Students Inducted to Prestigious Academic Honor Society

Published April 16, 2025

A select group of UB students will soon join the Phi Beta Kappa (PBK) National Honor Society, which is widely considered the highest general academic honor an undergraduate can receive.  

Phi Beta Kappa's membership includes a cast of famous members like Amanda Gorman, Peyton Manning, President Eisenhower and President Roosevelt, Sonia Sotomayor, Mark Twain and more. This year, a group of nearly 100 diverse, talented and accomplished UB students will join the ranks. 

"Phi Beta Kappa membership embodies the essence of being a well-rounded thinker. While an exceptional GPA is a prerequisite for invitation, it is more than just academic achievement according to the numbers," says Mark Seery, PhD, president of UB’s Phi Beta Kappa and professor in the Department of Psychology. "Members actively pursue and attain a comprehensive liberal arts education, encompassing both depth in major studies and breadth of knowledge."

The new UB members will officially inducted into the prestigious academic honor society on April 23 in the Woldman Theatre in 190 Norton Hall on UB’s North Campus. The induction to Phi Beta Kappa is a testament to a student’s exceptional achievement in the liberal arts and sciences.

"These students view their time at UB as an opportunity to develop as lifelong learners and well-rounded individuals. This kind of experience and approach to life equips young adults with the skills and mindset necessary for success in any chosen path," adds Seery.

Students are nominated to join under rigorous guidelines. In addition to being an undergraduate student who completed 90 hours of diverse breadth and depth coursework with a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or higher, students must also demonstrate an intermediate proficiency in a foreign language.

"I’ve always wondered if one day my curiosity and thirst for learning might become acknowledged: hours studying in the library, sometimes being the only one in class with my hand raised, and personal time spent exploring course topics for fun," says Caramia Michno, a senior student graduating with double bachelor's degrees in Psychology and a Statistics. "Phi Betta Kappa recognized that spark within me and assured me that all my hard work and effort, which may have gone unnoticed by others – was something of profound value."

“Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the brightest young minds anywhere, both as a course instructor and research mentor," says Seery. "I’m well aware of the capabilities of UB students, and this year’s Phi Beta Kappa class certainly lives up to those expectations.”

Precious Omowunmi Alamu, Neuroscience BS, Linguistics BA
Karla Allen, Linguistics BA
Alexander Barletta, Biomedical Engineering BS, Mathematics BA
Isabella Rose Boswell, Psychology BS
Enrico Stefano Bozac, Political Science BA
Simone Brock, Psychology BA
Jeffrey Cai, Computational Physics BS, Computer Science BS
Kaiqi Chen, Biological Sciences BA
Max Hollmer Chernetsky, History BA/Social Studies Adolescence Education EdM
Andrew Chow, Biomedical Science BS
Seth Cohen, Environmental Geosciences BS
Erinn Claire Cosgrove, Dance BFA, Communication BA
Rowan Dobson, Political Science BA, Global Affairs BA, Jewish Studies BA
Sarah Graham England, Psychology BS
Madison Enser, Neuroscience BS
Emily Esposito, Mathematics BA
Arsela Farsi, Psychology BA, Law BAI
Jack Anthony Forster, Biochemistry BS
Charles Timothy Freeman, Physics BA
Anna Freitas, Biological Sciences BS
Badar Goraya, Biomedical Science BS, Neuroscience BS
Daniel Joseph Hammerschmidt, Media Study BA
Jessica Hanes, Biomedical Science BS
Noah Harvey, Political Science BA
Aine Hoekstra, Chemistry BS
Jordan Horn, Social Sciences Interdisciplinary BA
Yakun Hu, Bioinformatics and Computational, Biology BS
Ysai Janosch Huebner, Political Science BA, Philosophy BA
Christopher Ray Jodoin, Jr., Biomedical Science BS, Psychology BA
Liam Jones, Physics BS
Faheem Ayaz Khawar, Economics BA, Mathematics BA, Statistics BA
Cameron Jaymes Kiner, Public Health BS/ MPH
Victor Leo, Pharmacolgy and Toxicolgy BS
Qing Ya Vera Lim, Communication BA
Rachel Lim, Political Science BA
Huy Kim Lu, Pharmacolgy and Toxicolgy BS
Fatima Bello Makama, Public Health BS
Gianna Elizabeth Maloney, Biomedical Science BS
Jordan Manly, Health and Human Services BA, Early Childhood Education EdM
Grace Maxson, Environmental Geosciences BS
Brandon John Mcilvain, Biochemistry BS
Nyia V. Meyers, Linguistics BA
Caramia Sofia Michno, Psychology BS, Statistics BA
Neha Nattanmai, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology BS
Shahryar Navaid, Public Health BS
Julie Marie Nisbet, Anthropology BA, Spanish BA
Emma Rachel Ogilvie, Biological Sciences BS
Emily Olearczyk, Psychology BA
Emelie Patrick, History BA/Social Studies Adolescence Education EdM
Selena August Pereyra, Psychology BA, Dance BFA
Lauren Elizabeth Phung, Environment Sustainability BA, Geographic Information Sci BS
Lorenzo Joseph Price, Computer Science BS
Rowan Radel, Psychology BA
Brian Ren, Computer Science BS
Ryan Carter Saab, Mathematics BA, Chemistry BS
Lowell Santoro, Psychology BA
Nicholas Tristan Sarris, History BA
Mia Scott, Psychology BA
Fiona Love Serrano, History BA, English BA, Global Gender Studies BA
Kira Sethi, Dance BA, Architecture BS
Luke Sheehan, Economics BA
Lindsey M. Siao, Biomedical Science BS
Micah Sinclair, Psychology BA
Emaan Sohail, Biomedical Science BS
Isabella Valentina Sotgiu, Linguistics BA/English for Speakers of Other Languages, Education EdM, Italian BA
Vanessa Marie Spano, Psychology BA, History BA
Tristan Charles Spotts, Psychology BA, Spanish BA
John Thomas Stanton, Political Science BA
Alayna Rae Starr, Legal Studies BA
Sierra Morgan Streebel, Philosophy BA
Kathryn Szynkowski, Psychology BA, Criminology BA
Jasmine Ellen Thai, Biomedical Science BS
Akshay Tiwari, Biomedical Science BS
Tien Tran, Mathematics BA, Computer Science BS
Nazhlah Thompson, Communication BA, Law BA
Vanessa Waldron, Exercise Science BS
Jasmine Nicole White, Dance BFA, Psychology BA
Jessica Ann Williams, Political Science BA, Law BA
Jacob P. Wright, Biological Sciences BS
Sabrina Iris Wroblewski, Communication BA

Founded in 1776, Phi Beta Kappa membership is touted as a mark of distinction recognized by graduate schools and employers throughout the country. According to Phi Beta Kappa, the organization is “uniquely equipped to advocate for the value and benefits of liberal arts and sciences education.”

For more information about UB’s chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, visit the College’s website.