SUNY Oneonta

Thomas Passannante, of Oakdale, NY, was inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma, the Physics and Astronomy Honor Society, on Saturday, April 26, during the Physics & Astronomy's Spring 2025 Recognition and Awards picnic ceremony held at College Camp. Passannante is studying for a dual major in Adolescence Education and Physics, with a concentration in Applied Physics. Undergraduate candidates must have completed at least three semesters of full-time college work and at least three semester courses in physics and astronomy that can be credited toward a physics and astronomy major. Sigma Pi Sigma exists to honor outstanding scholarship in physics and astronomy, to encourage interest in physics and astronomy among students at all levels, to promote an attitude of service, and to provide a fellowship of persons who have excelled in physics and astronomy. Founded in 1921, Sigma Pi Sigma is a member honor society of the Association of College Honor Societies. Election to Sigma Pi Sigma is a lifetime membership. A local charter was granted to the university in 1975. Passannante joins an elite group of students from SUNY Oneonta's Physics and Astronomy program who have accepted the invitation to Sigma Pi Sigma and its vast network of over 100,000 scientists, educators, and advocates.

Seven SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Omicron Delta Epsilon honor society on Friday, May 2, during an induction ceremony held in Morris Hall on campus. Omicron Delta Epsilon is an international economics honor society with 717 chapters located in 11 countries. It is one of the world's largest academic honor societies. To become a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, SUNY Oneonta undergraduate students must complete 12 credit hours of economics courses, have a GPA of at least 3.0 overall and in economics courses and have a B in an economics honors program (if the chapter's college or university offers it). Graduate students must complete one semester of full-time work with a major or minor in economics and have a 3.0 GPA.

Seven SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Iota Iota Iota, Delta Beta Chapter, Honor Society during an induction ceremony on April 30. Iota Iota Iota (Triota) is a national honor society dedicated to recognizing and encouraging academic excellence in Women's and Gender Studies. With more than 50 chapters nationwide, the Triota Honor Society strives to maintain the feminist values central to Women's and Gender Studies by encouraging diversity, egalitarianism and a supportive academic environment for all students. SUNY Oneonta students must complete six credit hours in Women's and Gender Studies courses and have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 to be inducted into the Triota Honor Society.

Three SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Alpha Kappa Delta honor society on Wednesday, April 23, during an induction ceremony held in Otsego Grille on campus. Membership in Alpha Kappa Delta, the International Sociology Honor Society, is for students majoring in Sociology and Criminal Justice who have maintained a record of high academic achievement. Requirements include having junior standing and an overall GPA of 3.3.

Thirteen SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society on Friday, April 25, during an induction ceremony held in Otsego Grille on campus. Beta Gamma Sigma is an international business honor society with over 830,000 members and 600 chapters throughout more than 190 countries worldwide. This is the highest recognition a student anywhere in the world can receive in an undergraduate program at a school accredited by AACSB-The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Students in the top 10% of baccalaureate and top 20% of graduate programs are eligible for this invitation.

Ten SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Phi Alpha Theta honor society during a ceremony held on Wednesday, April 23, in the Morris Conference Center on campus. Undergraduate students must complete a minimum of 12 semester hours in History to achieve a minimum GPA of 3.1 in History and a GPA of 3.0 or better overall. Students enrolled in an online program are not eligible, and membership is not limited to History majors. All members of the honor society are inducted through the local Phi Alpha Theta chapter at their respective college or university. Phi Alpha Theta is an American honor society for undergraduate and graduate students and professors of history. The society has over 350,000 members, with about 9,500 new members joining each year through 860 local chapters. Phi Alpha Theta was established on March 17, 1921, at the University of Arkansas by Professor Nels Cleven. Cleven had become convinced in his time at the university that a fraternity of scholars (which would accept men or women) was important for the study of history. He invited students to a meeting to form the society (then called the "University Historical Society") on March 14, and the society was officially recognized on March 17. In April, the decision was made for the society to be known by the Greek letters Phi Alpha Theta.

