C-N’s Alpha Chi chapter finds itself in familiar territory

When it comes to Carson-Newman University’s Alpha Chi chapter, Dr. Kip Wheeler is perfectly fine if history keeps repeating itself. The C-N chapter added another honor to its historical successes this week.

The Alpha Chi National College Honor Society announced C-N’s chapter earned the “Star Chapter” designation for the 2021-22 academic year. Carson-Newman’s Tennessee Delta Chapter was one of only 12 chapters in the nation to earn the status. It is also its 27^th consecutive year to be a Star Chapter.

“Being an Alpha Chi faculty sponsor is standing on the shoulders of giants,” said Wheeler, serves as associate professor of English. Past faculty sponsors and past student members have worked very hard for many decades to build up our local chapter, and the hard work has always paid off with national recognition.”

Lara Noah, executive director of Alpha Chi National College Honor Society, championed C-N’s accomplishment.

“The Tennessee Delta chapter of Alpha Chi has been blessed by decades of exemplary chapter advisors and leaders,” Noah said. “C-N’s Tennessee Delta Chapter is definitely one of our “gold standard” Alpha Chi chapters, and I was pleased to see they’d earned yet another Star Chapter Award for 2021-22.”

Among the award’s criteria are inducting new members locally, sending at least one chapter advisor and one student member to the annual national convention, having at least one student presentation on the convention program, nominating at least one student member for a national Alpha Chi fellowship or scholarship, sponsoring at least one on-campus program in promotion of scholarship, and completing the chapter’s annual report at the end of the academic year.

“For me, part of what makes the Carson-Newman chapter of Alpha Chi so special is that our students and faculty go the extra mile to shine in academics and in service,” Wheeler said. “Our organization’s name comes from the Greek letters of the words ‘Truth’ and ‘Character,’ and those two themes run throughout the history of our local membership.”