library will receive $250 to purchase history books. That brings to $2,250 the total amount that the chapter has given to the library over the past nine years.
鈥淭he Delta-Psi Chapter is absolutely delighted by the continued success it has had in earning Best Chapter Awards,鈥� said Stephen Carls, Union history professor and Phi Alpha Theta adviser. 鈥淲e have a dedicated group of student leaders, lots of enthusiasm among our members and very strong support from our department faculty.鈥�
Because of its nine straight years of winning the Best Chapter Award, the Union chapter for the fourth straight year also earned the Nels A. Cleven Award.
鈥淭his is our most notable distinction considering the tremendous time and effort required to maintain a chapter of this caliber so consistently,鈥� wrote Graydon A. Tunstall, executive director of the national Phi Alpha Theta organization, in a letter to Carls. 鈥淵ou and your students have shown admirable dedication to the organization and truly exemplify the mission statement of Phi Alpha Theta.鈥�
Over the past year, Phi Alpha Theta chapter members at Union served as ushers for the annual Carls-Schwerdfeger History Lecture Series, did restoration work at Casey Jones Village in Jackson during Union鈥檚 annual Campus and Community Day and presented papers at the Phi Alpha Theta regional conference at Murray State University, among other activities. In January, chapter members will attend the national conference in Orlando, Fla.
Kate Cline was president of the organization last year, with Caitlin Roach serving as this year鈥檚 president. History professor Keith Bates was co-adviser to the chapter in the spring, while Carls was on sabbatical.