Editor’s Note: Staff writer Carson Dillon is a member of the Lambda Phi Eta Honors Society and was involved in the ceremony. Source Mackenzie Lackey is The Point’s social media manager.
Candlelight, pins, certificates and conversations with professors set the tone as third- and fourth-year students of Point Loma Nazarene University’s Communication Department were welcomed into the Lambda Phi Eta Honors Society at its induction ceremony in the Fermanian Business Center.
The ceremony, held on Nov. 13, marked the department’s fourth year as the Beta Alpha Zeta chapter of Lambda Phi Eta, established in 2022. The evening included the formal induction followed by a dessert reception on the Fermanian deck.
Founded in 1985 at the University of Arkansas by Stephen A. Smith, Lambda Phi Eta is a nationwide honors society created to “[recognize], foster and reward outstanding scholastic achievement in the field of communication,” according to the National Communication Association’s website.
Lisa Raser, PLNU professor of communication studies and advisor for the honors society, said she was a member of Lambda Phi Eta as an undergraduate and that the experience was meaningful in her academic journey.
“We had a ceremony and got to connect with faculty, and it felt very special,” Raser said.
Raser said the opportunity for the communication department to form its own honors society chapter came after a notable donation from a graduating student in 2022. That gift funded the launch of the Beta Alpha Zeta chapter the following fall.
Because many students are unfamiliar with Lambda Phi Eta, Raser said one of the most engaging parts of organizing the event is explaining what the honors society is.
“Getting the message out and having students say that they want to join is always a really exciting part of the organizing work,” she said.
Raser said she thinks the honors society represents to the communication department as a whole.
“I think it shows the importance of our discipline and that we value and uphold rigor and strong academic scholarship,” she said. “I think that’s an important part of who we are as a major, as a discipline.”
Nathan Quinlan, a fourth-year communication major, said he appreciates that the department hosted an event dedicated to celebrating its students.
“I think it’s cool that the communications major has their own little family [where] they get honored for their academic achievements and just be recognized,” he said.
Mackenzie Lackey, a third-year media communication major, felt similarly about the opportunity to be a part of the honors society.
“It’s so exciting and it’s so special just to have this opportunity to be in Lambda Phi Eta and be amongst my peers and my professors,” Lackey said.
While the achievement recognizes students’ current academic accomplishments, it also strengthens their future resumes and graduate school applications.
“It’s a signal to future employers and organizations that you are a student that is dedicated to the discipline and has put in strong academic work — it’s kind of another layer of that,” Raser said.
Both Quinlan and Lackey hope that this will hold in their own future endeavors.
“Hopefully this honors society can be kind of an appealing thing for jobs to see that I did take things seriously and I was an honors student,” Quinlan said.
“I hope that it will lead me to hopefully more connections down the road after I graduate [and] … better connection with my professors ultimately,” Lackey said.
Lily Nguyen, the operations coordinator for the Communication Studies and Art and Design Departments, said the event’s preparation begins by assessing each communication student’s course grades and overall GPA to ensure they meet the requirements of the National Communication Association.
According to the National Communication Association, students must meet several requirements to qualify for membership. These include completing 60 semester credit hours, maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, completing 12 credits in Communication Studies, earning a minimum 3.25 GPA in those courses and maintaining good academic standing with the university — in other words, not being placed on academic warning or probation.
Nguyen’s role covers various organizational elements, including gathering decorations, reserving rooms and notifying students they are eligible for membership in the society.
“We have to book the room ahead of time, and we want to make sure it’s a nice space to honor [the students],” she said.
She said the most rewarding part of her job, and of planning the event, was setting aside intentional time for students to be celebrated.
“[It’s a] time to relax and pause and reflect and be proud of yourself for how far you’ve come,” Nguyen said.
Quinlan felt that joining the society was important as it could only be of benefit to him in the future.
“I think I wanted to do it because it felt like there’s really no reason not to,” he said. “It can only be helpful for me down the line.”
Raser said she hopes the event left students feeling encouraged and inspired, and reminded them that the department’s faculty and staff care for them and are always available to connect and support their growth.
She wants students to know that they are supportive of things like letters of recommendation and want to celebrate their work.
The Communication Department plans to continue hosting the induction ceremony and reception each fall to honor and celebrate its most outstanding students.
