Antonio Foncillas
Staff Writer

Thirty-one students from the University of La Verne were inducted into the Alpha Lambda Delta honor society on Nov. 14 in the Harris Art Gallery.

Alpha Lambda Delta is for students who have maintained a grade point average of 3.5 or better and who are in the top 20 percent of their class during their freshman year or any term of higher education.

“The students were elected before the ceremony and then they were installed at the ceremony,” said Kathleen Lamkin, professor of music and one of the faculty advisers to the honor society.

“They invited their family and friends and we could enjoy a lovely reception,” Lamkin said.

The honor society is a good way to reward students who perform well academically, said Gerard Lavatori, professor of French, and also a faculty adviser to the society.

He added that this years’ students come from a variety of majors.

Al Clark, associate vice president of academic affairs and administrative adviser to the society, discussed the benefits of membership.

“Alpha Lambda Delta ... recognizes freshmen, and the election is only related to the GPA. Students from any major can be elected,” Clark said.

“This year we had a very good group (with) very good grades,” he said.

Clark added that benefits to membership include access to scholarships, conferences and connections.

During the ceremony, Aghop Der-Karabetian, associate dean of the college of arts and sciences and professor of psychology, was named honorary member of Alpha Lambda Delta honor society.

He gave a speech at the ceremony in which he addressed issues such as the importance of learning skill and being open to new information.

“Alpha Lambda Delta encourages people to work hard. This is an honor for me,” Der-Karabetian said.

Alpha Lambda Delta was founded in 1924 as an honor society for freshmen women at the University of Illinois.

The main purpose of this organization is to encourage important academic achievement among freshman students.

Antonio Foncillas can be reached at bokeron_11@hotmail.com.