Phi Beta Kappa: A Brief Introduction
Phi Beta Kappa Handbook
Laura Binczewski
Five points of interest:
- I was fortunate enough to study abroad in Italy during my time at UD!
- After graduation I plan to pursue a paralegal certificate with the hopes of working with a social justice organization in the future
- I have worked in the UD Writing Center as a peer tutor for the past 3 years
- I am a member of Gamma Sigma Sigma, a national service sorority, and have enjoyed serving the Newark community
- I have been to 17 national parks so far, with the goal of visiting them all!
Julia Boaman
Five points of interest:
- I studied the conservation of Roman pottery and glassware at the archaeological site of Stobi in the Republic of North Macedonia
- I served as Head Editor for the in-house Writing Center newsletter
- I was an editor for the Main Street Journal, the campus literary magazine
- I studied abroad in Athens during my sophomore year
- I plan to run a half-marathon after I graduate
Zach Bopp
Five points of interest:
- I will continue my education as a medical student at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University.
- My long-term goal is providing for underserved patients and helping to bridge the gap in healthcare access and utilization among different cultures and socioeconomic statuses.
- I graduated Magna Cum Laude.
- I have played for the Men’s Club Soccer team at UD for 4 years, and our most recent accomplishment was placing 3rd in the U.S. at the national tournament in Round Rock, Texas.
- A motto that has impacted my life: “you never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.” – Roy T. Bennett.
Madison Breske
Five points of interest:
- Following graduation I hope to work with theatre companies and Shakespeare festivals as a literary manager and dramaturge.
- I’m an active member of both theatre organizations on campus, HTAC and E52. Before COVID-19 I was directing a production of “Falsettos” with HTAC.
- This past summer I was a Summer Scholar and studied Women and Sexuality in the Plays of Tennessee Williams. I also received the Honors Enrichment Award to attend the Tennessee Williams Festival in March of 2020.
- I’ve spent the past 4 years performing with UD’s improv troupe, The Rubber Chickens.
- I do it all for my cat, Daisy 🙂
Kevin Brown
Five points of interest:
- Will be matriculating into the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at University of Pittsburgh come fall 2020
- Performed undergraduate research in Vladimir, Russia
- Loves to create Digital Art
- Inducted into the Nation Honors Society for Slavic Langauges
- There are three good ways to know someone and become friends by–What they read, how they think, and what they eat. Unfortunately you can easily dislike someone for–what they say, what they dont understand, and what they pull put of their ***.
Isabella Casey
Five points of interest:
- I am a member of HenLaw Society.
- I transferred to UD from Bucknell University after sophomore year.
- I plan to attend law school.
- My favorite food is sushi.
- I have a 8lb havanaese/toy poodle mix
Josefa Castelli
Five points of interest:
- I was a 2018 UD Woman of Promise and a 2019 recipient of the Secondary Education Award for Educational Promise.
- I presented in the Future is Now session at the 2019 National Council of Teachers of English annual convention in Baltimore, Maryland. I presented about new teacher support programs (which I hope to participate in as a new teacher soon).
- I have worked for three years as a Resident Assistant in a first year residence hall, and am currently working as a Remote RA, though my residents are no longer actually living in our residence hall. We’re building community without the communal building.
- As a senior English Education major, I am currently student teaching with eleventh graders via Zoom, and am looking for a full time teaching position for the Fall (maybe over Zoom, but hopefully in person).
- If you follow me on twitter (@castellovely), I’m very funny, and if you read my blog (standsforthesun.blogspot.com), I’m very insightful, though I cannot seem to find any witty or wise observations to share here and now.
Abigail Christopher
Five points of interest:
- Lead Tutor at the University of Delaware Writing Center
- Grew up in the Caribbean
- I hope to earn my M.Ed within the next few years
- I love to run and spend time outdoors
- I was a Welcome Ambassador for the University for the class of 2021 and 2022
John Douds
Five points of interest:
- Accepted at Sidney Kimmel Medical College
- Work as an EMT with the UD Emergency Care Unit as well as local fire departments.
- Member of Phi Delta Epsilon Premedical Fraternity at UD.
- Work as an Ocean Lifeguard for Fenwick Island Beach Patrol.
- Will be backpacking 300 miles on the Appalachian Trail following graduation
Duncan Edwards
Five points of interest:
- I plan to pursue a career in teaching.
- I was the Vice President of the UD Anime and Manga Club.
- I am a member of the National Italian Honor Society and the National Political Science Honor Society.
