ΦΚΦ Member Spotlight – October 2019

Daniel Cardwell was initiated at the University of South Florida in April 2015 while completing a Master of Arts degree in library and information sciences. He also earned a Master of Arts degree in English from Northern Arizona University.

Currently pursuing a law degree at Western Michigan University's Cooley Law School, Daniel is part of the adjunct English faculty at Hillsborough Community College and is an active member of the American Library Association, the American Association of Law Libraries and the National Council of Teachers of English.

Daniel’s passion for higher education has influenced his desire to pursue a career that allows him to teach others, serve his professional community and fully employ his skills as a writer and academic.

Get to know Daniel!

1. How did you hear about Phi Kappa Phi? 
   I learned about Phi Kappa Phi during my university’s “Week of Welcome.” It is a major event where all of the student organizations are featured and advertised. At that time, I was interested in learning more about on-campus activities, and Phi Kappa Phi caught my attention.
2. Why did you accept the Society’s invitation to membership? 
   I wanted to join because Phi Kappa Phi has benefits that continue after graduation. The Society works hard to connect with its members, and it is a place to give back to others.
3. What is your personal motto? 
   Be your best, not the best.
4. What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
   Do not let what you want and how you want it stand in the way of having something just as good or better. It is important to be flexible and search for value in both positive and negative experiences. Searching for value is the best way to capitalize on good times, and it has been my trustworthy strategy for working my way through disappointing experiences from a bad grade to the inevitable rejection letter from a dream job, grad program or scholarship. Everyone faces disappointment, but it is not the end of the road.
5. If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see cast as you?
   I think it would be fantastic to see Clint Eastwood as an actor in my life. I am not like Eastwood, and I think it would be great to see a movie where I was represented by a personality so different from my own.
6. What did you want to be when growing up?
   I was surrounded by parents and grandparents who always worked for themselves. My grandfather repaired and traded radios for airplanes. My grandmother had a restaurant, and my parents always had a business venture going from a laundromat to a business park café. Growing up, I wanted to have that kind of responsibility to grow and manage a business.
7. What does a typical day look like for you?
   My days have become very routine-driven. On my teaching days, I wake up at 5 a.m., and I arrive at my office by 6:15 a.m. I take that time to lesson plan, grade assignments or prepare for my own schoolwork. From 9 to 9:30 a.m., I have official office hours before teaching my classes from 9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
   Then I go to my law school, and I have time to prepare for classes, which goes from 2 until 5 p.m. I typically end my days logging all of the odd records like transferring attendance quizzes to an attendance spread sheet or reorganizing my law school notes into a binder. My typical day is focused on staying dedicated to all of the little tasks that need to get done and maximizing small gaps in time to complete work. 
8. If you could interview one person—dead or alive—who would it be?
   In my spare time, I love reading biographies. I read Robert Massie’s "Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman." Massie portrayed Catherine as a hard worker with strict routines and organization to her day. This biography influenced how I approach my work, so I would pick Catherine the Great as a person I would want to interview.
9. What is the best book you have ever read?
   The best book I have ever read is "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave." I think Douglass is hands down one of the best writers, and his work is timeless.
10. What is your favorite number and why? 
    Seven is my favorite number. It’s known as a lucky number, and I like symbolism.

To learn more about Daniel and connect, visit his member profile within the Phi Kappa Phi online community here.

The ΦΚΦ Member Spotlight gives members the opportunity to share more about themselves and how they have benefited from membership in the Society. The spotlight is a great way for members to learn about each other and connect with others who have common interests and goals.

Would you like to be featured, or is there someone you would like see in the spotlight? If so, email Jamie Chapman, membership director, at jchapman@phikappaphi.org. Be sure to include basic information for the nomination.

Harold Bloom, Professor and Former Phi Kappa Phi Fellow, Dies at Age 89

Harold Bloom (Cornell University), 89, died Oct. 14. He was a best-selling literary critic who also taught at Yale University and was a Phi Kappa Phi Fellow in 1951.

