Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholars

 

The Delaware Valley Association is fortunate to have 8 college and university Phi Beta Kappa Chapters in our region.  The Phi Beta Kappa national Visiting Scholars program supports bringing eminent annually designated academic scholars as speakers to Chapters across the country.  The Rho Chapter of Pennsylvania at Temple University co-hosted PBK Visiting Scholar, Dan Simon, LLB, SJD, on February 13, 2020.  Professor Simon is the Richard L. and Maria B. Crutcher Professor of Law and Psychology, at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. His public lecture was entitled "The Psychology of False Confessions - and True Ones, Too". The other co-sponsors of Professor Simon's lecture were Temple University's Criminal Justice Dept., Psychology Dept., and its Beasley School of Law. 

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Mini TED-like talks - What I Care About - Environmental Impact Issues:

April 1; 7:00pm  - An exciting hour-long virtual event, for 3 PBK members to briefly and concisely share their work or projects/activities that they care greatly about, and take Q&A. This session will be by 3 members whose professional work has an impact on the environment in various ways:  moderator/speaker R. Alan Mason ("Ocean Plastics Near and Far"), and speakers Julia Madey ("Sustainable Development Economics Relating to Green Roofs"), and Anthony Vecchio ("Sustainability/Longevity of Water Infrastructure"). Enjoy these engaging and stimulating discussions on timely and interesting topics from PBK colleagues.  No charge event.  Register here.

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Temple PBK Chapter

Co-Sponsors Economics

Nobel Lecture

The PBK Rho of Pennsylvania Chapter at Temple University

co-sponsored the Third Annual Nobel Prize Lecture in

Economics at Temple on 10/23/20, given by Associate 

Professor of Economics Dimitrios Diamantaras,

devoted to the two 2020 Nobel laureates and their

contributions to Economics.

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Grateful Thanks and Acknowledgement

The Phi Beta Kappa Association of the Delaware Valley recently received two very appreciated donations.  One was gratefully received In Memory of Evy Udell, who was a past secretary of our organization and very involved in our success some years back, generously given to support the charitable activities of our organization.  The second recent donation was received with appreciation from current member William Thomas, to support virtual programs, which are especially being enjoyed by our members at this time.

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Young Professionals Start GroupMe Communications

Jamey Harman and Stephen Cupschalk have initiated a GroupMe communications platform for Young Professionals within Phi Beta Kappa of the Delaware Valley and the surrounding areas of PA, NJ, and DE.  Join the group "PBK Delaware Valley Young Members" on GroupMe by clicking HERE, to participate with others who are building their careers in the wider Delaware Valley.

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Feb. 2021 Key Conversations:

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Evie Schockley, JD, PhD, Professor of English at Rutgers University, Poet, and PBK Visiting Scholar

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Professor Schockley is the author of three books of poetry, two of which won the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award in Poetry, and one of those, semiautomatic (Wesleyan, 2017), also was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the Los Angeles times Book Prize.  Her publications also include critical studies, essays, and poems appearing in the US and internationally. 

 

Among her honors are the Lannan Literary Award, the Stephen Henderson Award, the Holmes National Poetry Prize, and fellowships from the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and the American Council of Learned Societies.

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Click here to hear Professor Schockley in conversation with Frederick Lawrence, Secretary/CEO of Phi Beta Kappa, about the role of poetry in social justice, documenting and analyzing our lived experiences through poems, and why, contrary to popular belief, poems are one of the most accessible mediums of expression.  Professor Schockley also reads two of her poems in the recording. 

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May 13, 2021 - 7:00 pm.

Virtual Movie Club - "The Mauritanian"

 

Virtual discussion of the film, "The Mauritanian", based on a true story, starring Tahir Rahim as a Guantanamo captive held for 10 years without charge or trial, finally able to connect with lawyers (Jodie Foster with assistant Shailene Woodley), with Benedict Cumberbach as a military prosecutor.  Academy Award contender. View online, and click here to register to meet via Zoom on May 13, 2021, at 7:00 PM, for a thoughtful, interactive discussion.  No charge event. 

Day Hike - Ridley Creek State Park - "Southern Trails Loop":

May 15; 11:00am- Enjoy a 2 hr. moderate hike in a social distancing manner on Sat., 5/15, with a friendly PBK group.  Meet at Ridley Creek State Park, Site 16 parking lot at 11:00 am.  Bring a sack lunch. Friend/families wecome.  No charge event. Read more. Register here.

PBK Delaware Valley Holds Annual Meeting

The Phi Beta Kappa Assn. of the Delaware Valley Annual Meeting was held virtually on Oct. 13, 2020, when elections were held for 2020-2021 Officers and Council members, listed in About Us.  

