Contact: Maridith Geuder
Continuing its eighth consecutive year in the top 10, Mississippi State's business education honor society is ranked second in national competition--its highest-ever placement.
The university chapter of Pi Omega Pi national honor society competed against more than 40 chapters in projects that promote scholarship and service in business education.
Chartered at MSU in 1939, the Alpha Pi chapter has been advised for the past eight years by Connie M. Forde, professor of instructional systems and workforce development.
"Our chapter has consistently ranked in the top 10 and our students have worked hard to achieve this recognition," Forde said. Chapter members now are inspired to work toward a first-ever finish as No. 1, she added.
Led during the 2003-04 school year by presidents Steve Barrington of Brandon and Elizabeth Field of Smithville, the 18-member organization developed service projects that included class instruction at the Starkville Public Schools' Millsaps Vocational and Career Center, development of lesson plans for the Mississippi Department of Education and design of a chapter Web site.
MSU chapter members accepted the award during a recent special meeting of Pi Omega Pi held in conjunction with the National Business Education Association annual convention in Chicago, Ill.
In addition to Barrington and Field, members of the winning chapter [alphabetical by hometown] include:
BRANDON--Julie Eastland and LaKeisha Jones.
BROOKHAVEN--Jackie Martin.
CALHOUN CITY--Tiffany Johnson.
GREENVILLE--Kimberly Harris and Tiffany Jones.
HOUSTON--Tyrone Catledge.
KOSCIUSKO--Betty Bermond.
LAUREL--Akiah Y. Jones.
MACON--Shaundria Ashford.
NEW ALBANY--Natalie McMillin.
PHILADELPHIA--Brian Lillis.
POPE--Cathy Germany.
STARKVILLE--Jessica Kennard.
WEST POINT--Katie Gaston and Marcia Marble.
For more information about the award or about Pi Omega Pi, contact Forde at (662) 325-2280.