Member Mentions – February 2022

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi's international community is a unique blend of students, academicians, and corporate and civic leaders from all fields of endeavor. Membership in Phi Kappa Phi recognizes and rewards academic success. That recognition doesn’t end after initiation. From their time in school to their professional career, Society members’ hard work continues to pay off and be acknowledged.

Phi Kappa Phi would like to congratulate these members on their recent achievements:

Patsy Butts (University of West Georgia) has been selected as a 2022 Governor's Teach Fellows. As an associate professor of nursing and coordinator of the pre-licensure-to-BSN degree program at Middle Georgia State University, Butts will join other higher education faculty in the program for expanded opportunities in teaching skills.

Laura Clippard (Middle Tennessee State University) will serve as an inaugural Gilman Advisor Ambassador. She was selected by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and will serve as a voice for higher education to advise colleagues about the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program.

Keith Reeves (Lamar University) was chosen as one of the American Education Research Association's Outstanding Dissertation award recipients. He will be honored for his dissertation, "Predictivity of Standards-Based Report Card Model for Standardized Test Scores: A Taxonomic Mixed Methods Study," at an upcoming awards presentation.

Dan Sandweiss (University of Maine) recently earned two notable honors. He was named president-elect of the Society for American Archaeology and will serve for one year before serving a two-year term as SAA president. He also was chosen as the 2022 Distinguished Maine Professor by UMaine. It is the university's most prestigious faculty award. Sandweiss is also the president of Phi Kappa Phi.

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia has named the students honored during its Academic Recognition Day. Each year, each of the 26 colleges and universities in the USG select one student that represents the system's highest scholastic ideals. Two Phi Kappa Phi members were chosen. They are Jared Talman (Augusta University) and Ellen Yeudall (Georgia College and State University).

Do you have an accomplishment you’d like to share? Email your member news to news@phikappaphi.org to be considered for inclusion.

Phi Kappa Phi Announces Semifinalists for Excellence in Innovation Award

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi today announced the six semifinalists for the 2022 Excellence in Innovation Award. The $100,000 award, given once per biennium, will recognize an institution for achievement in finding powerful answers to important local, regional, national or global challenges.

The semifinalists were chosen from a large pool of applicants representing multifaceted projects at colleges and universities across the nation. The six semifinalists were selected based on the project’s ability to achieve meaningful, measurable outcomes to create systemic large-scale change.

The six semifinalist institutions are:

• Ball State University
• Boise State University
• Longwood University
• Pittsburg State University
• University of Colorado Colorado Springs
• University of North Georgia

“Since 2016 the Phi Kappa Phi Excellence in Innovation Award has showcased remarkable innovations at higher education institutions across the country. This year’s semifinalists are adding to this tradition of academic excellence and demonstrate a deep commitment to engaging their community of scholars in service to others,” said Society Executive Director and CEO Bradley Newcomer. “Phi Kappa Phi is proud to recognize and support these institutions and their faculty and staff as they work to improve their campus and local communities.”

Three finalists for the award will be announced in April. The recipient institution will receive $100,000 in tangible recognition of its best practice in response to the changes and challenges facing higher education in the 21st century. The award will be presented at the Society’s biennial convention on Aug. 5 in Orlando, Florida.

Since 1932, Phi Kappa Phi has awarded fellowships and grants to members and students on its chapter campuses. Currently, more than $1 million is awarded annually through programs that last year recognized over 425 individuals. The Excellence in Innovation Award, first awarded in 2016 is the Society’s only award for institutions.

For more information about the award, visit www.phikappaphi.org/innovation.

Manage Your Student Loan Debt with ΦKΦ Partners

If you have student loans, you may be wondering what you’ll do when the federal freeze on monthly payments and interest rates expires May 1, 2022. You’re not alone. Our financial partners – SoFi and Citizens – have options to help you prepare!

SoFi
Have you considered refinancing your loans? As the leading student loan refinancing provider, SoFi offers active Society members exclusive benefits including a 0.125% rate discount for student loan refinancing and a bonus of $250 for new student loans. They also offer a wide range of advice and tips for managing student debt.

SoFi's tools and calculators can help you determine how much you could save by refinancing your loans, calculate when you will pay off your debt and help you find ways to get there sooner. Click here to get all the help you need from the basics about student loans to information about grants, scholarships, deferrals and more.

Citizens
Through our partnership with Citizens, Phi Kappa Phi members and their families can access a number of flexible refinance options. You could could get a principal credit reduction up to $1,000 for an education refinance loan and reduce their interest rate up to 0.50% with Loyalty and Automatic Payment Discounts.

