Rome, Ga. – Shorter University’s chapter of the Alpha Chi Honor Society received the 2018 President’s Cup, the most prestigious award that the national honor society has to offer.

“This award is based on our last five years of work and says we are the best Alpha Chi chapter in the country,” said Dr. Kathi Vosevich, Shorter’s associate provost and chapter sponsor who also serves Vice President of Alpha Chi’s National Executive Council and Regional President for the honor society’s Region III for 2018-2020. “With some 300 chapters, located in almost every state, the organization inducts approximately 11,000 members annually – and we won! This is a huge honor for us.”

“The entire Shorter University community is proud of the work of our Alpha Chi chapter,” said Shorter University President Dr. Don Dowless. “The chapter has been recognized as a Star Chapter for eight consecutive years, and winning the President’s Cup takes their success to the next level. Such an achievement represents the hard work of the student members of the honor society, the chapter’s officers, and the sponsors, Dr. Kathi Vosevich and Dr. Barsha Pickell. We congratulate them all.”

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Updated: Dr. Ken LaSota, chair of Alpha Chi’s selection committee, stated that one criterion among many helped the committee select Shorter University as this year’s “best of the best.” The committee was drawn to the vast amount of scholarly work produced by the chapter. LaSota said, “Significantly, the President’s Cup winner surpassed all challengers in scholarship and all else that it takes for an Alpha Chi chapter to be truly a stellar chapter, a President’s Cup winner.”

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Photo Caption: Shorter University’s delegation at the Alpha Chi Convention accepting the President’s Cup. Pictured, from left are: Kayla Killingsworth, Dr. Kathi Vosevich, Mary Jayne Caum, Hannah Lambert, Kayla Zuniga, and Dr. Barsha Pickell.

This year’s chapter officers include President Mary Jayne Caum, Vice President Hannah Cauthen, Treasurer Hannah Lambert, Secretary Kayla Killingsworth, and National Council Member Kayla Zuniga.

The President’s Cup was presented at the recent Alpha Chi Convention and is based on campus academic and service activities, engaged mentoring of chapter members, and active participation by students in all aspects of national Alpha Chi life.

In addition, two of Shorter’s Alpha Chi members were selected to receive competitive scholarships from the organization.

Mary Jayne Caum, a senior history major from Warner Robins, Georgia, was selected to receive a Region III scholarship for graduate school. Caum will graduate from Shorter this spring with a Bachelor of Arts in history and a minor in political science and will begin law school at the Mercer University School of Law this fall.

David Thompson, a senior communication arts major from Cleveland, Tennessee, was selected to receive two scholarships: the Nolle National Scholarship for undergraduate study and a Region III scholarship for undergraduates.

“We are a small school that only brings a small contingent to the conference each year,” Dr. Vosevich said. “Yet we have had 24 student presentations at conventions in seven years, five national presentation winners in seven years, five national scholarship winners in six years, two regional scholarship winners, and two National Executive Council Student Members in the past two terms. In addition, in 2016, then-Shorter senior Sarah Geil had her honors thesis accepted for publication by Alpha Chi’s journal of undergraduate scholarship. Dr. Pickell has been a great asset in pushing students to even higher levels of academic excellence. Ms. Mary Corbin has also been instrumental to our success over the years.”

Founded in 1873, Shorter University is a Christ-centered, four-year liberal arts university committed to excellence in education. U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review annually include Shorter on their lists of best Southeastern Colleges. The university offers traditional bachelor’s degrees in 40 areas of study, online courses and degree programs, undergraduate programs for working adults, associate’s, and master’s programs.