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Click to download the PDF of the Annual Meeting slides: 

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Distinguished Speaker Series- Craig Santoro, WHYY Director of Educational Programs:

May 20; 7:00pm- Virtual presentation on the acclaimed WHYY Media Labs program, where WHYY staff are working in 42 diverse schools in the Delaware Valley to teach media skills to middle & high schoolers as a life-building experience, a potential career path, and to reinforce other classroom learning, STEM skills, etc.  You will be inspired to hear how this terrific effort by WHYY is making a difference in our communities. Q&A opportunity after the presentation.  Read more. No charge event.  Click here to register.  

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PBK Member Named 2021 Rhodes Scholar

Mackenzie Fierceton, PBK 2020 U. Penn, was named

on Nov. 21, 2020 as one of the 32 Americans to receive

a full scholarship for up to four years of graduate study at

Oxford University starting in 2021.  Ms. Fierceton is currently

in a clinical Masters degree program at Penn in social work,

and plans to pursue a PhD in social sciences at Oxford, to

study how welfare policies in the US, United Kingdom, and

Norway impact the number of teens who go from foster care

to the criminal justice system, and how to reverse that trend,

particularly for young people of color. Read the Penn news release. 

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Young Professionals Advisory Committee Promoting New Programs Including Outdoor Events

The Young Professionals section of Phi Beta Kappa Delaware Valley established a Young Professionals Advisory Committee (YPAC), that has been active since October 2020 overseeing programs and advising Council.  YPAC members are listed here. 

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YPAC has established successful monthly virtual Happy Hour events with optional game nights, during pandemic limitations on in person socializing/networking. An Instagram account has been established to publicize PBK-DV events. 

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New programs include a series of virtual Mini TED-Like Talks events, at which members can present issues that they care about for lively discussion, with the first event on April 1, 2021.  Additionally, an online Mentorship Matching Program for PBK's in our region is getting underway to offer career advising and potential career connections.  

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Once CDC guidelines reflected new recommendations for vaccinated individuals vis a vis outdoor activities, PBK Delaware Valley Young Professionals have organized outdoor events for PBK's to connect, including hikes, minor league baseball games, etc.

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Phi Beta Kappa at Temple University Hosted PBK Visiting Scholar 

The Rho Chapter of Pennsylvania at Temple University 

co-hosted PBK Visiting Scholar, Joseph E. Aldy, PhD, on March

19, 2021.  Professor Aldy is Professor of the Practice of Public

Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, who gave a great

presentation on "Saving the Planet Cost-Effectively".  His research

focuses on climate change policy, energy policy, and regulatory

policy.  He also serves as the Faculty Chair of the Mossavar-

Rahmani Center for Business and Government Regulatory Policy

Program.  In 2009-2010, he served as the Special ASsistant to

President Obama for Energy and Environment.  He previously

served as Co-Director of the Harvard Project on International

Climate Agreements, Co-Director of the International Energy

Workshop and worked on the staff of the President's Council of

Economic Advisers. The other co-sponsor of Professor Aldy's

lecture was  the Temple University College of Liberal Arts Public

Policy Lab.

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Day Hikes  

June 19, 10:30am- Enjoy an approx. 2 hr. moderate hike in a social distancing manner on Sat., 6/19, with a friendly PBK group.  Meet at the John James Audubon Center (Montgomery County) visitor parking lot (see trail map) at 10:30 am for intro before heading on the trail. Bring a sack lunch. Friend(s)/families wecome. Park entry fee: Adults $4, Seniors $3, Ages 4-17 $2. Read more. Register here.

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July 24, 10:30am- Enjoy an approx. 2 hr. moderate hike in a social distancing manner on Sat., 7/24, with a friendly PBK group.  Meet at the Brandywine Creek State Park (No. DE, east of Winterthur Gardens, close to the DE/PA state line) Hawk Watch parking lot (see trail map) at 10:30 am for intro before heading on the trail. Bring a sack lunch. Friend(s)/families wecome. . Read more. Register here.

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August 15; 6:05 pm - Come out to socialize and connect with other PBK's at  Frawley Stadium, just off I-95 in Wilmington's lively riverfront area, for a High-A baseball game between the Wilmington "Blue Rocks" (Nationals) vs. the Brooklyn "Cyclones" (Mets).  Tickets will be purchased as a block for those registering/prepaying by August 4, 2021, at $15 each (No group rate). Enjoy the fun atmosphere unique to minor league baseball. Friend(s)/family welcome.  Directions for Wilmington Blue Rocks Frawley Stadium parking.  Click here to register and prepay for ticket(s).

