USM Honors College Dean Serves as Delegate at Phi Kappa Phi Convention

Dr. Ellen Weinauer, dean of the Honors College at The University of Southern Mississippi, represented the University's chapter of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi at the 44th Biennial Convention held July 28-30 in Atlanta, Ga.

Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Weinauer currently serves as President of the Southern Miss chapter and attended the convention as the chapter's voting delegate.

“It was an honor to represent The University of Southern Mississippi Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi as a delegate at the 2016 Biennial Convention,” said Weinauer. “Delegates have the opportunity to shape the future of the national organization -- elections for the board of directors and the regional vice presidents, votes on bylaws -- and also to gather many ideas about how to build and develop their local chapters. I returned to campus ready to take our local chapter of Phi Kappa Phi to the next level.”  

The convention brought together more than 300 attendees including chapter officers, board members, headquarters staff and guests from across the nation. The two-day event featured a keynote address from Buck Goldstein, co-author of Engines of Innovation: The Entrepreneurial University in the 21st Century, and a plenary address from renowned leadership specialist Lou Heckler.

Other highlights included a panel of three provosts discussing issues impacting higher education, presentation of the Society's $100,000 Excellence in Innovation Award, regional meetings, chapter development trainings and elections for the 2016-2018 board of directors and regional vice presidents.

Phi Kappa Phi has chapters on more than 300 select colleges and universities in North America and the Philippines. The Society inducts approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni annually. Membership is by invitation only to the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students and 7.5 percent of second-term juniors.

Faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction also qualify. The Society's mission is “To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.” For more information, visit www.PhiKappaPhi.org.