Bloom, who was born in New York City, received his Bachelor of Arts at Cornell where he was initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and named a Phi Kappa Phi Fellow in 1951. He received his Ph.D. from Yale University and taught there until days before his death.

As a literary critic, he often argued for the literary superiority of Western white, male giants like Shakespeare, over writers he called “the School of Resentment,” which often meant multiculturalists, Marxists, feminists, and neoconservatives.

“To a rather considerable extent, literary studies have been replaced by that incredible absurdity called cultural studies which, as far as I can tell, are neither cultural nor are they studies,” he told The Atlantic in 2003. “But there has always been an arrogance, I think, of the semi-learned.”

In 1985, Bloom was named a MacArthur Fellow, a program often called the “Genius Grant.” The MacArthur Foundation noted that “his work has evolved beyond the conventional boundaries of literary criticism, incorporating psychoanalytic theory, the history of religion, and Jewish and American studies.”

He was the author of such books as The Western Canon, The Anatomy of Influence, Genius: A Mosaic of One Hundred Exemplary Creative Minds, Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human, and, most recently, Possessed by Memory: The Inward Light of Criticism.

Photo provided by Yale University; credit Michael Marsland

Save the Date for Giving Tuesday

On Dec. 3, Phi Kappa Phi will join thousands of organizations around the globe to celebrate Giving Tuesday. Now in its eighth year, Giving Tuesday is a day of philanthropy dedicated to giving back through the support of nonprofit organizations.

This year after all of your holiday gifts have been purchased on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we ask that you consider making a gift to the Phi Kappa Phi Foundation. All gifts, no matter the size, will open doors of opportunity to members both near and far. Your gifts will help deserving students and members realize their educational and career goals, from study abroad to graduate school to lifelong learning.

As a special thank you this year, donors of $60 or more will have the option to receive a customized Phi Kappa Phi travel mug.

Want to see exactly how your contributions can make an impact? Check out these testimonials from Phi Kappa Phi members across the country.

Ready to join the Giving Tuesday movement? Make sure you save the date on your calendar (Outlook, iCal, Google Calendar) and follow us on social media for updates leading up to the big day.

Résumé 101: Five Tips to Stand Out

A job search can be stressful, and a top notch résumé is your gateway to scoring that job interview you’ve been waiting for.

Phi Kappa Phi provides everything you need to make your résumé stand out and ace the interview. We even provide resources to help you navigate the digital world through social media and digital communication.

Give your résumé an extra boost with these five tips:

1. Highlight your membership on your résumé by adding an official Society logo. Membership in the Society is recognized by employers across all industries, and adding an official logo will make your résumé stand out from the crowd. Visit www.PhiKappaPhi.org/Logos to choose from different logos styles and download today!


2. Submit your résumé for a free evaluation from a trusted expert at TopRésumé. Click here to visit the ΦΚΦ Career Center and create an account. When uploading your résumé, be sure to check the box to have your résumé evaluated at no cost.


3. Enhance your LinkedIn profile to make sure employers see what you want them to see. Phi Kappa Phi partner Seeking Success offers services helping members enhance their LinkedIn profile language. Visit www.SeekingSuccess.com/PKP and use code PKP2015 to access the exclusive member page.


4. Create your digital résumé with Merit. Share a professional online listing of your work experience, volunteer activities, affiliations and more with prospective employers—it’s a virtual résumé! Visit www.PhiKappaPhi.org/Merit to learn more and access your Merit account today!


5. Navigate the digital world by upgrading your social media presence and digital communication style to ensure they are working to your advantage. Click here to learn why you should Google yourself and how to professionally navigate and network in the social media world.

Want to save time and have your résumé ready in 5 minutes? Try our résumé builder—it’s fast and easy to use. Plus, your résumé will be instantly ready for employers to find!

Please note, career resources are available to active members only, and your member login will be required to access much of the content above. If you need assistance with your login, visit www.PhiKappaPhi.org/MyLogin or email webmaster@phikappaphi.org.

Excellence in Innovation: Where Award Recipients Change Lives

In 2018, Phi Kappa Phi named Western Michigan University’s Seita Scholars Program as the second recipient of its $100,000 Excellence in Innovation Award.