Twenty-seven SUNY Oneonta student-athletes were inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma honor society during a luncheon ceremony on Wednesday, April 9, in the Otsego Grille on campus. Chi Alpha Sigma is a nonprofit honor society established to recognize college student-athletes who earn a varsity letter in at least one sport while maintaining a 3.4 or higher cumulative GPA throughout their junior and senior years. Students must be on an athletic roster for three seasons beginning their first year or sophomore year, except for transfer student-athletes, who must be on their athletic roster at SUNY Oneonta for two years. Student-athletes must also be of good moral character, someone the coaching staff would endorse.

Ten SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Sigma Tau Delta honor society on Saturday, April 12, at College Camp. Sigma Tau Delta is the International English Honor Society. A member of the Association of College Honor Societies, it was founded in 1924 at Dakota Wesleyan University. To be inducted into Sigma Tau Delta, students must have a 3.5 GPA in the English major and a 3.0 GPA overall. The honor society strives to confer distinction for high achievement in English language and literature in undergraduate, graduate and professional studies; provide, through its local chapters, cultural stimulation on college campuses and promote interest in literature and the English language in surrounding communities; foster all aspects of the discipline of English, including literature, language and writing; promote exemplary character and good fellowship among its members; exhibit high standards of academic excellence; and serve society by fostering literacy. Sigma Tau Delta is the proud sponsor of the National English Honor Society (NEHS). NEHS serves students and faculty in high schools throughout the country and provides outreach to thousands of students and faculty who share a commitment to excellence in English language arts. The honor society is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS), the nation's only certifying agency for college and university honor societies. With more than 750 active chapters located in Europe, the Caribbean and the United States, there are more than 1,000 faculty sponsors, and approximately 8,500 members inducted annually.

Thirteen SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Tau Sigma National Honor Society for the 2024-25 academic year on April 12, 2025. Tau Sigma is designed exclusively for transfer students. The mission of the organization is to recognize and promote the academic excellence and involvement of transfer students. The minimum academic average required for membership is either a 3.5 on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent thereof) or an academic average that places the prospective candidate in the top 20 percent of all incoming transfer students during their incoming semester.

Forty-two first-generation SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Alpha Alpha Alpha national honor society during a ceremony on campus on April 12, 2025. Alpha Alpha Alpha, known as Tri-Alpha for short, was founded in 2018 to recognize and celebrate the hard work and academic success of first-generation university students. This was the fourth class of SUNY Oneonta students to be inducted into the national honor society. Students qualify for induction into Tri-Alpha if they meet the following criteria: The student has earned at least 30 credits/semester hours in the academic year toward an associate degree or baccalaureate degree; the undergraduate student has achieved an overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale; and neither of the student's parents, stepparents, nor legal guardians, completed a bachelor's or associate's degree.

Twenty students were inducted into the Alpha Chi honor society on Wednesday, Feb. 19, during an inaugural ceremony recognizing the honor society's new chapter at SUNY Oneonta. Among the inducted students were fifteen undergraduates and five graduate students. For undergraduate inductees, students must be a junior or senior, have a GPA of 3.875 or higher and show good character. For graduate inductees, students must have 15 or more credits, a 4.0 GPA and show good character. Since 1922 Alpha Chi National College Honor Society has distinguished itself as one of the top national honor societies in the nation. Alpha Chi's mission is to recognize and promote academic excellence among college and university students, and by encouraging a spirit of service and leadership, to nurture those elements of character that make scholarship effective for good. Now with 500,000 alumni, some 300 chapters across 45 states and 10,000 new members annually, Alpha Chi recognizes exceptional student scholars and unites them to channel creativity and curiosity into scholarship that empowers a life of service.

