The nation’s oldest and most honored college honorary society, Phi Beta Kappa, inducted 18 UNC students from Orange County as new members in a recent induction ceremony.

New members received certificates and Phi Beta Kappa keys, the organization’s symbol, at the induction ceremony which featured a keynote address by Martin H. Brinkley, Dean of the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law and Distinguished Professor of Law Arch T. Allen

In total, 165 UNC students were inducted into the society, 103 of whom are from North Carolina.

Eligibility requirements for membership to the society are open to undergraduates in the college and professional degree programs who completed 75 hours of course work in the liberal arts and sciences with a GPA of 3.85 or better or any student who has completed 105 hours of course work in the liberal arts and sciences with a 3.75 GPA.

Less than one percent of all college students qualify and past and present members across the country have included 17 American presidents, 40 U.S. Supreme Court Justices and more than 130 Nobel Laureates.

Phi Beta Kappa has 286 chapters nationwide.

UNC’s chapter, Alpha of North Carolina, was founded in 1904 and is the oldest of seven chapters in the state.

Phi Beta Kappa chapters and alumni associations across the country raise and distribute more than $1 million in awards, scholarships and prizes benefiting high schools and college students every year.

The students from Orange County inducted this year are listed below as provided by UNC:

  • Mike Gaitens Arneson, a May 2017 graduate with an economics major and a business minor, of Chapel Hill.
  • Noah Patrick Balamucki, a senior with a music major and a history minor, son of Susan Hollobaugh and Richard Balamucki of Chapel Hill.
  • Sarah Jane Brooks, a May 2017 graduate with an economics major and philosophy and business administration minors, daughter of Laura Brooks of Chapel Hill and Martin Brooks of Little River, SC.
  • Nathanael Connor Bedingfield Brown, a senior with peace, war, and defense and political science majors and a history minor, son of Thomas Brown and Robin Bedingfield of Hillsborough.
  • Veronica Carolyn Jean DaVanzo, a senior with a biology major and a chemistry minor, daughter of Dr. Robert DaVanzo of High Point, NC and Dr. Christie DaVanzo of Greensboro, NC.
  • Riley Bingham Foster, a senior with economics and public policy majors and a French minor, of Chapel Hill.
  • Ori Erna Hashmonay, a senior with an art history major and German and French minors, daughter of Dr. Ram Hashmonay and Michal Hashmonay of Kiryat Shmona, Israel.
  • James Hale Jushchuk, a senior with a computer science major, son of Leslie Bunce, MD of Pittsboro and Michael Jushchuk of Chapel Hill.
  • Rachael MinJung Kang, a senior with a psychology major, daughter of Robert Kang and Connie Kang of Chapel Hill.
  • Sanam Louise Kavari, a junior with an environmental health sciences major and medical anthropology and chemistry minors, daughter of Emily Xavier of Hillsborough and Masound Kavari of Chapel Hill.
  • Nicholas William McHenry, a senior with computer science and economics majors, of Chapel Hill.
  • Kayley Peters, a senior with biology and Spanish majors and a chemistry minor, daughter of Mark Peters and Mary Todd Peters of Chapel Hill.
  • Ramkumar Rao, a senior with a computer science major, of Chapel Hill.
  • Frances Emily Reuland, a senior with environmental science and Hispanic literatures and cultures majors and a chemistry minor, of Chapel Hill.
  • Arvind Sivashanmugam, a senior with a biostatistics major and Spanish for the professions and mathematics minors, of Chapel Hill.
  • Daniel Lee Stickel, a senior with a biology major and Spanish for the professions and neuroscience minors, son of David Stickel and Julie Stickel of Chapel Hill.
  • Claire Elizabeth Weintraub, a senior with economics and Hispanic literature and cultures majors and a public policy minor, daughter of Dr. Jory Weintraub and Julie Haughton.
  • Yusheng Zhang, a junior with business administration and global studies majors and a music minor, son of Xiaoyun Shen and Chongben Zhang of Chapel Hill.