It’s been 12 years since the program at WMU welcomed its first former foster children to campus.

“Our focus in the early years was on success, but in small and targeted increments,” said Ronicka D. Hamilton, director of the program. “When our first student graduated, our focus shifted to ensure that our programming was comprehensively preparing students not only to earn their degrees, but successfully transition to the next ‘thing,’ such as grad school or a career.”

J. Gabriel Ware, a Seita program student, spoke to Phi Kappa Phi’s 2018 convention, where he, Hamilton, and WMU President Edward Montgomery accepted the Society’s Excellence in Innovation Award. There, he talked about the difficulties he faced in the foster system as a child.

His girlfriend, now his wife, first talked to him about going to college. She was looking at master’s degree programs at Western Michigan.

“OK, if we’re talking about getting married one day and we’re talking about having kids one day, you just can’t go and get your master’s while I’m making $7 as a cashier,” Ware said. He became a Seita Scholar, where Hamilton was his campus coach.

“This is a great program, and I’m proud to be part of it. I hope that it continues forever,” Ware said. He’s now a member of the ABC News research and news gathering team for World News Tonight and Good Morning America.

“The national and prestigious recognition by Phi Kappa Phi has shined the spotlight on our program in a new way,” Hamilton said. “Our affiliation with Phi Kappa Phi has given us academic credibility, which we add to our street-level credibility that is earned by the reputation we have among youth residing in foster care and professionals supporting them.”

Now that the program as more than 160 graduates under its belt, they’re looking to the future.

“Going forward, we aim to grow the program’s endowments, improve our graduation rates, and expand our coach training team to train others around the country,” shared Hamilton. “In addition, we will continue research efforts to discover better ways to best support the population of college students with a history in foster care.”

Since Phi Kappa Phi’s convention, they’ve also sent eight students to study abroad. Hamilton said studying abroad may help Seita scholars stay in the program — and in school.

“It might be because the study abroad trips and experiences give students something very exciting to look forward to,” Hamilton said. “They are also life-changing experiences.”

Some of the Excellence and Innovation’s $100,000 award went to fund those study abroad experiences, as well as emergency costs for some of the Seita Scholars, like medical costs, car repairs and books.

To learn more about the Excellence in Innovation Award or to apply, visit http://www.phikappaphi.org/innovation.

Photo provided by Western Michigan University – Angela Toutant is one of eight Seita Scholar Program students who has participated in a study abroad trip.

Tell Us What You Value and Win!

Phi Kappa Phi offers many valuable benefits. From awards totaling nearly $1 million each year to career resources to exclusive discounts from more than 25 corporate partners, we provide a wide range of exclusive benefits to our members. And now, we want to hear from you!

Share with us which member benefit you find the most valuable on or before Oct. 23, and you will be entered for a chance to win a $50 gift card to the Phi Kappa Phi online store!

Entering is easy! Click here, log in using your Phi Kappa Phi credentials, and reply to the discussion to share which benefit you value the most.

If you need assistance navigating the community, click here to check out all of the helpful step-by-step guides. For login assistance, email webmaster@phikappaphi.org.

Questions? Contact Jamie Chapman at jchapman@phikappaphi.org or (800) 804-9880, ext. 217.

FLASH SALE! Save 20% on Dell Technology

You don’t want to miss this sale! Starting at 8 a.m. E.T. on Oct. 15, save 20% off select offers for 8 hours only during Dell’s flash sale! Shop the latest technology, including laptops, touch screen PCs, desktops, servers, storage, monitors, gaming, accessories and more.

Visit Dell's Secure Member Purchase Store at www.Dell.com/PhiKappaPhi to shop online. Discounts are automatically calculated in the purchase price and will appear in red at checkout.

To shop by phone, call (800) 695-8133 to speak with a Dell sales representative. When placing your order, be sure to mention your membership in The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and provide Dell Discount ID number CS72681359.

Keep in mind, active Phi Kappa Phi membership grants access to the Dell Member Purchase Program year-round. Members can access savings up to 35% on select technology and accessories and have access to frequent special values and promotions in addition to standard discounts.