- Before I get my certification to teach, I plan to gain experience by teaching English abroad.
- I was able to graduate a semester early.
Nicholas Finelli
Five points of interest:
- Remaining hopeful that it will not be cancelled, but at the beginning of quarantine I received an interview and a subsequent internship in the office of the executive secretary at the US Dept. of Treasury.
- I am continuing my education next year in a 4+1 master’s in Italian studies program at UD, hoping to write a thesis on Italian Intelligence/Secret Services.
- I originally wanted to go to medical school and was taking the 4+1 program to complete my applications and ensure this was the route I wanted to pursue, fortunately and unfortunately for me I found my calling already and that is national security work.
- My greatest academic accomplishments to date are accepting this invitation to Phi Beta Kappa, receiving the Robert J. DiPietro plaque award from Italian Americans United which is the highest award an Italian student can achieve while at UD, the Delaware Governor’s Biotech Award and the Inaugural Dr. Jeremie Axe Summer Research Award for excellence in my studies and in the laboratory.
- My greatest personal achievement from the University was studying abroad in Italy the winter session of freshman year. To visit Italy was a lifetime dream of mine, but to live there exceeded every expectation I held of it, and on a more personal note I felt more secure in my identity and connected to my family and ancestors.
Sophie Fraser
Five points of interest:
- I am looking to attend an accelerated nursing program in the Boston area after I graduate from UD.
- I interned at Mid-Atlantic Behavioral Health during the fall semester of 2019.
- I volunteered for Planned Parenthood and attended the Chocolate and Champagne Festival this past fall of 2019.
- I am a member of the Theta Delta chapter of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority.
- I love to travel and am fortunate to have visited over 15 countries.
Alexandra Guterbock
Five points of interest:
- Active and committed member of UD Alternative Breaks. First as a participant, then as a site leader, then serving on Senior Leadership in senior year. Helped train student site leaders and to develop and run the organization as a whole. Very passionate about service, social justice education, and the promotion of community engagement.
- Was an undergraduate research fellow with the Center for Community Research and Service. Completed independent and original research on housing insecurity and eviction in Delaware. Published a brief on research findings and had first authorship on this publication.
- Interned with the ACLU of Delaware as well as a legal aid organization in her hometown.
- After graduation will be serving as a Work First Fellow in Milwaukee, WI, a national fellowship through The Work First Foundation. Will be working with America Works clients helping to develop work force readiness skills and place them in jobs. Will also be completing a policy research project related to work force development and another topic of her choice to presented at the end of the fellowship.
- Other hobbies include yoga and visual art (drawing, painting, etc.)
Julian Harbaugh
Five points of interest:
- President of Blue Hen Global Connection
- Recipient of the PNC Evelyn Stricklin Scholarship
- Studied abroad in Ireland and Italy
- General Honors Award recipient
- UD Summer Scholar
Austin Hart
Five points of interest:
- Austin plans to join the work force after graduation. He would like to begin a career in humanitarian efforts, economics, or politics.
- Austin enjoys playing sports such as tennis, soccer, basketball, badminton, and Kan Jam. He played a variety of intramural sports each semester.
- Austin has diverse hobbies including sports, making and listening to music, cooking, and reading.
- Austin created an unofficial handstand club on campus.
- Austin’s life goal is to make a positive impact on those around him and in society.
Chris Higgins
Five points of interest:
- I have begun a 3+4 program with Thomas Jefferson University to earn a Doctor in Pharmacy degree.
- Upon earning the PharmD degree I plan to work in medical affairs in the pharmaceutical industry.
- I was active in Greek life in Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.
- My hobbies include fitness and working out, sports, especially baseball, and hanging out with friends.
- I once killed two birds with one stone.
Kevin J.A. Johnson
Five points of interest:
- His plans after graduation include: Helping his mom run her soap company | Performing stand up comedy | Writing short Si-Fi and children’s stories | Maybe looking for a real job…maybe
- He’s an Eagle Scout.
- He can speak German and Russian. Has also done independent research in Vladimir, Russia on news/media effects as well as which brewery has the best beer.
- He hopes to teach English in Tokyo in the near future, and step on all seven continents before he dies.
- Definitely NOT two penguins in a human costume. Hobbies include: hiking, photography, and sliding down snowbanks on his stomach.
Maria Kaliakin
Five points of interest:
- I plan to take a gap year after graduation from UD before applying to graduate school.
