Oftentimes, our greatest efforts go unnoticed, so when you receive an invitation to join one of NSU’s prestigious Honor Societies, make sure to take this opportunity seriously. If you are not sure why an invite to an Honor Society is a major accomplishment, let’s break it down.
An honor society is an academic organization that recognizes students for both their academic and community achievements. These organizations not only show that a student has a level of high achievement, but they also provide members with the resources and connections to further understand their majors and make steps toward their future career.
Students strive for excellence in high school so that they can apply and be accepted to the college that best suits their future career needs. After walking across the stage and receiving their diploma, a student then looks forward to his or her waltz across an even bigger stage and being handed their college degree. Excellence, for many, is motivation to succeed, and that is exactly what being a part of an honors society provides for its members.
“An academic honors society is an organization that recognizes students, often by a particular discipline, for academic excellence,” said Don Rosenblum, dean of the Farquhar Honors College. “They set very high standards, and students who meet those standards are invited to join.”
The basic requirements to be invited into an honor society are as follows: students must be juniors or seniors, complete a minimum of 24 credits, and be in the top 10 percent of their major. The requirements may seem hard and you also might be worried about the fees. Although these fees can cost anywhere from $30 to $70, depending on the individual honor society, try to think about it as one more motivation to maintain a high GPA, and it’s a one-time fee for a lifetime of benefits.
“This is a membership that lasts a lifetime,” Rosenblum said. “These societies provide networking opportunities and scholarships, and, for many students going off to professional or graduate studies, these [organizations] are peer markers.”
As if the honor of a letter of recognition was not enough, many of these societies include faculty who can help you become a part of the community you hope to join in regards to your career. Do not let the fear of maintaining your grades stop you from striving for excellence, and, if you are invited, do not let the cost of joining shape your answer. Many of these societies find scholarship opportunities to help students who cannot afford the fee.
There are several societies, and some are centered on a particular major. This ensures that the students who belong to these majors are surrounded by faculty and fellow classmates who understand and can help them in their professional endeavors.
“Not every major has its own society, but many of the major ones do,” Rosenblum said. “So we continue to add more societies that are specific [to different majors].”
Depending on the individual society, the requirements to join may vary. A great place to begin for basic requirements is within the Honors College, as it is the management and beginning point for all of the honor societies. Do not let an absence of an invite stop you from learning more about these organizations. Find out from a professor if there is an honors society that caters to your major, and then find out its individual requirements. Strive towards those requirements not just because of the perks of being a member, but also because you want to strive for excellence.
For more information on these societies, visit http://honors.nova.edu/academic-honor-societies.html, and if you ever receive an honors invitation in the mail that you are not so sure about, a great site to check its validity is http://www.achsnatl.org/.
The following honor societies are at NSU:
Alpha Chi – Alpha Chi is an academic honor society open to juniors and seniors in the top 10 percent of their major.
Alpha Eta – Alpha Eta is the national scholastic society for health professions.
Alpha Kappa Delta – Alpha Kappa Delta is the international sociology honor society.
Alpha Phi Sigma – Alpha Phi Sigma is the National Criminal Justice Honor Society.
Beta Beta Beta – Beta Beta Beta (TriBeta) is an honor society for particular for undergraduate biology students.
Kappa Delta Pi – Kappa Delta Pi is the International Honor Society in Education.
Lambda Epsilon Chi – Lambda Epsilon Chi (LEX) is the national honor society for paralegal/legal assistant studies.
Lambda Pi Eta – Lambda Pi Eta (LPH) is the honor society of the National Communication Association.
Psi Chi-Psi Chi – Psi Chi- Psi Chi is the national honor society of Psychology.
Rho Rho Rho – Rho Rho Ro is an honor society for students seeking a degree in marine biology.
Sigma Beta Delta – Sigma Beta Delta is an honor society for students in business, management and administration.
Sigma Tau Delta – Sigma Tau Delta (Alpha Nu Iota) is the international English honor society.
Sigma Theta Tau – Sigma Theta Tau (Upsilon Chi) is the International Honor Society of Nursing.
Depending on the individual society, the requirements to join may vary. A great place to begin for basic requirements is within the Honors College, as it is the management and beginning point for all of the honor societies. Do not let an absence of an invite stop you from learning more about these organizations. Find out from a professor if there is an honors society that caters to your major, and then find out its individual requirements. Strive towards those requirements not just because of the perks of being a member, but also because you want to strive for excellence.
For more information on these societies, visit http://honors.nova.edu/academic-honor-societies.html, and if you ever receive an honors invitation in the mail that you are not so sure about, a great site to check its validity is http://www.achsnatl.org/.