Please note, this flash sale offer is valid Oct. 15, 2019, starting at 8 a.m. E.T. through 4 p.m. E.T. Offers are subject to change and are not combinable with all other offers. Taxes, shipping and other fees apply. Offers are available only to qualified U.S. customers and subject to restrictions in your applicable contract, if any. The offer is not valid for resellers. Dell does not ship directly to the Philippines. Click here to learn more.

Phi Kappa Phi Announces Love of Learning Award Recipients

Phi Kappa Phi today announced the recipients of a 2019 Love of Learning Award. The $500 awards were given to 200 Phi Kappa Phi members.

Love of Learning Awards are designed to help fund post-baccalaureate professional development for active Phi Kappa Phi members including graduate or professional studies, doctoral dissertations, continuing education, travel related to teaching and research, career development and more.

“Over its long history, the motto of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi has been its north star -- let the love of learning rule humanity,” said Society Executive Director Dr. Mary Todd. “This award shares both the name and the spirit of the motto by providing funds for members to access learning opportunities in all corners of their professional careers.”

Established in 2007, the Love of Learning Program gives 200 awards annually in support of post-baccalaureate professional development. The selection process for a Love of Learning Award is based on the applicant’s academic achievement, campus and community service, intended use of award funds as it relates to academic and career goals, and a personal statement.

“I am honored to have been selected for the Phi Kappa Phi Love of Learning Award,” said Madison Blonquist, recipient of a 2019 Love of Learning Award. “It is not only indicative of how I feel about my current educational endeavors, but a reminder of how I hope to strive to cultivate a passion for learning that will endure throughout my life.”

Since 1932, Phi Kappa Phi’s award programs have recognized members and students on its chapter campuses for outstanding academic achievement. In addition to the Love of Learning Program, Phi Kappa Phi awards graduate and dissertation fellowships, study abroad grants, and grants for local, national and international literacy initiatives. Nearly $1 million is awarded each year through programs that last year recognized more than 350 individuals.

For the complete list of recipients, visit www.PhiKappaPhi.org/LoL2019recipients. The application process for the 2020 Love of Learning Awards will open on Dec. 15, 2019.

Interested in Service at the National Level?

The Nominating Committee seeks names of qualified Phi Kappa Phi members who may be interested in serving on the Board of Directors or as Divisional Vice Presidents during the 2020-2022 biennium.

Nominations will be accepted through Thursday, Jan. 30.

Positions to be elected at the 2020 biennial convention include:

• President-elect
• Vice President for Chapter Development
• Five Directors
• Two student members, one undergraduate and one graduate student
• Five Divisional Vice Presidents
• One member of the Foundation Board of Trustees

The nominations process has changed from previous years. If you would like more information or are interested in nominating a candidate for election, please visit the Call for Nominations page.

Executive Director's Blog - Less is More

From the Executive Director

Forum, Fall 2019

I didn’t grow up in a home with a lot of rules. Our house was a parsonage, situated next door to the church my father served as pastor. Embedded in the family culture was the religious tradition we practiced, but with less emphasis on rule-following than on what our tradition considered the ultimate commandments: love of God and love of neighbor. Honesty was central to what was expected of us — oh, and recognition that any misbehavior by the preacher’s kids would reflect poorly on the preacher himself.

It was our mother who had the primary influence, and by the time I came along, she had raised five teenagers, four of them boys. From my father, I learned the importance of being nice; from my mother, I learned the importance of doing my best. Because I believe, with the author of Where the Crawdads Sing, that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, my parents’ admonitions remain central to my being.

But neither of those is a rule. They never were. They were instead goals, aspirations, words to live by.

Associations are not families but collectives of like-minded individuals who share a common interest. Most operate with rules. We call them bylaws. The Society is mindful that its bylaws work for the organization and its chapters, each of which has its own bylaws. Society bylaws outline our governance framework, eligibility requirements for membership, expectations for chapters and members, and more. A standing committee reviews our bylaws each biennium and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors and the convention when revision is deemed necessary.

