“The Torch”
St. John’s University
September 25, 1964
Ed Honor Society Initiated At SJU
St. John’s University has announced the official initiation of the Kappa Eta Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, an Honor Society in Education, on its Jamaica Campus. The formal installation of Kappa Delta Pi conferred charter membership on twenty-two of the University’s top students in the School of Education.
Kappa Delta Pi is a national honor society of over two-hundred and fifty chapters throughout the United States. It was founded on March 8, 1911, at the University of Illinois to encourage excellence in scholarship, high personal standards, improvement in teacher preparation, distinction in achievement and contributions to education.
These aims are filled by the activities of the institutional chapters, alumni chapters, a Laureate Chapter, a lecture series, fellowships in international education and the publication of the society’s journal, “The Educational Forum.”
The charter members were welcomed into the honor society at special ceremonies held at the Hotel Great Neck Bayberry by Dr. Gerald H. Read, National President, and Dr. J. Richard McElheny, Executive Administrator of Kappa Delta Pi.
Dr. Herbert C. Clish, Dean of the School of Education, introduced the guests and spoke in behalf of St. John’s in expressing his great pleasure at the chapter’s establishment. “I feel it marks a milestone in the history of the School of Education of St. John’s University,” Dr. Clish declared.
“It provides a very worthwhile means of recognizing outstanding scholarship and potential professional leadership,” the dean emphasized, “and will serve as a worthy aspiration for the good students in the School of Education.”
“Kappa Delta Pi will also foster and encourage scholarship, leadership and service to the University during student years, thus helping to assure St. John’s that what it has given to the students during theses years may in turn lead to dividends to society after graduation which, of course, is in basic harmony with the university’s fundamental obectives,” Dr. Clish stressed.
Dean Clish is himself a member of Kappa Delta Pi as are Dr. William P. McLoughlin, Mrs. Ann Remsen, and Miss Katherine O’Donnell. In fact, it was their efforts, along with the help of the School of Education’s Administrative Assistant, Reverend John E. Coleman, C.M., and Professor Anthony Carrieri, that laid the groundwork for the successful acceptance of the St. John’s chapter. Two of these faculty members, Miss O’Donnell and Mrs. Remsen, will serve respectively as Faculty Counselor and Associate Counselor for Kappa Eta.
Membership in Kappa Delta Pi is not only nationwide, but it is also life long. It is also an encouragement to professional growth and fellowship as well as a vibrant symbol of the academic excellence recognized among the students of St. John’s University School of Education.
Both winners are based at St. John's University. Several members from both chapters Alpha Beta Gamma (Staten Island campus ) and Kappa Eta (Queens campus) accepted the awards at KDP's 48th Biennial Convocation, held in Indianapolis on November 3 - 5.
This is the third consecutive time that Alpha Beta Gamma has won an ACE Award, and the fourth time for Kappa Eta. Only the top 25 from among 582 KDP chapters worldwide were chosen to receive this year's ACE Awards. Executive Board members from both chapters also delivered original research presentations at the international conference.
In addition, KDP's Lucinda Rose Counselor Award went to Charisse Willis '89SVC, '91MS, '95PD, Associate Dean of The School of Education at St. John's. The award is given once every two years to a single counselor who has 'ten or more years of service' and is deemed 'the best of the best.'
Dean Ragone, who serves as Counselor to the Alpha Beta Gamma chapter, received the O.L. Davis Jr. "Counselor of Distinction" Award and the Regional Counselor Award for the Northeast Region.
Alexandra Foukalas '11Ed, '13GEd agreed. The current Associate Counselor for the Queens chapter, Ms. Foukalas served as its Executive President for the year the ACE Award was received. "The ACE Award recognizes the best of the best chapters on the international front," she said. "Kappa Eta continues to strive for greatness and will continue to inspire pre-service teachers and current educators to reach out to the community at large in both education and Vincentian ways."
Ms. Foukalas received the Distinguished Chapter Officer Award for Service, one of the few KDP members to receive the award for her role as Vice President and Executive President of a chapter. "It's well-deserved," said Erica Zissel '12Ed, President of Kappa Eta. "Alexandra has played a pivotal role in transforming Kappa Eta into the chapter it is today, and it?s truly been a privilege to work by her side."
In addition, Regina Mistretta, Ed.D., Associate Professor of Education and Associate Counselor for the Staten Island chapter, won KDP's 'Teacher of Honor' Designation. At the conference, she joined Mary Lee '06GEd and Diana Vigorito '12GEd to conduct a workshop, "Don't Forget Your Parents! Cultivating Parent-Child Collaborations in Math and Science."
Marilyn Dono-Koulouris, Ed.D., Assistant Professor and First-Year Student Program Coordinator, conducted a workshop entitled "Teaching and Learning in a Global World."
According to Ms. Foukalas, the Queens chapter had a strong start this fall by inducting the largest class in Kappa Eta history, including 89 new members. The chapter launched a professional development series that invited faculty to address students about vital topics in education. The chapter also offers many professional, service and social events to provide members with a well-rounded experience.
To read more about Kappa Eta's ACE Award, please visit:
http://www.stjohns.edu/academics/graduate/education/events/[email protected]%2Facademics%2Fundergraduate%2Feducation%2Fpr_edu_090804.xml
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