Fifty students inducted into communications honor society

Fifty new members were inducted into the Elon University School of Communications chapter of Lambda Pi Eta (LPE) at a May 4 ceremony in Lakeside.

It was the 18th annual induction ceremony for the communications honor society. Photos of the ceremony are available on the school’s Flickr page.

Associate Professor Frances Ward-Johnson, LPE chapter adviser, introduced chapter president Ciara’ Dixon ’16 and her fellow officers Kristen DeMaria ’16, Becca Johnson ’17 and Caela Shay ’16. They led all new LPE students through the induction ritual. Of the 50 who were inducted, 37 were on hand for the ceremony.

Keynote speaker Naeemah Clark, associate professor in the School of Communications, used the opportunity to discuss the significance of one’s name, noting her own experiences growing up with an uncommon first name. Clark explained that while parents might bestow a name, the individual is accountable for ensuring it reaches its full potential.

“Building your name is your responsibility,” she said. “You have to take your name and give it meaning. This name is rooted in what you’ve done in the past and the present and will determine what you do in the future.”

​The associate professor connected this theme to the importance of building and maintaining a reputation once a person reaches the professional world. Clark noted that this idea of reputation building extends to accurately representing others as well.

“Your success in the School of Communications and your presence at this ceremony means that you intend to have media somehow tied to your name,” Clark said. “As people working in the media, you have an additional responsibility … you will create labels for others that will be read or heard in large forums.” 

At the end of the ceremony, the new LPE officers were announced. Johnson was named the chapter’s new president, and Audrey Engelman ’17, formerly the administrative coordinator, was elected as vice president. Taylor Hoerr ’17 will be the scholarship chair, Corrine Barrow ’17 was appointed social media coordinator, and Katrine Ryan ’17 will serve as event coordinator.

Senior strategic communications major Hattie Hoskins was named the recipient of the Outstanding Honor Society Graduating Senior Award. She is the agency director for Live Oak Communications, Elon’s student-run strategic communications agency. Earlier this year, Hoskins was named one of five national finalists for the 2016 PRWeek Student of the Year Award.

​Among the attendees at this year’s ceremony were members of Assistant Professor Vanessa Bravo’s “Media Writing” class who live-tweeted the event.

The Elon chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, an organization affiliated with the National Communication Association, got its start in 1998. Any School of Communications student is eligible for membership when he or she has completed at least 60 hours of university credit, with at least 12 of those hours in the School of Communications. Members must possess no less than a 3.0 overall GPA, and a GPA of at least 3.25 in the School of Communications.

In 2013 the National Communication Association named Elon’s chapter of Lambda Pi Eta the national Chapter of the Year and Ward-Johnson the Adviser of the Year.

2016 Lambda Pi Eta Inductees

Nicole Ackman
Corinne Barrow
Elizabeth Bilka
Shannon Brits
Emily Brooks
Courtney Campbell
Jessica Cervini
Cameron Ciesielski
John Curtis
Leena Dahal
Joseph Del Vecchio
Danielle Dulchinos
Mackenzie Dunn
Emily Dzilenski
Ryan Finger
Shakori Fletcher
McKenzie Floyd
Danielle Gargano
Brooke Greenberg
Kayla Hammer
Charles Hawes
Rachel Ingersoll
Cameron Jackson
Sharyn Jacobs
Kelsea Johnson
Victoria Labenberg
Kristen Lilley
Haley Longbottom
William Mavity
McKenna May
Tyler Meacham
Mackenzie Murray
Jenna Nelson
Anna Patterson
Caroline Patterson
Daniela Pereyra Del Aguila
Killian Poplyk
Grant Robinson
Jenna Rohde
Johanna Rosen
Patrick Schumaker
Jane Seidel
Allison Srour
Hannah Sullivan
Kailey Tracy
David Wallach
Mildred Wert
Konnor Yurchak
John Zimmer
Elizabeth Zimmerman