By Molly Malick (BA 25)
Grace College inducted 36 juniors and seniors into the Alpha Chi Honor Society on Saturday, Feb. 8. These high-achieving students have earned the top 10% of GPAs across all disciplines at Grace. Every year, Alpha Chi inducts nearly 10,000 students from across the country.
Established in 1922, Alpha Chi aims to nurture academic excellence and character elements, making scholarship effective for good among college and university students of every discipline. The honor society celebrates more than a century of rich history marked by scholarship and service. Alpha Chi has been affiliated with the Association of College Honor Societies since 1955, making it the second-oldest and second-largest general honor society in the United States.
“As faculty, we look forward to this event every year, as these are students who have really distinguished themselves in academics throughout their time at Grace,” said Dr. Lauren Rich, Alpha Chi faculty sponsor and chair of the Department of Humanities. “Membership in Alpha Chi is an honor signifying students’ hard work, dedication to learning and strong character.”
New this year, Grace College paid the membership fee for all eligible students who wished to join. This was made possible by the generous support of Grace’s administration, particularly Dr. Kevin Roberts, Grace’s provost, as well as Doug Baumgardner, vice president of financial affairs, who joined Alpha Chi when he was a student at Grace.
After inductees were introduced by a faculty member from their major and presented with a certificate and pin, Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs Dr. Aaron Crabtree delivered a keynote address. Rachel Carpenter, a 2024 Alpha Chi inductee and recent recipient of a $200 “In Scholarship and in Service” grant, gave the benediction.
The 2025 Grace College Alpha Chi Honor Society inductees are:
Abigail Kiehn of Naperville, Ill., studying visual communication design
Alex Zieske of Sunnyside, Wis., studying accounting
Anna Berg of Kankakee, Ill., studying accounting
Anna Kezar of North Berwick, Maine., studying journalism
Aubree Vander Dussen of New Haven, Ind., studying youth ministry
Audrey Byers of Goshen, Ind., studying visual communication design
Audrey Deak of Osceola, Ind., studying psychology
Avery Samms of Dublin, Ohio., studying elementary education
Breah Liles of Glendale, Ariz., studying elementary education and mild intervention
Brett Knight of Hammond, Ind., studying accounting
Brooklynn Bosworth of Woodstock, Ohio., studying elementary education
Cadence Manning of Williamsfield, Ill., studying exercise science
Carter Clear of Boring, Ore., studying exercise science
Chloe Knollenberg of Plainfield, Ill., studying math education-secondary
Elli Rauch of Elkhart, Ind., studying professional communication
Ethan Stuckey of Archbold, Ohio., studying accounting
Grace Dick of Goshen, Ind., studying intercultural studies
Heidi Spahr of Zeeland, Mich., studying psychological and criminal justice and Spanish
Jack Beck of Fishers, Ind., studying biblical studies
Jaden “Keenan” LeBlanc of Brownsburg, Ind., studying health science
Kalli Kauffman of Goshen, Ind., studying English education
Kiara Wolland of Morton, Ill., studying marketing
Madeline “Maddie” Kreft of Bourbon, Ind., studying accounting
Miriam Studebaker of Hillsboro, Ohio., studying arts and visual culture
Rachel Macy of Springfield, Ohio., studying health science
Rebekah “Bekah” Rainey of Overland Park, Ill., studying counseling
Riley Owens of Bloomington, Ill., studying accounting
Ryan House of Ossian, Ind., studying biblical studies
Rylee Burns of Winona Lake, Ind., studying visual communication design
Rylie Koepke of Knox, Ind., studying visual communication design
Ryun Hoffert of Warsaw, Ind., studying management and accounting
Sarah Bollenbacher of Walkerton, Ind., studying elementary education
Tawn Kizer of Plymouth, Ind., studying arts and visual culture
Taylor Albert of Dryer, Ind., studying accounting
Trinity Beachy of Bremen, Ind., studying biblical studies
Valerie Bockman of Fishers, Ind., studying media arts
The Grace College Alpha Chi chapter is sponsored by the Office of Faith, Learning & Scholarship.
For more information on the Alpha Chi Honor Society, visit www.alphachihonor.org. For more information about the Grace College Alpha Chi Chapter, contact faculty sponsor Dr. Lauren Rich at richlg@grace.edu.