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June 17, 2021 - 7:00 pm.

Mini TED-like talks - What I Care About - "Quantum Computing; Star Formation & Virtual Particles; and Theatrical Superstitions"

An exciting hour-long virtual event, for 3 PBK members to briefly and concisely share their work or projects/activities that they care greatly about, and take Q&A. This session will have moderator/speaker Shea Sandifer ("Quantum Computing") and speakers John Faulhaber ("Star Formation and Virtual Particles"), and Anastasia (Tasha) Hutnick ("Theatrical Superstitions"). Enjoy these engaging and stimulating discussions on timely and interesting topics from PBK colleagues.  No charge event.  Register here.

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June 19, 2021 - 10:30 am.

Day Hike - John James Audubon Center, Montgomery County

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Meet at 10:30 am at the John James Audubon Center (1201 Pawlings Rd., Audubon, PA) Visitor Parking Lot (trail map) for introductions and hike route description, before heading out to hike.  Then enjoy an approx. 2 hr. moderate hike in a social distancing manner with other friendly PBK's, led by PBK Young Professional members, Caroline Amodeo and R. Alan Mason.  Bring a sack lunch to enjoy at a suitable place.  Option afterwards to add more trail or view the Audubon Center Museum (separate fee). Friend(s)/families welcomed. Pay park fee on entrance: Aduts $4, Seniors $3, Ages 4-17 $2.  Register here.

 

July 24, 2021 - 10:30 am.

Day Hike - Brandywine Creek State Park, No. DE

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Meet at 10:30 am at the Brandywine Creek State Park (41 Adams Dam Rd., Wilmington, DE) Hawk Watch parking lot (see trail map) for introductions and hike route description, before heading out to hike.  The Park is just east of Winterthur Gardens, and just south of the PA state line. Then enjoy an approx. 2 hr. moderate hike in a social distancing manner with other friendly PBK's, led by PBK Young Professional members, Caroline Amodeo and R. Alan Mason.  Bring a sack lunch to enjoy at a suitable place.  Option afterwards to add more trail. Friend(s)/families welcomed.  Register here.

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August 14, 2021 - 6:05 pm.

Washington Nationals High-A vs. NY Mets High-A Baseball Game, Wilmington, DE

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Come out to socialize and connect with other PBK's at  Frawley Stadium, just off I-95 in Wilmington's lively riverfront area, for a High-A baseball game between the Wilmington "Blue Rocks" (Nationals) vs. the Brooklyn "Cyclones" (Mets).  Tickets will be purchased as a block for those registering/prepaying by August 4, 2021, at $15 each (no group rate offered by this stadium for regular seating). Enjoy connecting with other PBK's, as well as the fun atmosphere unique to minor league baseball. Friend(s)/family welcome.  Directions for Wilmington Blue Rocks Frawley Stadium parking.  Click here to register and prepay for ticket(s).

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Young Professionals casual virtual Happy Hour including a virtual game:

June 24; 7:00pm- Take a break! Socialize virtually for 30 min. with other early-career PBK's in two successive, peer-moderated breakout rooms, to meet, converse, and share, followed by 30 min. for virtual Kahoot summer trivia.   No charge event.  Click here to register.

 

Highlight from the May 2021 Phi Beta Kappa Society Newsletter:

Lafayette College Faculty  Member Wins PBK Fellowship:

Annie Laurens de Saussure, Assistant Professor of French at Lafayette College, is the winner of the 2021 Phi Beta Kappa Walter J. Jensen Fellowship in recognition of her exceptional work as a scholar and teacher of French language, literature, and culture. Established in 2001 by Professor Walter J. Jensen (ΦΒΚ, UCLA), the award provides this year’s winner with a stipend and round-trip travel to France for six months of continuous study. 

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Prof. De Saussure earned her Ph.D. from Yale University and plans to use the Jensen Fellowship for her project “Race, Radio, and the Republic: Decolonizing French Airwaves 1970-1990.” She will examine “the cultural, literary, and social dimensions of the radios libres movement by highlighting the ways in which marginalized groups engaged in radio-activism to ensure that their voices would be heard and to contest the highly centralized institution of French broadcasting.”

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Prof. De Saussure’s research in France will be the foundation for a scholarly monograph on the use of radio broadcasting by marginalized communities as a tool of empowerment. She plans to incorporate her research into her teaching to help equip students with a strong basis for scholarly inquiry and French cultural exploration.

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March 2021 Newsletter

Visiting Scholars Program:

Thirteen renowed individuals from a wide variety of professional fields have been selected as the 2021-2022 Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholars. 

