Twenty-five new members were inducted into Catawba College's Omicron Chapter of Alpha Chi, the national college honor society, during an initiation ceremony held September 20 in Omwake-Dearborn Chapel on campus. The ceremony was held in conjunction with the college's annual Family Weekend.
The organization's 2013-2014 president, senior Elizabeth J. White of Salisbury officiated, assisted by faculty sponsor, Dr. Margaret L. Stahr, and faculty advisors, Drs. Carmony Hartwig and James Stringfield. Teacher Education Professor Dr. Lou Ann Kasias delivered the homily for the ceremony, "Lessons Learned in My Sojourn Here."
Alpha Chi member, Olivia Myers of Lexington, delivered the invocation, while Elizabeth J. White, aforementioned, brought words of greeting. Alpha Chi members, Anna Toole and Lindsay C. King of Kannapolis introduced Dr. Kasias. 2013 Catawba alumnus Dustin Shelton of Kannapolis served as the ceremony's organist.
Candidates initiated into the organization include seniors Shakeisha Gray of Salisbury; Marco Gupton of Salisbury; David Jones, Jr. of Linwood; Kayce Kimrey of Ramseur; Rebecca Rider of Rockwell; and Janel Swearingen-Ruiz of Mooresville. Juniors initiated included Gregory Alexander of Goldsboro; Jacob Breig of Greenfield, Minn.; Caleb Casper of Waxhaw; Kimberly Fesperman of Kannapolis; Kathryn Heidt of Salisbury; Kenneth Hipp, Jr. of Salisbury; Janin Kassner of Giesen, Germany; Lauren Kennedy of Salisbury; Sloan Kessler of Onalaska, Wis.; Paul Kronenfeld of Greensboro; Ekaterina Kruglov of Karmiel, Israel; Taylor Lee of Kannapolis; Andrew T. McCollister of Rockwell; Darby Reedy of Reading, Pa.; Chelsea Retalic of Concord; Maggie Saunders of Huntington, W. Va.; Theodore Shepard of Southport; Jacob Shepherd of Claremont; and Paige Smart of Mocksville.
Catawba's Omicron Chapter of Alpha Chi was founded in May 1978 with the induction of 13 members. To date, more than 650 members have been inducted. Membership is open only to those students in the top 10 percent of the junior and senior classes.