- In my free time, I enjoy cooking and baking for my family and friends, doing yoga, hiking, and kayaking.
- Some of my favorite eateries on Main Street are Newark Deli and Bagel, Pachamama, Ali Baba, and Roots.
- I love to travel and explore new places. I hope to be able to travel through Europe in the near future!
- I had the opportunity to work as a research assistant at UD’s Child’s Play, Learning and Development Lab where I learned a wealth of knowledge concerning all aspects of the research process.
Humaal Khan
Five points of interest:
- After graduating, I’ll be attending Sidney Kimmel Medical College.
- I did research at Christiana Hospital throughout my time in college.
- I was in the Honors Program.
- I was a member of the Biological Honors Society.
- I love to travel.
Rebecca King
Five points of interest:
- Recipient of a Boren Award and a Critical Language Scholarship
- Eugene du Pont Memorial Distinguished Scholars Award
- Trained in martial arts in both the United States and Kyrgyzstan
- Enjoys hiking
- I first learned about UD through March Madness
Alaena Lim
Five points of interest:
- I work in a lab with Dr. Shunji Tomatsu researching Mucopolysaccharidoses, a metabolic disorder that often entails skeletal dysplasia and cognitive decline.
- I’m going to Brandeis University for graduate school to obtain my degree in genetic counseling.
- I was an undergraduate teaching assistant for the Experimental Physiology course at UD.
- I volunteered as an advocate for the Sexual Assault Response Center of YWCA Delaware.
- In my spare time I really enjoy cooking, watching YouTube videos about food, and finding new places to eat.
Jackson Mace
Five points of interest:
- I will be graduating with distinction (completed a senior thesis) and receive my Bachelor of Science degree in neuroscience from the University of Delaware in the spring of 2020.
- I have worked in the same neuroscience research lab, The Griffin Lab for Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, at the University of Delaware since I was a freshman, while contributing to 3 large studies (one that I will be listed as a contributing author on in a peer-reviewed journal within the coming months).
- In the fall of 2020, I will be pursuing a Ph.D. at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (program: Cellular and Molecular Medicine; department: The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience), studying neurodegenerative disease pathophysiology and therapeutics.
- Some notable awards I have received as an undergraduate are The University of Delaware’s top senior neuroscience major (Halsey M. MacPhee Graduation Ceremony Award), Dean’s List, 2019 Amgen Summer Scholar, 2019 Atlantis Medical Observer Scholar (Athens, Greece), 2018 Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children NSURP Summer Scholar, and The University of Delaware Presidential Scholarship.
- Some important extracurricular groups that I have participated in and led throughout my time as an undergraduate are the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society (Member), Nu Rho Psi – the National Honor Society for Neuroscience (Secretary), the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society (President), and the National Society for Collegiate Scholars (Vice President of Professional Development).
Yasmin Mann
Five points of interest:
- After graduation, I plan to take a gap year to either do research or work in the public health sector. I will then go back to school to get a PhD in molecular biology and an MPH.
- I am a Barry Goldwater Scholar.
- I believe that knowledge should be used to serve society.
- I really love spending time in lab, interacting with others and serving as a mentor.
- My favorite thing to do outside of school is watch movies.
Bianca Mers
Five points of interest:
- I am a Ronald E. McNair Scholar.
- I completed a senior thesis on sustainable urban development in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- I am the 2020 recipient of the Robert Barrie Ulin Award for Outstanding International Relations Major.
- I am the 2020 recipient of the Emalea Pusey Warner Award for Outstanding Senior Woman.
- I will be attending the Georgia Institute of Technology in the fall to pursue the Master of City and Regional Planning degree.
Rachel Milberg
Five points of interest:
- I directed the show of my dreams this year! My roommate and I were given the honor of co- directing Assassins the Musical for E-52 Student Theatre. It was the most creatively liberating time of my life, and it was so beautiful to watch the show come together.
- Studying abroad in London was the most incredibly enriching experience. I was able to learn so much, and everyday was a new opportunity.
- I have worked at Dr. Dozier’s lab the Infant Caregiver Project for all four years of college! I just completed my thesis with the lab which was something I never thought I would do! But it’s been so fulfilling to work on such a long-term project with so much support from my faculty!
- My dream job would be to work abroad in a museum.
- In my time at college, I’ve made so many incredible friends with so many varying interests and passions. It is so inspiring to get to know people in the environments that have been cultivated for me throughout this experience.
Allie Miller
Five points of interest:
- I aspire to be a middle or high school social studies teacher upon graduation.
