FIU will induct 99 graduating students into nation’s oldest honor society

“Love of learning is the guide of life.”

That’s the motto of Phi Beta Kappa (PBK), the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society. Founded in 1776 by five students at the College of William & Mary, PBK is a select organization that over the years has boasted 17 U.S. Presidents, 42 Supreme Court Justices and more than 150 Nobel Laureates among its members.

At FIU, PBK has the distinction of being the only honor society to appear on graduates’ transcripts and diplomas.

“It recognizes academic success, and you must have good personal character as well. It’s a significant achievement,” says Barbra Roller, an associate professor in FIU Medicine who serves as the chapter’s historian.

This year marks the society’s 250^th anniversary. At a ceremony on Sunday, FIU’s PBK chapter will induct 99 graduating students and make President Jeanette M. Nuñez an honorary member.

PBK recognizes the achievements of top students majoring in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and mathematics, demonstrating “how curiosity and creativity cultivated by a liberal arts and sciences education are essential to making the most of life’s experiences.”

English major Mia Rosado is ecstatic to be joining FIU’s PBK chapter this weekend. She says, “It’s such an honor. I remember opening the email. It didn’t hit me immediately. Then I shared it with my parents, and they were jumping up and down. I knew [then] that it would really mean something.”

FIU was granted its chapter in 2000 and has since inducted 3,850 members. Associate Teaching Professor Ruben Garrote was one of the first group of students inducted back then. Recalling the ceremony held in the GC Ballroom, he says, “I remember that being very significant at the time – a moment of recognition [for FIU] of its own institutional maturity.”

With several master’s degrees and a doctorate now under his belt, Garrote embodies PBK’s mission of supporting ongoing intellectual inquiry. He describes his newly granted membership at the time of his graduation as “a feather in my cap and something to be really proud of.” Since then, his appreciation of PBK has only deepened. For Garrote, the organization’s value derives from fostering connections between like-minded folks. “It was always important to me – the idea of lifelong learning – [and] to be part of that community,” he says.

Likewise, Rosado explains, “The thing that will be most beneficial to me is the networking aspect. The community around it is one of the biggest and strongest.” To this end, PBK hosts events – such as visiting scholar lectures, lunches and book clubs – for its members, where they can connect with one another. It also engages its community via publications, newsletters and podcasts on diverse topics ranging from literature, science and history to public affairs, culture and career development. In so doing, Rosado notes, “It’s unique and uplifts its members.”

FIU’s chapter strives to uphold this mission. In the past, PBK has invited guest speakers, including a renowned Harvard professor of classical literature and pioneer of digital humanities, to campus to present to members. Roller says, “I like to see students who are getting ahead, and I love providing them with the resources to assist them with their careers, to be successful. PBK is part of that. It’s a very special honor.”

The timing of PBK’s induction ceremonies is not lost on Garrote: “It does this unique thing where it awaits your moment of graduation to induct you.” He concludes, “It is forward-looking, sending you off not only into the world, but into a community of lifelong learners.”