.These 13 scholars will visit more than 100 colleges and universities acoss the country during the next academic year to share their scholarship, providing undergraduates with the opportunity to interacct with some of America's leading thinkers.  Each visit lasts two days and includes classroom discussions and seminars, informal meetings with students and faculty members, and a free public lecture. 

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Many of the Visiting Scholars also will participate in the Key Conversations podcast, in an interview format with Frederick Lawrence, Secretary/CEO of Phi Beta Kappa.

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October 21, 2021 - 7:00 pm.

Young Professionals Virtual Happy Hour with Optional Game Night

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Take a break! Socialize virtually with other early-career PBK's in two successive, 15-min. peer-moderated breakout rooms, to meet, network, and converse, followed by 30 min. of fun interaction with colleagues via a virtual game.  October's game = Skribbl.io.  Organized and moderated by members of PBK Delaware Valley's Young Professionals Advisory Committee. No charge event. Click here to register.

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Nominations Open for Election of Officers and Council Members

Nominations for the coming year's Officers and Council Members of PBK Delaware Valley are open now for terms beginning October 8, 2021.  The Election will take place at the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Association, which will be held virtually on October, 7, 2021, at 7:00 pm, to which all members are invited to participate. Self-nominations are encouraged, with a deadline of Sept. 17, 2021, to meet our Bylaws requirement for timely announcement of the election slate.

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Highlight from the Phi Beta Kappa Society virtual Triennial Council Meeting (Aug. 3-6, 2021):

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On the evening of Aug. 3, 2021, participants enjoyed the very thoughtful and stimulating virtual "Evening in Conversation" with award-winning scholars and authors, Annette Gordon-Reed and Viet Thanh Nguyen, which was moderated by Kevin Young, and hosted by Phi Beta Kappa Society Secretary/CEO, Frederick Lawrence.

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Two outstanding scholars, authors, and social/cultural commentators, and both winners of the MacArthur Foundation "genius award" fellowships, Annette Gordon-Reed, the Carl M. Loeb University Professor at Harvard, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award, along with Viet Thanh Nguyen, University Professor and Aerol Arnold Chair of English at the University of Southern California, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and finalist for the National Book Award, were led in conversation by noted poet, author, and editor, Kevin Young, the Andrew W. Mellon Director of the National Museum of African American HIstory and Culture, and poetry editor of the New Yorker.

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In conjuction with the discussion, two prestigious awards from Phi Beta Kappa, each of which is only awarded every three years at the PBK Triennial Council, were bestowed upon the honorees:

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Professor Gordon-Reed received the Phi Beta Kappa Award for Distinguished Service to the Humanities, which includes a cash prize and a medal named for Mr. and Mrs. William B. Jaffe, whose gift enabled PBK to create this award in 1970.  

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Professor Nguyen received the Sydney Hook Memorial Award, which recognizes national distinction by a single scholar in each of three endeavors:  scholarship, undergraduate teaching, and leadership in the cause of liberal arts education, established in 1991 in memory of distinguished American philospher and PBK member, Sidney Hook.

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[NB:  Professor Nguyen's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "The Sympathizer was the PBK Delaware Valley Book Club's selection for June 2021.]

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October 7, 2021 - 7:00 pm.

Annual Meeting - Phi Beta Kappa Assn. of the Delaware Valley

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All PBK Delaware Valley members are invited to attend & participate in the Association's 2021 Virtual Annual Meeing via Zoom on October 14, 2021, at 7:00 PM.  The past year's activities & plans for the coming year will be presented & discussed, along with a vote on proposed Bylaws updates and election of Officers and for open seats on the governing Council of the Assocation.  PBK Delaware Valley members have been emailed the agenda, proposed Bylaws changes, candidate slate with candidate information, and the Zoom login link information for the meeting closer to the date.

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October 14, 2021 - 7:00 pm.

Virtual Book Club - "Where the Crawdads Sing"

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Virtual discussion of the novel, "Where the Crawdads Sing".  Written by wildlife scientist Delia Owens and 129 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list, it is currently being filmed on location, with the film to be released in summer 2022.  The novel intertwines the story of a young woman growing up isolated in the marshes of North Carolina, along with the murder investigation of a local celebrity in a coastal North Carolina town. Obtain from your local bookseller or library, and meet via Zoom on October 14, 2021, at 7:00 PM, for a thoughtful, interactive discussion.  No charge event. Click here to register.

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Tasha Hutnick Designs Website for Publication of Incarcerated Writers' Works

Anastasia "Tasha" Hutnick, PBK 2020 UPenn, worked with a

collaboration of two professors from Penn and Rowan University

who have a project, "P.O. Box 34", which pairs university students

with incarcerated writers, to provide the writers with feedback on

their original work, ranging from fiction to nonfiction, screenplays

to novels, and poetry to prose.  Hutnick designed the website that

allows the works to reach a larger audience, for feedback from

and engagement with additional artists and other interested

readers/collaborators.  The site is low-tech to work within prisons

and even without reliable internet connections.  Read more.