- I am an avid snowboarder and team member at The Ski Bum on Main Street.
- Vice President of the RSO Delaware Ski Club on campus
- Member of Phi Alpha Theta
- “Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning.” – Gloria Steinem
Clarissa Nowak
Five points of interest:
- President of Nu Rho Psi, the neuroscience honors society
- Plan to go to medical school
- Do research in a neuroscience-microbiology lab
- Did volunteer work in Peru helping to do physical therapy with the elderly
- Work as an EMT at Aetna Hose Hook and Ladder in Newark, DE
Caleb Owens
Five points of interest:
- Served as Editor in Chief of The Review.
- Will be serving with Americorps City Year in Kansas City for the coming year.
- Served as a Senior Writing Fellow in the Honors Program.
- Plastino Award Recipient.
- The examined life is cool, but sweet potatoes are really what’s essential to the good life.
Jennifer Ptak
Five points of interest:
- I am a member of the University of Delaware’s College of Arts & Sciences Student Advisory Council.
- I did a study abroad program with the English department in Italy over winter semester.
- I was employed at the university’s Writing Center and Special Collections department.
- I received the University of Delaware Associate in Arts Transitioning Students Scholarship after completing the AAP in 2018.
- I also received the Alumni Undergraduate Sophomore History Major Prize in 2018.
Lucy Qi
Five points of interest:
- Active part of University of Delaware Alternative Breaks leadership team as a Site leader
- I hope to apply and attend medical school next year
- This next year I am pursuing research
- I am passionate about teaching and facilitating others in their learning
- My favorite quite: “excuses will always be there for you, opportunities won’t”
Sarah Reynolds
Five points of interest:
- I spent 2 years as a Writing Fellow.
- I’m attending Embry Riddle in the Fall for their computer science program
- I’m raising 20 baby fish
- I spent two years as an RA
- My favorite hobby is SCUBA diving
Kaitlin Shorr
Five points of interest:
- Former President of Phi Sigma Pi Honor Fraternity
- I partcipated in the First Step Program at UD in order to promote the importance of sunscreen use for all
- I went to Fulda, Germany for six weeks two summers ago and attended a program under the International School of Fulda
- I recieved an award known as the Women of Promise for female undergraduate students at my university
- I am helping UD’s FSLL (Fraternity, Sorority, Leadership, and Learning) by acting as a voice for an Accreditation Work Group in order to develop a new assessment program for greek life chapters
Noah Solano
Five points of interest:
- Member of the Nu Rho Psi Neuroscience Honor Society
- Member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
- Member of the Phi Delta Epsilon International Medical Fraternity
- Member of the Club Tennis Team at the University of Delaware
- After graduation, I plan to take a research job or medical scribe job as I apply to medical schools for the following August.
Madison Stoupa
Five points of interest:
- I work as a tutor in UD’s Writing Center and it’s the most fulfilling job I’ve ever had!
- I have also worked as a research assistant with two labs in the Linguistics department (PhonLab, QLAB)
- I studied abroad twice with the Language department: Granada, Spain in June of 2017 and Buenos Aires, Argentina, this past January.
- I have been a member of the Honors Program for all 4 years and received the General Honors Award last fall
- A fun linguistics fact: Just like hearing babies, who babble as they mimic adult speech, deaf babies babble with their hands when they’re learning sign language!
Aaron Tavasi
Five points of interest:
- Phi Beta Kappa Herbert Ellis Newman Award for Outstanding Junior
- Junior Alumni Undergraduate Award Winner (History)
- I have been heavily involved in UD Club Tennis all 4 years
- Member of PhiDE premedical fraternity
- I hope to attend medical school after graduation.
Saori Cherry Tomatsu
Five points of interest:
- Will be pursuing Master’s Degree in Biological Science at UD
- After Master’s Program, will be applying to medical school
- Won the UD Concerto Competition with Symphonic Orchestra in 2018
- Recently got a Shih-Tzu puppy (Getting a puppy has been lifelong dream)
- I want to thank everyone who supported me throughout my college journey and can’t wait for the next!
Carissa Walkosak
Five points of interest:
- I will attend Sidney Kimmel Medical College through the Medical Scholars Program starting in July
- I was the Secretary of UD’s medical fraternity, Phi Delta Epsilon
- I was a Munson Fellow for the Honors Program during my sophomore year, helping freshman Honors students transition to college and build community in the residence hall.