Businesses also operate with rules. Employee handbooks, faculty handbooks, homeowners association covenants — all outline in great detail the expectations of individuals in an organization. Such documents can be ponderous, even tedious. Whether they need to be is the question. Might a “less is more” approach work just as well?

Perhaps you’ve heard of the legendary employee handbook of the retailer Nordstrom? Here it is:

Our number one goal is to provide outstanding customer service. Set both your personal and professional goals high. We have great confidence in your ability to achieve them, so our employee handbook is very simple. We have only one rule: Use good judgment in all situations.

Might such an approach work in your business, family, or organization? I’m not proposing we do away with laws, bylaws, or regulations; just merely observing that entities tend to create rules in order to control behavior when a less arbitrary approach could be an option.

So here’s to Phi Kappa Phi’s words to live by – our mission statement: To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others. And to our motto: Let the love of learning rule humanity. 

-Mary Todd, Executive Director

Phi Kappa Phi Member Named 2019 MacArthur Fellow

Phi Kappa Phi member Zachary Lippman is one of 26 MacArthur Fellows for 2019.

As a plant biologist and geneticist, Lippman received the award for investigating the genetic mechanisms determining flower production and for developing tools for breeding hardier, higher-yielding crops. “He has demonstrated the ability to create allelic variants (or mutations) that can sidestep the painstaking process of breeding for qualities that take many generations to produce while maintaining beneficial elements of the original plant,” according to the MacArthur Foundation.

“I’ve been interested in plants for a very long time,” said Lippman in a video by the MacArthur Foundation. “The most surprising aspect of my research is that genes can be tuned like a dial. You can tune them up; you can tune them down. And by tuning genes, you can also tune traits up and down quantitatively in very subtle ways.

By identifying specific genes that govern leaf and flower production and editing them using CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats), he was able to optimize them for different agricultural needs. His team at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has been able to manipulate production to improve crop yields.

Lippman received his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University where he was initiated as a Phi Kappa Phi member in 2000. He earned a Ph.D. from the Watson School of Biological Sciences at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. He started his own research program at CSHL in 2008, where he is the Jacob Goldfield Professor of Genetics.

Also known as the Genius Grant, the MacArthur Fellowship celebrates individuals who have shown “extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction.” The fellows, who span the disciplines, receive a no-strings-attached grant of $625,000 over five years.

Photo credit: John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

Member Benefits Highlights – October 2019

No witch-ful thinking here! Take advantage of these spell-binding deals all October long.

AT&T

Save 15% off your AT&T monthly wireless phone service. Existing and new AT&T customers can visit www.PhiKappaPhi.org/ATT to learn how to apply the discount. Note, retail stores will not honor the discount, therefore, you must apply the discount by following the steps listed on the previously mentioned webpage.

Budget Truck Rental

Big move coming soon? Make it a smooth ride with reliable and easy-to-drive trucks and 24/7 roadside assistance from Budget Truck Rental, and save 20% on rental and mileage. To make your reservation, visit www.BudgetTruck.com/PhiKappaPhi.

Church Hill Classics

Shop customizable membership and diploma frames that incorporate the Society’s logo to showcase your Phi Kappa Phi pride. Choose from a variety of frame mouldings, mat colors and materials to create a frame that complements your home or office decor. You can also shop frames to showcase your Phi Kappa Phi medallion, honor stole and Society photos. Visit www.DiplomaFrame.com/PKP to design your frame today!

Mercer

Access a variety of affordable insurance options, including disability, long-term care, major medical, short-term medical, pet, travel and life insurance. Mercer also provides members with a free, no obligation quote to compare to your current insurance coverage. Click here to learn more and apply.

Phi Kappa Phi Rewards Visa® Credit Card

Show your Phi Kappa Phi pride with the Society-branded Rewards Visa® credit card. Cardholder benefits include a low introductory rate, no annual fee and unlimited cash back with no point caps and no opt-in. Plus, each time you use the card you help support the Society's award programs. Visit www.CommerceBank.com/PhiKappaPhi to apply today!

