Melanie Greaver Cordova was selected first alternate for a $2,500 Benedict Fellowship. A senior English major, she presented an original short story at an Alpha Chi convention. Cordova is the only person from California or the region on the short list of recipients and potential recipients. Each year 10 Benedict Fellowships are awarded to seniors planning to attend graduate or professional school. The fellowships honor Harry Benedict, Alpha Chi's first president.
On April 20, the FPU chapter honored six faculty as members' most inspirational teachers. The teachers and students who nominated them are: Don Stillwell, education, nominated by Greaver-Cordova; Pamela Johnston, history and classics, nominated by Daniel Crosby; Priscilla Ewert, natural science, nominated by April Fujihara; Steve Pauls, natural science, nominated by Jennifer Johnson; Dieter Wulfhorst, music, nominated by Emily Lyons; and Patricia DeBenedetto, music, nominated by Matthew Michael.
Several Alpha Chi members also received top honors in their field at the FPU honors convocation April 23. They are: Paige Abeytia, business; Jeff Friesen, pre-health science; Cordova, English; Meredith Wing, music; Crosby, history; and Ericka Statema, psychology.
Alpha Chi has active chapters at 300 colleges and universities in almost every state in the United States, as well as Puerto Rico. The society admits no more than the top 10 percent of juniors, seniors and graduate students, registering about 11,000 new members each year.