- I took part in two summer research programs, one at Fox Chase Cancer Center and another at the Wilmington VAMC. I’ll be presenting my project from the VA at the virtual American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists national conference in May.
- I have been a lifeguard at the Lil Bob for 3.5 years. I’m the Head Guard and Pool Manager, and one of my favorite memories is jumping off the 5m dive platform!
Natalie Walton
Five points of interest:
- I am the 2019 Delaware Truman Scholar
- I defended and passed my senior thesis after working on it for over a year
- I’m getting a novel published in February 2021 (Revenge of the Sluts)!
- I was an SOS Advocate all four years at UD
- I’m taking a gap year between undergraduate and graduate school but I’m hoping to earn my PhD in sociology in the near future! :^)
Kaleigh Wieand
Five points of interest:
- During my time at UD, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work in a clinical psychology research lab on campus. I hope to continue my research career in a similar fashion after graduation.
- As a junior, I studied abroad in Chile and it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my college career. It was incredibly impactful to speak the target language with native speakers and immerse myself in the Chilean culture.
- To keep up with my Spanish outside of class, I like to watch TV shows in Spanish! My favorite is called Gran Hotel, which is like a Spanish version of Downton Abbey..
- My Forensic Science minor is a product of the many, many hours my mom and I have spent watching ID Discovery and true crime documentaries. It ended up being a great way to combine my interest in the psychology and the science used to solve crimes!
- I take pride in my trivia skill. I have won about 9 games of trivia against my roommates and now they refuse to play against me.
Jill Wilhelm
Five points of interest:
- Grad plans: English Teaching fellowship in Austria with Fulbright Austria (2020-2021)
- Grad plans: I hope to pursue a master’s in perfumery after my fellowship in Austria.
- I’ve worked on campus in both cognitive science research labs and chemistry labs.
- Awards: general honors award
- Extracurriculars: involved in HENS, Deutscher Klub at UD, and treasurer of Gluten Free at UD
2020 Clift and DeArmond Award
Cullen Kisner
The Clift and DeArmond Award recognizes the second-year undergraduate who shows the most outstanding scholarly potential in a Phi Beta Kappa curriculum. Criteria considered are both quantitative and qualitative: the student’s grade point average, the number of Phi Beta Kappa courses taken, the proportion of those courses that are Honors designated, and the number of those courses that are above the introductory level. Also considered is the intellectual diversity of the student’s course of study as measured by advanced course work in more than one field. Especially impressive is a student who is combining depth in humanities and sciences. Coherence in the overall pattern of course selection is also sought. The award is in honor of Professors Eve Clift and Jan DeArmond, who were founding and long-term members of the Alpha of Delaware Chapter.
This year the Clift and DeArmond Award goes to Cullen Kisner. Cullen, who is from Wyoming, Delaware, majors in Biological Sciences and Spanish Studies. She is a currently work in Dr. Jia Song’s lab, which focuses on developmental biology, studying how microRNAs play a role in embryonic development, using the sea urchin as a model organism. Recently, she has focused on cloning a protein called Fascin within the sea urchin so that its function can be further studied. She plans to study in Chile during Winter 2021. She is active in a number of extracurricular activities: Impact Dance Company, Blue Hen Leadership Program, QUEST Peer Mentor, Phi Delta Epsilon, and Alpha Xi Delta. After graduating from the University of Delaware, Cullen plans to attend medical school.
2020 Herbert Ellis Newman Award
Leah Heisler
Our second award is the Herbert Ellis Newman Award recognizes the third-year undergraduate who shows the most outstanding scholarly potential in a Phi Beta Kappa curriculum. The criteria are similar to the Clift and DeArmond Award. This award is in honor of Professor Herbert Ellis Newman, who was a founding member of the Alpha of Delaware Chapter.
This year the Herbert Ellis Newman Award goes Leah Heisler. Leah, who is from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, majors in Spanish Studies and Cognitive Science with a minor in Disability Studies. She serves as a Research Assistant in the Language Learning & Bilingualism Lab (LLB) and Scheduling Assistant in the Language Acquisition and Brain Lab (QLAB) and as a Teaching Assistant for CGSC376: Introduction to Communication Sciences & Disorders. Next fall she plans to study in either Chile or Panama. She volunteers with Lori’s Hands and Best Buddies at the Mary Campbell Center. An active member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, she is currently the Operations Specialist. After graduating from the University of Delaware, Leah plans to attend a graduate program for Speech-Language Pathology that has a bilingual emphasis.