UPS

Save up to 34% on a broad portfolio of shipping services including air, international, ground and freight services. You can also access 50% off UPS Next Day Air®, UPS Next Day Air Saver®, UPS Worldwide Express® export, UPS Worldwide Saver® export and UPS Worldwide Expedited® export shipments for up to four weeks after your enrollment. Visit SaveWithUPS.com/PhiKappaPhi to create a UPS account today! If you are an existing UPS account holder, you will have the option to login with your existing UPS credentials through the link above.

Questions about member benefits? Contact Jamie Chapman at jchapman@phikappaphi.org or (800) 804-9880, ext. 217, with all of your member benefit inquiries.

Apply for a $10,000 Dissertation Fellowship

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines, is now accepting applications for its Dissertation Fellowship Program. Ten fellowships of $10,000 each will be awarded.

Introduced in 2014, the program is designed to support doctoral candidates who are writing their dissertations. To be eligible, applicants must be an active Phi Kappa Phi member in the dissertation writing stage of doctoral study. All pre-dissertation requirements should be met by the Nov. 30 deadline including approval of the dissertation proposal.

“I am honored to be one of the 2019 Dissertation Fellowship recipients. The Phi Kappa Phi honor society does a great service to our country by empowering and encouraging graduate students committed to the betterment of our society,” said Elizabeth Bell, a 2019 Dissertation Fellow. “Graduate school can be challenging financially and mentally for many students, and it's programs like this that make it possible for us to succeed in our mission of seeking truth and speaking truth to power.”

The selection process for a dissertation fellowship examines how the fellowship will contribute to the completion of the dissertation, the significance of original research, and endorsement by the dissertation chair. Recipients will receive $10,000 to apply toward 12 months of dissertation writing.

To learn more about the program, including full eligibility requirements and applications instructions, click here. If you have questions, contact Kelli Partin, awards manager, at kpartin@phikappaphi.org.

Chapter Update - October 2019

By Michelle Lowery

Chapter Development Director

5 Tips for Finding an Initiation Speaker
Are you looking for a faculty member to serve as the guest speaker at your initiation ceremony? Here are five tips to help you enlist a fantastic speaker.

1. Draw on insights from your executive committee members regarding recommendations of their faculty colleagues who engage in fascinating research
2. Review lecture series listings on your campus website to identify names of possible speakers
3. Look for faculty who have recently published a book (your campus communications website or social media pages may have some examples)
4. Ask students about faculty who have taught unique types of classes or review the course schedule
5. Locate faculty who have garnered a special teaching or research award; checking out recently-published press releases can help in that endeavor.

The tips above were contributed by Brett Ranon Nachman. Nachman is a student vice president at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the graduate student representative for the Society’s 2018-2020 board of directors.

Chat with Your Divisional Vice President
The Divisional Vice Presidents serve as liaisons between chapter officers of Phi Kappa Phi and the Society’s Board of Directors. DVPs share their ideas and experiences through a variety of methods from phone calls or video chats to campus visits. They also meet twice a year as members of the Chapter Development Committee to discuss Society business and review chapter progress. To learn more about the DVPs, click here.

DVPs can also serve as speakers for your initiation ceremony. An ideal occasion to consider a Society representative is a milestone chapter anniversary. If you are interested in inviting your DVP to speak, you can find the appropriate person here.  The national office will attempt to accommodate all requests but cannot guarantee each request will be granted. There is no fee associated with hosting a Society representative at a speaking engagement. The chapter is encouraged to provide speaker travel expense assistance when possible.

Also consider acknowledging invited speakers by honoring them with a special membership to your chapter. For more information about granting honorary or distinguished memberships, click here.

In addition to these tips, consider inviting the Phi Kappa Phi Scholar, Artist or Distinguished Service recipient to be a speaker.

Got news?
Share your chapter news and events with Michelle Lowery, Chapter Development Director, for possible inclusion in future chapter updates or social media. Pictures are encouraged!

Photo provided by Jonathan Kotinek – Division I Vice President Jonathan Kotinek addresses attendees at a Texas A&M University initiation ceremony.