Phi Beta Kappa Initiates New Members During 2024 Convocation Ceremony The Phi Beta Kappa chapter at Washington and Lee University welcomed 54 students into the prestigious honor society.

By Emily Innes
April 11, 2024

The Phi Beta Kappa chapter at Washington and Lee University welcomed 54 members of the junior and senior classes into the prestigious honor society at the Phi Beta Kappa/Society of the Cincinnati Convocation held Friday, April 5 in Northen Auditorium. The honorees were inducted into Phi Beta Kappa based on their exceptional academic achievements in the arts and sciences.

Elliott King, associate professor of art history and president of W&L’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter, and Kyle Friend, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry and Phi Beta Kappa Secretary/Treasurer, and Matthew Loar, director of fellowships and Phi Beta Kappa Vice President, opened the convocation by welcoming the newest members and providing an overview of the national history of Phi Beta Kappa, as well as the history of the organization’s local chapter.

President Will Dudley delivered the convocation address. Dudley became the 27th president of Washington and Lee University on January 1, 2017. Before coming to W&L, Dudley served as provost and professor of philosophy at Williams College. He continues to teach at W&L, offering seminars on virtue ethics and liberal arts education. In his address, Dudley spoke about the importance of a wide liberal arts education and congratulated the student initiates who have excelled among the high-achieving student body for which W&L is nationally known.

This year’s student initiates to Phi Beta Kappa are:

Class of 2024
• Margaret Alexander
• George Alford
• Danish Bokhari
• Anna Bosking
• Guangpu Chen
• Cami Fischmann
• Jaden Keuhner
• Gabriella Kogan
• Diwesh Kumar
• Sean Lee
• Spencer Merrell
• Charlotte Peete
• Ellie Penner
• Julia Raskin
• Emma Robertson
• Brad Singer
• Jake Winston
• Will Xue

Class of 2025
• Andrew Abernathy
• Mohammed Albotabeekh
• Lui Blomberg
• Hannah Burke
• Caroline Evans
• Claire Gilreath
• Zac Goodwin
• Maria Gradilla-Alvarez
• Lou Langhorne
• Sarah Lathrop
• Madison Lilly
• Caroline Linen
• Emma Malinak
• Charlie Micek
• Austin Molitor
• Sam Moore
• Lizzy Nguyen
• Linh Nguyen
• Demetri Patrinos
• Walt Phillips
• Jason Raymond
• Emily Sansbury
• Tom Son
• Parker Sparks
• Drew Thompson
• Shannon Tozier
• Tara Trinley
• Ellie Veenhof
• Ignas Volcokas
• Katie Wagner
• Michael Wang
• Joanne Wang
• Ava Wilkes
• Trip Wright
• Lydia Yang
• Runze Zhu

Phi Beta Kappa was founded in 1776 at the College of William and Mary. Its motto is “Love of learning is the guide of life.” The Gamma of Virginia Chapter was chartered at W&L in 1911.

If you know a W&L student who has done great, accolade-worthy things, tell us about them! Nominate them for an accolade.