Plus, Citizens' financial learning center provides all the services and resources you need as you plan for the expenses associated with college, grad school and beyond. Check out helpful articles, register for a free webinar, or even give your college fund a lift by entering to win a $2,500 Citizens Scholarship!

No matter where you are in life, the Society's financial partners can guide you with smart money management advice along the way. Click here to see everything we have to offer to assist with college and student loans as well as all your other major financial milestones.

Extend the Conversation: Our Towns

Our winter 2021 issue of Forum focused on the theme of community and included a feature about James and Debora Fallows. The two wrote a book about communities they found across America that are bridging divisions to make things better. If you missed the piece, you can read it here.

What makes you proud of the community where you now live? What tidbit do you love sharing the most with visitors? Feel free to share with us the local gifts that excite you, whether it’s a favorite park, regional food specialty, or something else.

We’d love to hear from you, and feel free to share pictures, too. Extend the conversation in our online member community Link.

Please note, our online community is available to active members only, and you will be required to log in with your Phi Kappa Phi credentials. For login assistance, email webmaster@phikappaphi.org.

If you are a member but your active membership has expired, click here to renew and regain access to this exclusive benefit.

ΦKΦ Member Spotlight

Hailing from Sacramento, California, Tanishq Abraham was one of the Society's youngest initiates when he joined at age 14 at the University of California, Davis, in 2018. Homeschooling provided the opportunity to start college classes at age 7, and by 15, he had graduated with a degree in biomedical engineering and moved on to grad school. Now, at 18, he is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate at UC Davis.

Tanishq uses his passion for science and education to help others by volunteering with organizations such as UNICEF and the North South Foundation – a nonprofit organization that helps students in India enter college and achieve academic success. He has also volunteered as a young citizen scientist working to look through NASA's Kepler telescope images to locate and identify objects in our solar system.

As a science communicator, he has given numerous educational and inspirational talks at organizations and schools, including two TEDx talks and a panelist position at South by Southwest's Interactive Festival. At UC Davis, he has acted as a mentor and judge for engineering design projects, and he remains active on Twitter working to educate and engage others in conversations about machine learning, AI, medical research and tech reviews.

Let's get to know Tanishq!

Why did you accept the invitation to join Phi Kappa Phi?
As a young graduating engineer, I was excited to be a member of Phi Kappa Phi which has notable members like Linus Pauling, Jimmy Carter, Ruth Bader Ginsberg and many more. I was impressed with the Society’s mission "to recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others." Being a member of this honor society sets you up to strive for excellence not just in academics but also in service to others.

Who is your favorite band?
I like listening to Twenty One Pilots, and as a birthday present, my parents gifted their virtual concert ticket. Though it was not the typical concert experience, it was still fun. Maybe in the future when things get better with the pandemic, I can experience the live concert!

What’s the biggest misconception people have about child prodigies?
I think one of the biggest misconceptions people have of child prodigies is that they are snobs and they do not have social skills. My sister and I have proved that wrong when people tell us that we are down-to-earth teenagers who get along well with others.

In your free time, do you prefer to read or watch TV?
I prefer to watch TV. I enjoy watching some classic comedy shows such as Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond and King of Queens, but Friends is my favorite show. I also enjoy watching Netflix and Amazon movies for our family movie nights.

What is the best gift you have received?
My laptop! I received it as my 14th birthday gift from my parents which I still use for all my work!

What advancements or discoveries do you hope your generation can bring to the world’s future?
I hope my generation can discover better treatments for cancer, slow down climate change, or develop general and truly intelligent AIs.

In your Ted Talk, you mentioned being obsessed with dinosaurs and astronomy – what are your latest obsessions and hobbies?
I enjoy reading and usually read nonfiction such as science and tech-related materials and share that info on Twitter. I hang out a lot on Twitter! I also I like to do machine learning/AI projects and competitions on Github, Kaggle. It feels good when these projects win and end up being useful. Finally, I enjoy watching mystery, thriller and science-themed movies. In fact, my family and I are looking forward to seeing the new James Bond movie!

Do you live by any words of wisdom?
I tell folks to follow your passion, do something that makes you excited so that it doesn't turn out to be work or chore but more like having fun at work. I live up to my parents’ quote "Stay Humble."

What’s on your bucket list?
To get a Nobel Prize!

