At the 43rd triennial Phi Beta Kappa council in August, Gettysburg College’s chapter was named best liberal arts college chapter in the country based on its performance during the years 2009-2012.

This prestigious award was given due to the chapter’s strong programming and outstanding student acceptance rate. 100 percent of the students accepted into the Iota of Pennsylvania chapter at Gettysburg College in 2009-2012 elected to join the organization.

“This is a big deal for Gettysburg,” said Daniel DeNicola, secretary of the Iota of Pennsylvania chapter and philosophy professor at Gettysburg College (pictured below). “All the other schools that have chapters have now been told that Gettysburg has the best chapter at a liberal arts college.”

This is the first time that Gettysburg College has been given this designation. The honor comes with a cash award that will go toward programming events put on by the Gettysburg College chapter. The organization regularly sponsors public lectures given by professionals in a variety of career fields.

“I’m really pleased,” said DeNicola. “This will do a lot for enhancing the college’s academic reputation.”

Phi Beta Kappa, founded in 1776, is the oldest Greek-letter society in America and exists to promote liberal learning, to recognize academic excellence, and to support and encourage scholars in their work. The Gettysburg College chapter was chartered in 1923 and elects to membership about five to ten percent of the senior class who have distinguished academic records and exhibit high moral character and intellectual curiosity. Election to Phi Beta Kappa is perhaps the most widely recognized academic distinction in American higher education.

Founded in 1832, Gettysburg College is a highly selective four-year residential college of liberal arts and sciences with a strong academic tradition. Alumni include Rhodes Scholars, a Nobel laureate, and other distinguished scholars. The college enrolls 2,600 undergraduate students and is located on a 200-acre campus adjacent to the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania.

Article by: Liz Williams '13, communications & marketing intern
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