Honor Societies

Phi Eta Sigma 

 

Several national honor societies have chapters at John Jay College. They include:

 

Alpha Kappa Delta (AKD), the International Sociology Honor Society. Membership in AKD is open to Sociology and Criminology students with high academic achievement based on their overall grade point average of at least a 3.3, a GPA of at least a 3.0 in their major, and completion of at least four courses in sociology.  

AKD was founded in 1920 at the University of Southern California by Dr. E.S. Bogardus. Thename, Alpha Kappa Delta, represents the first three letters of three Greek words: anthropon (mankind), katamanthanein (to investigate thoroughly or to conduct research) and diakonesein (for the purpose of service). The name, freely interpreted, signifies social research for the purpose of service. There are more than 130,000 members in AKD and 670 chapters.  AKD at John Jay was started in 2016 when the Sociology Department became a chapter of the Society, Beta Theta of New York.  

All eligible students are invited to become members by the Sociology Department and to participate in an induction ceremony each spring.  Inducted students can purchase honor cords they can wear at graduation.  For more information about AKD, go to www.alphakappadelta.orgwww.alphakappadelta.org or write to AKD Faculty Representative Professor Maria R. Volpe mvolpe@jjay.cuny.edu

National Criminal Justice Honor Society
Alpha Phi Sigma, the nationally recognized honor society for undergraduate and graduate students in the criminal justice sciences. The honor society is open to undergraduates with a declared major in Correctional Studies, Computer Information Systems in Criminal Justice and Public Administration, Criminal Justice - Bachelor of Arts, Criminal Justice - Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice Administration and Planning, Criminology, Deviant Behavior and Social Control, Forensic Science, International Criminal Justice, Judicial Studies, Legal Studies, Police Studies and Security Management. The honor society is open to those seeking graduate degrees in Criminal Justice (including Ph.D. program), Forensic Science, Forensic Computing, and Protection Management.

To be eligible for membership, all students must have a minimum of 3.4 overall GPA, and a 3.4 GPA in their major or graduate program. Undergraduates must have completed a minimum of six classes within their major, and graduate students must have completed a minimum of four courses within their graduate program. All applicants must have completed at least one- third of their total credits required for graduation at John Jay College (not including transfer credits). Applications are accepted during a membership drive in the spring semester. For more information please email aps@jjay.cuny.edu

National Honor Society for SEEK Students
John Jay College was the first CUNY college to establish chapters of Chi Alpha Epsilon National Honor Society. The Alpha Xi and Alpha Xi Omega chapters of Chi Alpha Epsilon were established in October 2000. SEEK students may be elected to the corresponding chapter of the honor society when they have completed two semesters of full-time, non-developmental work with a 3.0 average GPA. For more information please contact Prof. Virginia Diaz in the SEEK Department at: vdiaz@jjay.cuny.edu

International Honor Society in Economics
The newly established Omicron Delta Epsilon chapter at John Jay College, Beta Phi, recognizes scholastic excellence in economics.  Eligible applicants must have completed 12 credits of economic classes taken at JJC (12 credits with an ECO prefix); a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better; and a GPA of 3.0 or better in economics courses. 
For more information about Omicron Delta Epsilon please visit their website at: www.omicrondeltaepsilon.org .  For more information about the JJC Chapter please contact the faculty advisor, Professor Christian Parenti at: cparenti@jjay.cuny.edu. 

In 1999, John Jay College established a chapter of Phi Eta Sigma. As the oldest and largest national freshman honor society, Phi Eta Sigma encourages and rewards academic excellence among first-year students in institutions of higher learning. Membership is open to individuals who have earned GPAs of 3.5 or better during one or both semesters of their freshman year as full-time students at John Jay College.  Students may join retroactively.  

In 1977, John Jay College established a chapter of Pi Alpha Alpha, the National Honorary Society for Public Affairs and Administration. Under the auspices of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), this honorary society:

• Encourages and rewards scholarship and accomplishment among students and practitioners of public affairs and administration;

• Promotes advancement of education and scholarship in the art and science of public affairs and administration; and

• Fosters integrity and creative performance in the conduct of governmental and related public service operations.

For more information, please email Professor Melissa McShea (mmcshea@jjay.cuny.edu) and Professor Judy-Lynne Peters (jlpeters@jjay.cuny.edu).  

National Honorary Society for Psychology
Psi Chi is an international honor society whose purpose is to encourage, stimulate, and maintain excellence in scholarship and to advance the science of psychology.  As a member you will be eligible to apply for a variety of national awards and grants, as well as utilize online professional resources. Through the John Jay chapter, you will receive a monthly newsletter, be invited to our induction and graduation ceremonies and be part of a newly developing student mentorship program. For more information about the application process, please click here. If  you have any further questions – please do not hesitate to contact the faculty advisor Dr. Rebecca Weiss @Rweiss@jjay.cuny.edu

International English Honor Society
Back in 2006-07, a handful of literature-loving English minors founded John Jay’s chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, an international English Honor Society. Now that we have an English major, we are hopeful that we can grow our membership in this honor society and take full advantage of its benefits.

Membership in Sigma Tau Delta provides opportunities for literary awards and competitions, publication, scholarships, and participation in the annual national conference held each spring semester. Sigma Tau Delta also provides a framework for organizing local service projects as well as social events.

To become a member, candidates must have a minimum of two college courses in English language or literature beyond the usual requirements of first-year English composition. The candidate must have a minimum of a B or equivalent average in English. In general scholarship, he/she must rank at least in the highest thirty-five percent of his/her class, and must have completed at least three semesters or five quarters of college course work. There is a one-time $37 membership fee.

For more information about Sigma Tau Delta, check out their website at: www.english.org.  For more information about the John Jay chapter, contact Professor and Faculty Sponsor Professor John Staines at:  jstaines@jjay.cuny.edu .