Seven SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Beta Beta Beta honor society during a ceremony held on Wednesday, March 26, in the Perna Science building on campus. Beta Beta Beta is a society for students, particularly undergraduates, dedicated to improving the understanding and appreciation of biological study and extending the boundaries of human knowledge through scientific research. Since its founding in 1922, more than 200,000 persons have been accepted into lifetime membership, and more than 520 chapters have been established throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. To qualify for Beta Beta Beta membership at SUNY Oneonta, students must be majoring in Biology or a biological science and have completed at least one term of the second year of a four-year curriculum or three semesters in college. They also must complete at least four semester courses in biology, of which at least one is not an introductory course, two are taken at SUNY Oneonta, and all are completed with an average grade of 3.15 in the courses. Students must also have a 3.0 average in all courses and be in good academic standing. TriBeta was founded in 1922 at Oklahoma City University--the Alpha Chapter--by Dr. Frank G. Brooks and a group of his students. The idea of an honor and professional society for biology students spread rapidly and by 1925, the society was a national organization. Biennial national conventions of student and faculty members began in that year, and in 1930, the society journal, BIOS, began publication of student research, articles of interest to biologists and society news. As the society grew, it was divided into regional and district groups, each of which holds a convention annually. At the heart of every district and national meeting are student research papers presented in the style of graduate meetings. Awards are given for outstanding individual and chapter accomplishments.

Cassondra Blewett, of Binghamton, NY, was awarded a prestigious scholarship from Tau Sigma, the National Transfer Honor Society. Chosen as one of only 62 national recipients and one of just five students from the SUNY system, Blewett's achievement reflects both her academic excellence and dedication as a transfer student. This scholarship honors students who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, academic success and commitment to their community. Blewett's recognition is a testament to her hard work and exceptional accomplishments in her academic journey.

Five SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Triota, Delta Beta Chapter, Honor Society during an induction ceremony on May 3. Triota (Iota Iota Iota) is a national honor society dedicated to recognizing and encouraging academic excellence in Women's and Gender Studies. With more than 50 chapters nationwide, the Triota Honor Society strives to maintain the feminist values central to Women's and Gender Studies by encouraging diversity, egalitarianism and a supportive academic environment for all students. SUNY Oneonta students must complete six credit hours in Women's and Gender Studies courses and have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 to be inducted into the Triota Honor Society.

Four SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Omicron Delta Epsilon honor society on Friday, May 3, during an induction ceremony held in Morris Hall on campus. Omicron Delta Epsilon is an international economics honor society with 717 chapters located in 11 countries. It is one of the world's largest academic honor societies. To become a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, SUNY Oneonta undergraduate students must complete 12 credit hours of economics courses, have a GPA of at least 3.0 overall and in economics courses and have a B in an economics honors program (if the chapter's college or university offers it). Graduate students must complete one semester of full-time work with a major or minor in economics and have a 3.0 GPA.

Fourteen SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society on Friday, May 3, during an induction ceremony held in Otsego Grille on campus. Beta Gamma Sigma is an international business honor society with over 830,000 members and 600 chapters throughout more than 190 countries worldwide. This is the highest recognition a student anywhere in the world can receive in an undergraduate program at a school accredited by AACSB-The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Students in the top 10% of baccalaureate programs and the top 20% of graduate programs are eligible for this invitation.

Three SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Alpha Kappa Delta honor society on Friday, April 26, during an induction ceremony held in Otsego Grille on campus. Membership in Alpha Kappa Delta, the International Sociology Honor Society, is for students majoring in Sociology and Criminal Justice who have maintained a record of high academic achievement. Requirements include having junior standing and an overall GPA of 3.3.

Twenty-one SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Sigma Tau Delta honor society on Saturday, April 13, at College Camp. Sigma Tau Delta is the International English Honor Society. A member of the Association of College Honor Societies, it was founded in 1924 at Dakota Wesleyan University. To be inducted into Sigman Tau Delta, students must have a 3.5 GPA in the English major, a 3.0 GPA overall and at least be a sophomore. The honor society strives to confer distinction for high achievement in English language and literature in undergraduate, graduate and professional studies; provide, through its local chapters, cultural stimulation on college campuses and promote interest in literature and the English language in surrounding communities; foster all aspects of the discipline of English, including literature, language and writing; promote exemplary character and good fellowship among its members; exhibit high standards of academic excellence; and serve society by fostering literacy. Sigma Tau Delta is the proud sponsor of The National English Honor Society (NEHS). NEHS serves students and faculty in high schools throughout the country and provides outreach to thousands of students and faculty who share a commitment to excellence in English language arts. The honor society is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS), the nation's only certifying agency for college and university honor societies. With more than 750 active chapters located in Europe, the Caribbean and the United States, there are more than 1,000 faculty sponsors, and approximately 8,500 members inducted annually.