Does your family have any pets?
Yes! We have three cats who were all rescued! Lucky, our oldest, is 10 years old and we have had her since she was 5 or 6 weeks old. She was abandoned by her mom, and we found her crying in front of our door. The next day, we had a severe thunderstorm, so she was named Lucky due to her luck of finding a home just before the thunderstorm. Chubby was born as a chubby little kitten in our house from another rescued pet cat, Furry, whom we gave up for adoption after having her for 6 months. Chubby is now 9 years old, loves to hang out with me and lives up to his name by weighing about 18 pounds. While it's hard for him to sit on me, he still loves to cuddle up on my lap while I am busy with work. A few months ago, we added another rescue. She is a Ragdoll mix breed and we got her when she was only 4 weeks old. My sister named her Mimi which means "cute" in French. She is now almost 6 months old and keeps us all entertained with her feistiness! We can see the Ragdoll breed traits in her, such as the puppy behavior and the intelligence. She loves to play fetch and watch movies with us!

To learn more about Tanishq and connect, visit his profile within our online member community, here.

Is there someone you would like to see in the spotlight? Send your nomination to engagement@phikappaphi.org and be sure to include basic information for the nomination.

New Member Benefit: Financial Literacy Resources

No matter where you are in life, Phi Kappa Phi is here to help you learn, grow and succeed in all of your endeavors with new financial literacy resources. From starting in college to planning your retirement, we offer tools and advice for smart money management at every step. Our financial banking and investment partners – SoFi and Citizens – as well as resources from LifeLock and fellow members can help you reach your goals today.

Budgeting and Saving – How much should you have in your emergency fund? How do you create a budget? Let SoFi and Citizens help you answer these questions and more with their custom calculators and tools. Learn about realistic plans for managing your money to reach your full potential.

College and Student Loans – As the leading student loan refinancing provider, SoFi offers exclusive offers for our active members including a 0.125% rate discount for student loan refinancing and a bonus of $250 for new student loans. They also provide advice and tips for calculating your total student loan debt and finding ways to pay it off sooner.

Citizens has provided flexible refinance options for more than 40 years and has partnered with the Society to give members and their families the possibility of a principal credit reduction up to $1,000 for an education refinance loan, a 0.50% interest rate reduction, and automatic payment discounts. Plus, you can register today for live financial aid webinars and a $2,500 Citizens Scholarship!

Debt Management – Paying off debt is a major accomplishment. Make sure you understand your options for debt elimination and access assorted tools to determine which approach is best suited for you and your needs.

Home Ownership – From first-time home purchasers to choosing your forever home for retirement, buying a home is an important milestone. SoFi and Citizens offer interest rate calculators, home renovation project estimators, home equity line of credit calculators and more to make your home ownership journey an easy one.

Investing and Wealth Management – Learning how to start investing is the first step on the road toward the future of your dreams. Let our partners help you understand everything from calculating stock profit to planning Roth IRA and 401(k) contributions and more.

Personal Finance and Banking – Make your goals a reality with tools and calculators from SoFi and Citizens to help you decode the language of finance. You can even make an appointment with a financial advisor at no cost.

Society partner LifeLock also provides resources to help you protect yourself and make smart financial choices. Plus, our members can enjoy 35% off their first year of LifeLock membership.

Phi Kappa Phi member Aggie Valenta, a licensed financial advisor with Morgan Stanley, offers a complimentary financial review to all fellow members. She can help you understand your goals and implement a realistic plan for growth.

Internship Resources: Your Road to Success

Have you considered applying for an internship but aren't sure where to begin? Let Phi Kappa Phi's partners and resources get you started on the road to finding the position that's right for you. Expand your job skills and leadership potential by taking advantage of all that we have to offer.

ΦKΦ Internship Board
Browse the Phi Kappa Phi Internship Board to search for positions by industry, job function or location, and even create customized alerts to inform you when new opportunities arise. You can even upload your resume for a free review before starting the application process. Once you've found the perfect fit, take advantage of the easy online application process.

The Fund for American Studies
Put yourself in the room where it happens by earning your spot in Washington, D.C., through the TFAS Academic Internship Programs. Applications are now being accepted at www.DCInternships.org for summer and fall internships that include academic credit from George Mason University and housing in the heart of the city.

Three scholarships of $2,500 each are reserved for members of Phi Kappa Phi, plus members not selected for one of these scholarships may be reviewed for awards from the TFAS general scholarship fund. Be sure to denote your Society membership in your online application materials.

