The Xi Delta Chapter of Phi Alpha, GSSW's honor society, is more than an organization for students. It was actually founded by students--(left to right) Pam Hancock (MSW '06), Athena Terry (MSW '07) and Emily Anderson (MSW '06).
Faced with the challenge of creating a new agency or program to fulfill an assignment for her course in human service program development and administrative practice, then MSW student Pam Hancock chose an unusual path. With help from classmate Emily Anderson and foundation year student Athena Terry, Hancock co-founded the Xi Delta Chapter of Phi Alpha, a national social work honor society.
Phi Alpha, whose name signifies love of humanity, is the first honor society in the 75-year history of the Graduate School of Social Work.
Honoring achievement
"Many of us had been members of honor societies as undergraduates, and we felt graduate students deserved the same kind of recognition for their achievements," says Hancock, who served as the new chapter's first president. Her class assignment included developing the chapter's mission statement, goals, job descriptions, marketing plan and budget.
"I am so pleased that the students themselves have asked to be recognized for academic excellence," says Prof. Debora Ortega, "especially since excellence at GSSW translates into quality of life for the people and communities our graduates will eventually serve."
