DUNMORE, Pa. — High-achieving students in Penn State Scranton's corporate communication program were recently recognized for their academic achievements by being inducted into the campus' Alpha Epsilon Rho and Lambda Pi Eta honor societies. A special ceremony was held and attended by faculty, staff, alumni, family and friends who gathered to honor the inductees' hard work and dedication.
To qualify for membership in both honor societies, students must have demonstrated excellence in their studies and commitment to the field of communication.
Alpha Epsilon Rho
Alpha Epsilon Rho, a newly established honor society on campus, is an international scholastic honor society recognizing academic achievement among students in the field of electronic media, including web, internet technologies, broadcasting, mass communication, radio, television, cable and film. It is managed as part of the larger Broadcast Education Association (BEA).
To be eligible for membership in Alpha Epsilon Rho, students must rank in the upper one-third of their college class in overall scholarship, with a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.3 or higher in all courses, as well as a GPA of 3.3 in all electronic media studies courses. Students must also have completed at least three semester-long courses in electronic media or media-related coursework.
Stephanie Longo, assistant professor of corporate communication, serves as the Alpha Epsilon Rho adviser and inducted its new members. The 2025 inductees for Alpha Epsilon Rho are:
- Emma Bannon
- James Bernosky
- Rebekah Howells
Alpha Epsilon Rho was formed by students at Stephens College interested in radio technology, with similarly inclined students at other institutions, including Syracuse University and the University of Minnesota. A series of meetings were held at the Institute for Education by Radio in Columbus, Ohio, resulting in the creation of a new national organization. The new national organization adopted the name Alpha Epsilon Rho on April 30, 1943. Alpha Epsilon Rho was admitted to the Association of College Honor Societies in 2009.
Lambda Pi Eta
Lambda Pi Eta was founded by the students of the Department of Communication at the University of Arkansas and was formally endorsed by faculty member and founder Stephen A. Smith in 1985. The Speech Communication Association, now the National Communication Association, established Lambda Pi Eta as an affiliate organization and as the official national honor society for outstanding students in communication in 1994. In February 1996, Lambda Pi Eta was inducted into the Association of College Honor Societies. Today, there are more than 600 chapters of Lambda Pi Eta nationwide.
To be eligible for membership, students must have a declared interest in the communications field and have completed 60 hours of undergraduate credit courses, with 12 of those hours being in communication courses. Students must also be enrolled full-time, have academic standing with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, and maintain a 3.25 GPA in their communication courses.
This year’s 2025 inductees for Lambda Pi Eta are:
- Emma Ann Bannon
- James Bernosky
- Ava Compton
- Rebekah Howells
- Matthew Reyes
The ceremony concluded with a reception where inductees and their guests had the opportunity to celebrate and network with faculty, fellow classmates and alumni. The event highlighted the importance of academic excellence and professional development in the field of communication.