Questions? Contact Mary Stankus, Recruitment and Admissions Director, at mstankus@tfas.org or 202-986-0384.

Washington Internship Institute
The WII offers a wide variety of positions in government offices, nonprofit organizations and for-profit companies throughout Washington, D.C. Plus, Phi Kappa Phi members all receive a $500 merit-based scholarship thanks to your Society membership.

While working in an internship four days per week, participants will also take two courses at the WII taught by the top policy professionals and leading academics in their fields. You'll also enjoy guest speakers, site visits, networking and more. Visit WIIDC.org/HonorSociety to learn more and find out how to claim your $500 scholarship today.

Questions may be directed to Gregory M. Weight, Ph.D. at greg@wiidc.org or 202-833-8580.

To read more about all of the Phi Kappa Phi internship opportunities, click here and start your journey!

Understanding Credit – A Free Webinar from Citizens

Do you have questions about credit and how you can use it to achieve your financial goals? Citizens is here to help. As a Phi Kappa Phi partner, Citizens is hosting a free webinar for our members on Wednesday, March 23 at 6 p.m. CT.

No matter where we are in life, our credit can impact us in more ways that we realize. From financing college or your first home to more long-term goals, building and maintaining credit is critical to achieving financial wellness. Sign up for Citizen's free webinar today to take advantage of their professional advice.

Don't forget, Society members and their families could get a principal credit reduction up to $1,000 for an education refinance loans. Plus, members could reduce their interest rate up to 0.5% with Loyalty and Automatic Payment Discounts and save with no application, origination, disbursement or prepayment fees. Click here to see your rate and potential savings in under two minutes with no impact to your credit score.

Citizens also offers a variety of resources and tools to help you reach your potential while learning the best ways to manage debt. Visit their learning center for tips to help build, maintain and protect credit in order to successfully reach life goals. Plus check out their assorted debt calculators while you're there to move closer to being debt-free.

Apply for a Study Abroad Grant by March 15

Don't miss your chance to shine. The deadline to apply for a Study Abroad Grant is Tuesday, March 15. Phi Kappa Phi will award 125 $1,000 grants to students on our chapter campuses.

The grants are designed to support undergraduate students as they seek expanded knowledge and experience in their academic fields. Interested students do not have to be a member of Phi Kappa Phi to apply but must currently attend an institution with an active chapter.

For Gabriela Bantas, a student at Illinois Wesleyan University, the grant helped fund a life-changing trip to participate in a monthlong intensive summer course at the University of Helsinki in Finland.

"Looking back, my participation in this study abroad experience in Helsinki broadened my world view, enabled me to meet people from all around the world, and also allowed me to have networking opportunities with local and geo professionals," Bantas shared in a video about her trip.

Don’t let the application process intimidate you. Our team is here to help you along the way. "If I had to describe Phi Kappa Phi in one word, that would be 'supportive.' Not only was I supported through receiving the grant, but the Phi Kappa Phi team answered my questions very graciously throughout the entire process," said Bantas. "It was the support I needed in order to dream bigger, to reach higher and to continue growing." Click here to see her share her story.

Visit www.phikappaphi.org/studyabroad to see if you qualify and to start your application today. Questions? Contact Kelli Partin, awards manager, at kpartin@phikappaphi.org.

Twenty Questions with Executive Director Dr. Bradley Newcomer

Phi Kappa Phi recently welcomed Bradley Newcomer as the 12th individual to hold the position of executive director of the Society since 1900. Newcomer was initiated at the University of Alabama Birmingham in 2012 and served as the Phi Kappa Phi chapter president there and at James Madison University.

His extensive background in honors education made him a perfect fit to lead the Society at a national level, but putting résumés aside for a moment – what are the fun facts that we really want to know about him?

Here are our 20 questions!

What's the best vacation you've ever taken?
To the white sand beaches of the Florida panhandle. My wife and I particularly loved our vacations to Destin, Florida, while we lived in Alabama.

Where do you most want to travel, but have never been?
If language was not a barrier, China. I’d also like to visit England, Scotland and Ireland.

Is there a book that has influenced you the most?
I would say Tolkien’s Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogy in terms of early reads that have stayed in my regular collection and that I still think about and re-read at times. I would also add in a sci-fi book by William Gibson – Neuromancer. That one book single-handedly catapulted me into the science fiction genre.

What's your favorite food?
More like my favorite food GROUP – Pizza.

What do you do to relieve stress?
Depends on the type and level of stress. Playing video games is a usual go-to activity. I also like watching action and sci-fi movies to unwind when I have the time.

Why did you choose the field you studied?
I became fascinated by nuclear and atomic physics at Juniata College. I was fascinated with the “pieces-parts” that made up matter as we knew it at the time. My plan was to become a nuclear engineer and work in a power plant as nuclear energy was a key feature of the U.S. energy plan in the 80s. Then the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident happened and the job market for nuclear engineers evaporated almost overnight. I quickly shifted gears and worked towards finishing my physics degree at Juniata. I ended up choosing to go the medical physics route with my master's degree work when I became curious about medical imaging, specifically magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy. In the end, I loved studying the physical world and what made things work, especially at the molecular and subatomic levels.

Who is your favorite musician or band and why?
This is a very hard question to answer as I like a LOT of musicians, groups, and musical styles. However, if I have $1,000 to buy an entire catalog of songs from a group from iTunes today, I would buy the Led Zeppelin and Beatles catalogs. Both groups had a level of depth and breadth to their musical innovations during their careers that have stood the test of time even to this day.

What is your favorite holiday and why?
Christmas. It might sound corny, however, I just love the spirit that many people have around that time of the year. I also like the decorating, the lights, and the overall change of pace that happens as we wrap up a calendar year during that time. I also like giving gifts and seeing the joy associated with that activity.

What is something you are impressively good at?
Hmmm, this is a tough one. I would have to say something that I am good at – this is a bit surprising – is that I am a self-taught drummer that started to learn to play relatively late in life. I had a friend a while back that needed a drummer for a contemporary music band at church, and he half-jokingly asked me if I wanted to learn, and I said, "HECK, yes!" It was a childhood wish to play the drums, and my parents didn’t really want the noise in the house. So, I didn’t have a chance until my 30s to try this childhood dream of mine. He handed me a set of drumsticks and some recordings of songs, and I learned by ear and was playing with the band a few weeks after that.

What is the greatest movie of all time?
Well, I’m going to answer this one with a series of movies The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogy. Love those movies and watch them quite often with my wife.

What is one thing you cannot live without?
Coffee … LOTS … of … COFFEE

What is the most adventurous thing you have ever done?
I’m not all that adventurous. LOL …

What is the best advice you have ever received?
Always be honest and care for those around you. Your integrity and honor are priceless.

How do you stay motivated?
I have always been a person that looks to the future and not to the past. I would say that my forward-looking ethos helps me stay motivated as I take the long view of projects and situations. I stay motivated by focusing on the future and its event horizon. The excitement and opportunities that await through hard work and patience (and sometimes even a little luck) are my motivation.

When are you the happiest?
Sitting on a balcony or patio at a beachfront location watching and listening to the ocean. (Coffee or adult beverage in hand, depending on the time of day)

What was the last show you binge-watched?
The entire Marvel movie series.

What is your most-used productivity hack?
Written to-do lists are something that I use all the time. It is the only way I can keep a running tally of all the projects and deliverables that I need to be working on. I then go through that list daily to prioritize (or re-prioritize) the items as needed.

What is one of your favorite childhood memories?
Playing tug-of-war as a small child with the first dog/pet I can remember. The memory that popped into my head with this question was a time when I got drug around the yard during a session where neither one of us had the good sense to let go of the log or stick.

What does a perfect day look like?
Perfect Workday: A big hearty breakfast, freely available good coffee, and meeting and project time with my coworkers that lead to innovative ideas and solutions that move our projects forward.

Perfect Weekend or Off Day: A big hearty breakfast, more coffee and lots of unscripted time with family. Possibly eating a meal out at one of our favorite spots. Possibly some quality reading and/or movie time to end out the day.

A genie gives you three wishes – what are they?
It sounds corny, but as the old saying goes, I would wish for “Health, Wealth and Happiness.” So many times, we can have one or two of those, but suffer in the others. Think about the life and impact one could have if they did not have to worry about health issues and had the wealth resources to be a blessing to others. Think about the happiness that this situation could bring to all involved.

To learn more about the Society's national leadership team, click here.

Six Top Picks – Our Best Advice for Fellowship Applicants

Phi Kappa Phi is lighting futures across the globe, and we want to make yours shine bright. The Society is accepting applications for Fellowships totaling $649,000 to be awarded to 62 members to support their graduate studies.

Submitting your application involves key planning as part of the process. Make your application shine by following these five important pieces of advice:

Verify Your Eligibility – The key to qualifying as an applicant is to make sure you are an active Society member who is at the right point in your graduate studies. Click here to check the eligibility list for the Fellowship Program, then log in to our website to check your membership expiration date in case you need to renew.

