On Sunday May 1, qualifying students who are studying communications and digital media and journalism were inducted into the 2022 Lambda Pi Eta (LPH) National Communication Honor Society as part of the Alpha Alpha Delta Chapter.
Students along with their two guests were invited to the Coykendall Science Building where they were presented with an array of food and beverages. After a short brunch, they were ushered into the auditorium where they heard from multiple speakers including advisors and teachers.
Students in attendance were presented with a cord and pin to wear at graduation and a certificate of acceptance into the society. They also had their name, photograph, hometown and major presented on a slideshow as their name was called and had their photo taken in front of an official LPH banner from a student photographer.
“I thought the ceremony was really thoughtful. It felt nice to be honored for all of the work I put into my major, and it was great to see my friends in the department also get celebrated for their achievements,” said third-year journalism student Alli Dempsey. “We work so hard in the communication department, so it was nice for our work to be acknowledged specifically.”
While dozens of students were able to attend with their friends and family, some students were unable to make it to the ceremony. One of the students who missed out on the in-person celebration was third-year communications major with a concentration in strategic communications Emily O’Neil.
“I’m grateful New Paltz offers this lifelong opportunity for juniors and seniors who have worked hard throughout our time at New Paltz,” she said. “I wish I could have attended the ceremony, but I’ll be happy to wear the cords when I walk the graduation stage.”
Lambda Pi Eta is the National Communication Association’s official honor society at four-year colleges and universities. LPH is an accredited member of the Association of College Honor Societies and has active chapters at over 500 four-year colleges and universities.
According to the official LPH website, the Six Goals of the society are: to recognize, foster and reward outstanding scholastic achievement in Communication Studies; stimulate interest in the field of Communication; promote and encourage professional development among Communication majors; provide an opportunity to discuss and exchange ideas in the field of Communication; establish and maintain closer relationships between faculty and students; explore options for graduate education in Communication Studies.
“Aristotle described in The Rhetoric as three ingredients of persuasion: logos (Lambda), meaning logic; pathos (Pi), relating to emotion; and ethos (Eta), defined as character credibility and ethics,” according to SUNY New Paltz’s page about LPH. “Lambda Pi Eta recognizes, fosters, and rewards outstanding scholastic achievement while stimulating interest in the communication discipline.”
Juniors and seniors in the digital media and journalism and communications departments with a major GPA above a 3.5 and an overall GPA over a 3.25 are invited to apply. Once accepted and inducted into LPH, students are members for life.
Being a member of LPH means students are eligible to vote in all chapter meetings, be elected into chapter offices, represent the local chapter at state, regional and national conventions, attend scholarly presentations and colloquia of the sponsoring academic department, participate in LPH social media efforts on Linked-In, Facebook and Twitter, compete for various LPH national awards, submit to the LPH research paper sessions at NCA’s Annual Convention (undergraduates only) and many other benefits.
“I think being able to say I am a member of Lambda Pi Eta will give me, as well as the other members, benefits down the road,” Dempsey said. “It also has given me a new support system that I can turn to regarding my major.”
“Being a new member of Lambda Pi Eta made me see the communication department in a different way. I was able to speak with some of the professors in my field that I have only spoken to online beforehand. Just from the small ceremony I was able to make new connections that I am now excited about.”
Students looking for more information about LPH should visit the New Paltz’s LPH chapter website or contact Amy Witkus at her email, witkusa@newpaltz.edu and speak with their advisors to see if LPH is a good fit for them. Scholarships are available upon request for those who seek assistance covering the application fee.
