Peru, Nebraska – Six Peru State College students were recently inducted into the Nebraska Delta Chapter of Alpha Chi.

The Alpha Chi National Honor Society was founded in 1922 to recognize and promote academic excellence among college and university students of all disciplines, to encourage a spirit of service and leadership, and to nurture the elements of character that make scholarship effective for good.

Dr. Sara Westerlin, assistant professor of education, serves as the advisor for the local chapter. Dr. Westerlin noted the six inducted (majors and hometown included): Kelsi Leininger – senior human resource/risk management and public administration from Shenandoah, IA; MaKayla Nagengast – senior disease and health from Falls City; Kristin Olmstead – senior K-6 special education from Nebraska City; Rylee Pieper – senior biochemical science from Western; Olivia Welch – senior K-12 special education from Peru; and Bryanna Woodard – senior wildlife ecology from Homer.

Pieper, who serves as president of the local chapter, stated, “As president of Alpha Chi, I am proud of this group for coming together and making this national honor society more active this year. It hasn’t been active the last few years due to Covid and an advisor change. We all came together and made the best out of the situation.”

Continuing, Pieper added, “We have done many community service projects, and our induction ceremony went very well. It’s an honor to be in the top ten percent of students on campus and I am glad we got to celebrate these students with our induction ceremony.” 

Alpha Chi’s name is derived from the initial letters of the Greek words ALETHIA, meaning TRUTH, and XAPAKTHP, meaning CHARACTER. Its membership is limited to the top ten percent of eligible juniors, seniors, and graduate students on each college or university campus.

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