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Sujay Ratna Named PBK Key into Public Service Scholar

Sujay Ratna, Rutgers-Camden 2021, has been named one of 20

PBK Key into Public Service Scholars for 2021, from among over

800 applicants, receiving a $5000 scholarship and receive training

and mentoring from PBK on pathways to active citizenship.  A Biology

graduate with minors in Sociology and Chemistry, active in brain tumor

research and the American Medical Student Association, Ratna will

attend the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai.

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Local PBK Chapters Announce 2021 Inductees

The following Delaware Valley PBK Chapters have announced their 2021

Inductees on their websites: Villanova University (Sigma of Pennsylvania);  

University of Pennsylvania (Delta of Pennsylvania);  University of Delaware

(Alpha of Delaware); Rutgers-Camden (Alpha of New Jersey), and St. Joseph's 

University (Phi of Pennsylvania). Congratulations to all of our new PBK members!

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PBK National Newsletter Hightlighted Delaware Valley Assn. leader, Jeff Jones

The "Behind the Key" column of a recent PBK National

Newsletter and the PBK National website featured our Phi Beta

Kappa Association of the Delaware Valley's Jeff Jones.  Jeff

is one of our Association's Council Members, as well as Chairing

the PBK Delaware Valley Book & Movie Club.

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Jeff is quoted as saying, "I am incredibly excited about our

association's recent graduates.  We worked really hard to

create events that these members would find engaging.....

We now have an active book club, movie club, and Young

Professionals happy hours."  Click here to read the entire article.

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Election of Officers and Council Members

The 2021 PBK Delaware Valley Annual Meeting was held on October 7, 2021, with a review of the past year, approval of Bylaws revisions, and election of Officers and Council Members. Congratulations to Patricia Kapur and William Howard, who were re-elected as President and Vice-President, respectively, and to Margaret Bacheler who was elected as Treasurer, and to Regina DeRosa who was elected as Secretary.  Congratulations to Council Members:  Ronald Anderson who was re-elected, and new members: Tali Segal, Geraldine Fish, R. Alan Mason, Doug Bobrow, Caroline Amodeo, Shea Sandifer, and Matt Stetz.

Tours of Adjacent Doylestown Museums + Lunch

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November 6, 2021, 10:45 am.  Meet at 10:45 am at the acclaimed Michener Art Museum, for an 11:00 am private guided tour followed by a private lunch for those registered before 10/23/21 catering deadline, and then time to revisit galleries. Optional add-on to then walk across the street to the fascinating Mercer Museum for an introductory staff talk followed by a self-guided tour.  Free open-lot parking or short walk from Septa Regional Rail Station.  Michener Museum: 1 slot remaining for group-rate entry fee, 1 hr. private tour, additional viewing time, but without included lunch (museum cafe available): $20 adults, $18 seniors; $10 Michener members. Optional add-on Mercer Museum: group-rate entry fee, staff intro talk, and self-guided tour: $10. Friends/family welcome.  Please read details.  Click here to register/pre-pay. 

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Virtual Distinguished Speaker - Indra Nooyi, former PepsiCo Chairwoman & CEO

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Nov. 29, 2:00 pm. The Brandywine LaunchBox powered by Penn State Brandywine is a proud sponsor of the November 29th Arts and Business Council of Greater Philadelphia Defining Innovation virtual event. Our member, Margaret Bacheler, is connecting PBK Delaware Valley paid members to this event, which will feature the former chairwoman and CEO of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi. Ms. Nooyi is the first woman of color and immigrant to lead a Fortune 50 company. Event fee = $25.  However PBK Delaware Valley paid members have received an e-mail with details of the event and a discount code to apply at check-out for complementary free registration. Click here to register.  Questions: info@pbkdelawarevalley.org

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PBK Delaware Valley

Event Planning Survey

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PBK DV has developed a few-minute survey to solicit input for event planning for 2022 from PBK DV members and Young Professional (YP) event participants.  The link to the online survey has been sent to PBK DV members and YP participants in the respective e-Newsletters.  The goal is to offer a spectrum of events in 2022 that includes something of interest for each of the varied cohorts of PBK members who overlappingly live, work, and enjoy in our tri-state area of SE PA, So. Jersey, and Delaware.  We ask all PBK DV members and YP participants to complete the survey so we have accurate input as to what types of events should be planned!

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