Twenty SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Tau Sigma National Honor Society for the 2023-24 academic year on April 14, 2024. Tau Sigma is designed exclusively for transfer students. The mission of the organization is to recognize and promote the academic excellence and involvement of transfer students. The minimum academic average required for membership is either a 3.5 on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent thereof) or an academic average that places the prospective candidate in the top 20 percent of all incoming transfer students during their incoming semester.

Forty-five SUNY Oneonta student-athletes were inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma honor society during a luncheon ceremony on Wednesday, April 3, in the Otsego Grille on campus. Chi Alpha Sigma is a nonprofit honor society established to recognize college student-athletes who earn a varsity letter in at least one sport while maintaining a 3.4 or higher cumulative GPA throughout their junior and senior years. Students must be on an athletic roster for three seasons beginning their first year or sophomore year, except for transfer student-athletes, who must be on their athletic roster at SUNY Oneonta for two years. Student-athletes must also be of good moral character, someone the coaching staff would endorse.

Eleven SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Beta Beta Beta honor society during a ceremony held on Friday, March 22, in the Human Ecology Building on campus. Beta Beta Beta is a society for students, particularly undergraduates, dedicated to improving the understanding and appreciation of biological study and extending boundaries of human knowledge through scientific research. Since its founding in 1922, more than 200,000 persons have been accepted into lifetime membership, and more than 520 chapters have been established throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. To qualify for Beta Beta Beta membership at SUNY Oneonta, students must be majoring in Biology or a biological science, and have completed at least one term of the second year of a four-year curriculum or three semesters in college. They also must complete at least four semester courses in biology, of which at least one is not an introductory course, two are taken at SUNY Oneonta, and all are completed with an average grade of 3.15 in the courses. Students must also have a 3.0 average in all courses and be in good academic standing. TriBeta was founded in 1922 at Oklahoma City University--the Alpha Chapter--by Dr. Frank G. Brooks and a group of his students. The idea of an honor and professional society for biology students spread rapidly and by 1925, the society was a national organization. Biennial national conventions of student and faculty members began in that year and in 1930 the society journal, BIOS, began publication of student research, articles of interest to biologists and society news. As the society grew, it was divided into regional and district groups, each of which holds a convention annually. At the heart of every district and national meeting are student research papers presented in the style of graduate meetings. Awards are given for outstanding individual and chapter accomplishments.

Fifteen SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Phi Alpha Theta honor society during a ceremony held on Wednesday, April 17, in the Morris Conference Center on campus. Undergraduate students must complete a minimum of 12 semester hours in History to achieve a minimum GPA of 3.1 in History and a GPA of 3.0 or better overall. Students enrolled in an online program are not eligible, and membership is not limited to History majors. All members of the honor society are inducted through the local Phi Alpha Theta chapter at their respective college or university. Phi Alpha Theta is an American honor society for undergraduate and graduate students and professors of history. The society has over 350,000 members, with about 9,500 new members joining each year through 860 local chapters. Phi Alpha Theta was established on March 17, 1921, at the University of Arkansas by Professor Nels Cleven. Cleven had become convinced in his time at the university that a fraternity of scholars (which would accept men or women) was important for the study of history. He invited students to a meeting to form the society (then called the "University Historical Society") on March 14, and the society was officially recognized on March 17. In April, the decision was made for the society to be known by the Greek letters Phi Alpha Theta.

Thirty-eight first-generation SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Alpha Alpha Alpha national honor society during a ceremony on April 14, 2024, at Morris Hall. Alpha Alpha Alpha, known as Tri-Alpha for short, was founded in 2018 to recognize and celebrate the hard work and academic success of first-generation university students. This was the third class of SUNY Oneonta students to be inducted into the national honor society. Students qualify for induction into Tri-Alpha if they meet the following criteria: The student has earned at least 30 credits/semester hours in the academic year toward an associate degree or baccalaureate degree; the undergraduate student has achieved an overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale; and neither of the student's parents, stepparents, nor legal guardians, completed a bachelor's or associate's degree.

Thirty-five SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Tau Sigma National Honor Society for the 2022-23 academic year on April 14, 2023. Tau Sigma is designed exclusively for transfer students. The mission of the organization is to recognize and promote the academic excellence and involvement of transfer students. The minimum academic average required for membership is either a 3.5 on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent thereof) or an academic average that places the prospective candidate in the top 20 percent of all incoming transfer students during their incoming semester.

SUNY Oneonta inducted its second class of 69 first-generation students into the Alpha Alpha Alpha national honor society during a ceremony on April 23, 2023, at Morris Hall. Alpha Alpha Alpha, known as Tri-Alpha for short, was founded in 2018 to recognize and celebrate the hard work and academic success of first-generation university students. Students qualify for induction into Tri-Alpha if they meet the following criteria: The student has earned at least 30 credits/semester hours in the academic year toward an associate degree or baccalaureate degree; the undergraduate student has achieved an overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale; and neither of the student's parents, stepparents, nor legal guardians, completed a bachelor's or associate's degree.

Twelve SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into Iota Iota Iota (Triota), the academic honor society for the field of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Iota Iota Iota is named for the ancient goddesses Inanna, Ishtar, and Isis. Triota strives to maintain feminist values central to Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies: egalitarianism, inclusiveness, and celebrating the diversity of gendered experiences. The organization also works to enhance the experience of students in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and recognize their academic achievements.

Seventeen students from SUNY Oneonta's School of Economics and Business were inducted into the college's Beta Gamma Sigma honor society chapter during the spring 2022 semester. Only the best business students in the world, and the professionals who earned the distinction of "the Best in Business" during their academic careers, can claim membership in Beta Gamma Sigma. Students ranking in the top 10 percent of the baccalaureate and top 20 percent of graduate programs at schools accredited by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business are eligible for this invitation. Beta Gamma Sigma has installed collegiate chapters and inducted students on six continents. SUNY Oneonta's School of Economics and Business offers majors in business economics, professional accounting and economics; concentrations in accounting, finance, international business and economics, and marketing; and cooperative programs in business administration, management science, and fashion merchandising management, advertising and marketing communications, manufacturing management, and textile development and marketing.

SUNY Oneonta inducted its inaugural class of 141 first-generation students into the Alpha Alpha Alpha national honor society during a ceremony on April 24, 2022, at the Alumni Field House. Alpha Alpha Alpha, known as Tri-Alpha for short, was founded in 2018 to recognize and celebrate the hard work and academic success of first-generation college students. During the ceremony, President Alberto Cardelle accepted the charter for the college's new Tri-Alpha chapter, and each student stepped forward to receive their certificate and pin. Students qualify for induction into Tri-Alpha if they meet the following criteria: The student has earned at least 30 credit/semester hours (or 45 quarter hours) toward an associate's degree or baccalaureate degree (including half time) AND The undergraduate student has achieved an overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale. (For schools using a pass, high pass, etc. system, a "high pass" average is required.) Neither of the student's parents, step-parents, nor legal guardians, completed a bachelor's degree (or, for students at a community college, the parents did not complete an associate's degree)

Thirty-six SUNY Oneonta students were inducted into the Tau Sigma National Honor Society for the 2021-22 academic year. Tau Sigma is designed exclusively for transfer students. The mission of the organization is to recognize and promote the academic excellence and involvement of transfer students. The minimum academic average required for membership is either a 3.5 on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent thereof) or an academic average that places the prospective candidate in the top 20 percent of all incoming transfer students during their incoming semester.

SUNY Oneonta inducted 10 students into its Edward K. Griesmer chapter of National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH), a branch of the National Association of Colleges and University Residence Halls for the 2021-2022 academic year.