The Honor Society in History, Phi Alpha Theta, is a professional society whose purpose is to promote the study of history through the encouragement of research, good teaching, publication, and the exchange of learning and ideas among historians. It seeks to bring students, teachers, and writers of history together both intellectually and socially, and it encourages and assists historical research and publication by its members in a variety of ways.
Alpha Beta Upsilon
To become a member, undergraduate students must complete a minimum of 12 semester hours in History and achieve a minimum GPA of 3.1 in History and a GPA of 3.0 or better overall. Graduate students should have completed a minimum of 12 semester hours towards their Master’s Degree in History, have a GPA of better than 3.5, and shall have completed approximately 30% of the resident requirements for the master’s degree.
Eligible candidates must also be in the top 35% of their class.
The faculty advisor for Phi Alpha Theta is Dr. Lisa Crutchfield, assistant professor of history.
2022 Induction Ceremony
After a three-year hiatus of in-person inductions, the Alpha Beta Upsilon Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta celebrated the thirty-one members inducted in 2020, 2021, and 2022 at a ceremony on May 3, 2022.
Congratulations to:
- Maxted Bourne
- Christopher Buntin
- Christopher Chruszcz
- Emma Coffey
- Cassidy Davis
- Hunter Epperson
- Lindsey Ferreira
- William Fowler
- Winona Gear
- Matthew Gillett
- Corbin Green
- Andrew Johnson
- Beatrice Kelly-Russo
- Jessica Lachowicz
- Sam Lipert
- Michael Lyons
- Madison Miller
- Mariah Molina
- Hayden Moore
- Brendan Ogden
- Ryan Paxton
- Christopher Pierson
- Donald Shields
- Frederick Smallshaw
- Raymond Smith
- Jaylyn Smith
- Robert Turbeville
- Davion Washington, Jr.
- Jeremy Webb
- Kourtney Witmer
In August 2022, the chapter was awarded the national Best Chapter Award for Division I (institutions under 3000 students.) Congratulations to our student members who put together a year full of historical events and dedicated hours to historical research!
Phi Alpha Theta History
Phi Alpha Theta was organized at the University of Arkansas on March 17, 1921. Since that time it has grown to more than 900 chapters in 50 states and has more chapters than any of the other accredited honor societies holding membership in the Association of College Honor Societies. The total number of initiates since its inception is more than 350,000.
Phi Alpha Theta is composed of chapters in accredited colleges and universities. All students in these institutions who have completed the required number of history courses and are maintaining high standards in their college or university studies are eligible for membership.
The University of Lynchburg Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta was chartered on April 5, 1985.