Do Your Research – Start with our Fellowship Applicant 101 guide to get a feel for the process and read about past recipients. Next check out these other resources available on our website. These FAQs and documents will help you get going.

Learn from Past Recipients – Stop by the member-only Link community to join this conversation with our past award recipients. There they share personal stories as well as advice for how you could join them on the Society's list of fellows.

Celebrate the Past and the Future – What are your best accomplishments? What will earning a Fellowship enable you to do? Share your personal story and don't hold back on tooting our own horn. The selection committee relies on this insight to help them choose the best recipients.

Connect Locally – All Fellowship applications must go through the local chapter so connect with them early in the process. Click here to find the contact information for your chapter and reach out to them as soon as possible. Plus, decide who among your mentors would be best suited to write your letters of recommendation. Make sure they know the details and deadlines for submitting the letters.

Wrap it up – Check and then double check to make sure you have every required item turned in by the deadline. Each chapter must submit their top candidate by April 15, so the local deadlines will vary and be notably earlier than that.

Questions? Contact Kelli Partin, awards manager, at kpartin@phikappaphi.org or 800-804-9880, ext. 221.

Vote Now in Our Graduation Photo Contest

Thanks to everyone who submitted photos to the 2021 Fall Graduation Photo Contest! We received more than 400 photo submissions of Phi Kappa Phi members proudly wearing Society recognition apparel in graduation photo sessions and on their big day.

Having an amazing selection to choose from made it difficult, but after much deliberation the Phi Kappa Phi staff members narrowed the field to 10 outstanding entries. Now we need your help to pick the winners!

Click here to vote now! (Please note the system limits entries to one vote per device/IP address. If you are on a shared network—such as a university or office—it is best to vote via a mobile device or tablet not connected to Wi-Fi.)

Voting closes Monday, Feb. 21 at 11:59 p.m. Central Time. The entry with the most votes will receive a Dell laptop, and second and third place will receive Amazon gift cards. All entrants have a chance to appear in various Society marketing and promotional materials. For the full list of contest rules, click here.

Forum 15: Writing

With each edition of the Society's Forum magazine, "Forum 15" highlights elements of popular culture related to the theme. Our goal is to affirm that the ideas we discuss in Forum have a vivid presence in our daily lives – in the books we read, the shows we watch, the songs we sing, the movies we see, and the buildings we admire.

As we prepare for the summer edition focusing on writing, we'd love your suggestions for items to include in "Forum 15." Is there a movie, book, painting, sculpture or piece of architecture that strikes you as a memorable exploration of writing? Share your ideas in our members-only online community. We'll include as many ideas as we can in the summer Forum.

The community is available to active members only, and you will be required to log in with your Phi Kappa Phi credentials. For login assistance, email webmaster@phikappaphi.org.

Not active? Click here to renew your membership and gain access to this exclusive benefit.

A Selection of Readings for Black History Month

February is Black History Month – an annual celebration of achievements and contributions of African Americans throughout U.S. history. As we observe this month, we invite you to spend some time reading a few of the pieces featured in the Forum magazine's recent issues.

Forum's regular writer Tonisha Melvin (Mercer University) takes a look at health care in her latest Health and Wellness column, To Advance Community, Address Gaps in Health Care. In it, she encourages us to examine how race can shape the various aspects of our lives.

Growing up in the nation's capital, Clifford Thompson developed views on community that still shape his life and work. His essay Washington Stories in the most recent Forum invites you on a stroll down memory lane. He also authored What It Is: Race, Family, and One Thinking Black Man's Blues. Part memoir, part meditation on the cultural climate, it is a worthy contribution to the ongoing national conversation.

Author Stephanie Powell Watts considers the many forms of friendship in her Forum essay Friendship in Five Acts. She also wrote No One is Coming to Save Us, a chronical of an African American family conflicted by the realities of the American dream. She is the winner of a NAACP Image Award in Fiction.

In a book review from the summer 2021 Forum, Jessica Wiley (Arkansas State University) shares her thoughts about the book African American Poetry: 250 Years of Struggle & Song by Kevin Young. More than 200 Black poets are featured in the anthology, and Wiley notes that "readers are planted in this world of turmoil mixed with affection" as they make their way through the book.

For additional reading, revisit this Black History Month piece that highlights a handful of Phi Kappa Phi members who've made lasting impressions throughout the years.