The Phi Beta Kappa Society Installs 293rd Chapter at Providence College

WASHINGTON, DC — The Phi Beta Kappa Society installed a new chapter at Providence College today in a ceremony at St. Dominic Chapel. Following the installation, the new Gamma of Rhode Island chapter inducted 57 students, selected for their academic excellence in the arts and sciences. 

Frederick M. Lawrence, Phi Beta Kappa Secretary/CEO, Peter Quimby, Phi Beta Kappa Society president, and Joan R. Branham, Chapter President and Associate Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences and Professor of Art History, presided over the installation and induction ceremonies. University leaders, including Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard, O.P., Providence’s president; Sean Reid, Provost; Sheila Liotta, Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences; Phi Beta Kappa faculty and staff; and the chapter’s newly inducted students enjoyed a reception following the ceremonies to celebrate the chapter’s installation.

Lawrence acknowledged the significance of the occasion, saying: “At every level of the institution, Providence College is committed to providing a foundational liberal arts education so that its students will thrive in their pursuit of excellence and truth. We are confident that commitment will stand the test of time, enabling this chapter, and its exceptional students, to realize fully that important mission.”

Prospective Phi Beta Kappa inductees are usually seniors among the top 10 percent of their graduating class who have completed a broad range of liberal arts and sciences coursework, including foreign language and mathematics.

The Gamma of Rhode Island chapter also inducted several Foundation members, each chosen for their commitment and service to the ideals of the liberal arts and sciences, including:

• Wanda Ingram, Ed.D., Senior Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies, Providence College
• Teresa A. Lavoie, J.D., Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Legal - IP and Exclusivity Strategy, Treeline Biosciences
• Terza Silva Lima-Neves, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science and Chair, Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, Johnson C. Smith University
• Ann Manchester-Molak, M.A., Executive Vice President, Providence College
• John J. Partridge, Esq., Founding Partner, Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP
• Jane Lunin Perel, M.F.A,, Professor Emerita, Providence College
• Michael A. Ruane, M.B.A., Founder and Sr. Advisor TA Associates Realty
• Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P., Ph.D., President, St. John's University
• Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard, O.P., Ph.D., President, Providence College

“The installation of a Phi Beta Kappa chapter at Providence College marks a momentous milestone in the College’s 100-year plus history,” stated Chapter President Joan R. Branham. “It is a testament to the College’s unwavering commitment to the liberal arts and situates Providence College among the nation’s most prestigious academic institutions. The entire community has united to make this recognition possible. I’m very proud of the first class of Providence College students to be inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. These students have demonstrated high academic achievement in every way; they have majored in a variety of disciplines across the arts and sciences and contributed to campus life with integrity.”

Providence College becomes the 293^rd U.S. college or university to shelter a Phi Beta Kappa chapter. Installations of new chapters occur only every three years and follow an intensive, multi-year application and evaluation process that includes significant data collection and a visit from members of Phi Beta Kappa’s Committee on Qualifications. Among the criteria reviewed are an institution's commitment to the centrality of education in the arts and sciences, governance structure, faculty excellence, and demonstrated commitment to academic freedom.