VCU chapter of Phi Kappa Phi wins national awards for newsletter and scholarship program

By Mike Frontiero and John Rossi

The Virginia Commonwealth University chapter of Phi Kappa Phi won two prestigious awards at the 2004 Triennial Convention of Phi Kappa Phi in Albuquerque, N.M.

The chapter received an Award of Merit for outstanding newsletter, which is prepared by Leann Blem, the chapter’s vice president for public relations and associate professor in VCU’s Department of Biology. The chapter received a second Award of Merit for its scholarship program, which awarded $60,000 last year in the name of Phi Kappa Phi. The chapter awarded nearly 30 scholarships in 2004 to undergraduate and graduate students.

Established in 1976, the VCU chapter recognizes outstanding academic achievement and promotes the pursuit of outstanding scholarship by students, faculty and alumni through an extensive membership and awards programs across both campuses. The local chapter is one of 285 on campuses in the United States, Puerto Rico and the Philippines.

Phi Kappa Phi awards more than $500,000 annually to qualifying members through graduate and undergraduate scholarships, chapter awards and grants. This year’s chapter president is Dr. William L. Dewey, professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology.