OXFORD, Miss. – Five University of Mississippi
undergraduates have been selected to receive Phi Kappa Phi
scholarships this fall. The awards, which range from $250 to $1,000, go to Kristen
Conner of Carterville, Ill., Vishal Patel of Corinth, Casey
Phillips of Clanton, Ala., Melissa Shudak of Buffalo Grove,
Ill., and Andrew Weeks of Ridgeland. All are members of Phi
Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and largest all-discipline
honor society.
“These students represent the honor society of Phi Kappa
Phi and the scholarship and character standards of the
University of Mississippi very well,” said Ann Canty,
assistant provost and local Phi Kappa Phi chapter
secretary. “They truly live up to Phi Kappa Phi’s motto,
Let the love of learning rule humanity.'”
The scholarships are funded through the local chapter, said
Linda Chitwood, dean of the School of Applied Sciences. “We
truly appreciate those who maintain active membership in
the society and help us provide these scholarships to our
Ole Miss students,” she said.
Conner is a senior majoring in family and consumer sciences
with an emphasis in dietetics and nutrition. She is a
member of Alpha Lambda Delta academic honor society, Kappa
Epsilon pharmacy fraternity, Order of Omega honor society,
Baptist Student Union, Campus Crusade for Christ and Phi Mu
sorority. She has served pharmacy internships at several
hospitals, and her community involvement includes
volunteering at the Children’s Miracle Network and Azalea
Gardens retirement home, and in relief efforts following
Hurricane Katrina.
A third-year pharmacy student, Patel has served three
consecutive summer internships at Walgreen’s. He holds
memberships in Alpha Lambda Delta, Alpha Epsilon Delta
pre-medical honor society, Gamma Beta Phi honor and service
organization, Kappa Psi pharmaceutical fraternity, the
American Pharmacists Association and the National Community
Pharmacists Association.
A senior journalism major, Phillips has worked as a staff
reporter and photographer for UM’s student-run newspaper,
The Daily Mississippian. She is on the Ole Miss Women’s
Rifle Team and was named Great American Rifle Conference
Ole Miss Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She has been listed
on the SEC Academic Honor Roll and received All-Academic
Student-Athlete honors from the Collegiate Rifle Coaches
Association. She has volunteered at the North American
Mission Board and is a member of Gamma Beta Phi, the
National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Baptist
Student Union Leadership Team.
Shudak’s major is medicinal chemistry, but she is also an
accomplished violinist. She plays in UM’s symphonic and
marching bands and orchestra. Her community service
includes volunteering at the Southern Hospice Organization,
Mississippi Veterans Home, Azalea Gardens and Graceland
Nursing Home. She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa and Alpha
Lambda Delta academic honor societies, Kappa Epsilon
professional pharmacy fraternity and Reformed University
Fellowship.
Weeks is a senior biology major with a research emphasis in
the ecological success of bacteria. Enrolled in UM’s Sally
McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, he belongs to Beta Beta
Beta biology honor society, Omicron Delta Kappa leadership
honor society and the honor societies of Gamma Beta, Alpha
Lambda Delta and Order of Omega. A member of the National
Society of Collegiate Scholars and Sigma Nu Fraternity, he
is a student affiliate of the American Chemical Society. He
has volunteered with Meadowbrook Creek Service Project,
Hunters for the Hungry Project and at Camp Hopewell.
Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897. Each year the society
inducts more than 30,000 students, faculty, professional
staff and alumni. It has chapters at nearly 300 colleges
and universities in North America and the Philippines.
Membership is by invitation to the top 10 percent of
seniors and graduate students, and 7.5 percent juniors.