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On February 28, family members and friends filled Grace Chapel to join students in celebrating their induction into the inaugural class of the Kappa Eta chapter of Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha), the national honor society for first-generation college students at �㽶��ý.

“As a first-generation college student, it is an honor to be a part of Alpha Alpha Alpha,” shared Teena Brooks, M.A. ’17, director of BEAR Central and co-advisor of the Kappa Eta chapter. “Being first-gen is an accomplishment, and it takes courage to find where you belong. LR has done that for me, and I hope we will continue to foster an environment where other first-gen students can find their place as well.”

Established in 2018 at Moravian University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Tri-Alpha welcomes full-time and part-time first-generation students who have earned at least 30 semester hours with a 3.2 grade point average on a four-point scale. This year’s induction class at Lenoir-Rhyne comprised 59 undergraduates, graduate students, faculty and staff members, plus two honorary inductees recognized for their work supporting first-generation students at LR.

“This represents another LR milestone, and this one is particularly special. This is more than just a mark of academic excellence. It is a symbol of resilience.” said �㽶��ý President Fred Whitt, Ed.D, who provided opening remarks before his own induction into the Kappa Eta chapter. “First-generation students belong. They thrive, and they lead the future.”

The symbol for Tri-Alpha is a multi-pointed Moravian star, which speaks to the organization’s roots and depicts layers that represent the self, the families and the communities where these students provide a beacon and inspiration for others.

Guest speaker Jennifer Burris, Ph.D., university provost and vice president for academic affairs, reflected on the importance of this beacon for her own accomplishments, citing two grandmothers who earned master’s degrees in a time when such achievements were rare.

“My grandmothers were a beacon of light for me, as you will be a beacon of light for others,” she shared. “We acknowledge the courage to blaze a trail no one in your family has walked before.”

After the ceremony, coordinator of peer learning assistance and Tri-Alpha co-advisor, Jake Graffagnino, reflected on the significance of the induction ceremony. “Over the last year, in planning this induction, it was clear how much we wanted to celebrate the accomplishments of first-generation students,” he shared. “This induction did that and these students, faculty and staff will forever remember joining Tri-Alpha.”

Graffagnino and Brooks also credited campus-wide partnerships with Admission, Student Life, BEAR Central, Lenoir-Rhyne Athletics, Conferences and Events and Aramark for making the induction ceremony possible. Plans for next year’s ceremony, following an application period in fall 2024, are already underway.

In addition to recognizing academic accomplishment and promoting excellence, membership in Tri-Alpha offers students a way to network with other first-generation students on their own campus and at other institutions along with leadership and mentorship opportunities.

“It’s nice to be part of  another community,” shared Melanie Mora ’25, an international business major and president of the First-Generation Students Association. “We’re celebrating being first-gen and joining another family.”

Alpha Alpha Alpha Inductees

Graduate Students

• Melissa Bonilla

• Fatimah Davis

• Jessica Huff

• Quilisha Lipford

• Carla Robinson

• Holly Strauss

• Whitney Suddreth

• Jahnis Swann

Undergraduate Students

• Jenna Abernathy

• Richard Aron

• Chasity Atwell

• Laci Branch

• Grace Chatham

• Jamela Cook

• Adrian Dionico Silva

• Grace Duncan

• Jocelyn Florez

• Aliah Garcia

• Ashley Hawn

• Kayla Hifko

• Eli Ledford

• Brenna Milsaps

• Melanie Mora

• Jada Norris

• Dayanni Ortiz

• Kayleigh Pendleton

• Emma Penland

• Allison Penley

• Kelsey Powell

• Elise Prouty

• Allison Ramirez Aguilar

• Demmi Ramos

• Brian Reyes-Santos

• Reanna Rice

• Maria Rodriguez-Morales

• Kylie Setzer

• Madalyn Shephard

• Cassidy Spencer

• Nancy Vang

• Lakien Vernon

• Emily Williams

• Dorothy Yang

Faculty and Staff

• Rebecca Alt, Ph.D.

• Dawn Behrend, M.A., MBA, MLS

• Kyle Bivens

• Teena Brooks, M.A. ’17

• Ashley Causby, M.A. ’25

• Jake Graffagnino, M.A.

• Hannah Jones ’20, MPH ‘22

• Walter Kennedy

• Cassandra Lackey, M.A.

• Deby Mitchell, Ed.D.

• Devin Osborne ’24, MPH ‘25

• Terry Phillips, M.S.

• Soraya Place, M.A.

• Gina Shell, M.A.

• Huguet Valladares

• Fred Whitt, Ed.D.

• Jeni Wyatt, Ed.D.

Honorary Members

• Megan Pham ’23

• Kayce Yapundich, M.A. ’21