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RHO CHI

RHO CHI

Lambda Pi Eta

The Honor Society of the National Communication Association

History

Lambda Pi Eta is the official communication studies honor society of the National Communication Association (NCA). As an accredited member of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS), Lambda Pi Eta has nearly 420 active chapters at colleges and universities worldwide. Lambda Pi Eta was founded in 1985 at the University of Arkansas. In 1988, it became a part of the National Communication Association (NCA) and in 1995, became NCA's official honor society. Lambda Pi Eta represents what Aristotle referred to as the three ingredients of persuasion: Logos (Lambda) for logic, Pathos (Pi) for emotion, and Ethos (Eta) for character and credibility. Rho Chi, the official chapter of Lambda Pi Eta at University of Missouri at St. Louis was founded in the fall semester of 2004 by Leigh M. and Alan D. Heisel, faculty members of the Department of Communication.

Goals

(1) Recognize, foster and reward outstanding scholastic achievement in communication studies (2) Stimulate interest in the field of communication (3) Promote and encourage professional development among communication majors (4) Provide an opportunity to discuss and exchange ideas in the field of communication (5) Establish and maintain closer relationships between faculty and students (6) Explore options for graduate education in communication studies.

Eligibility

To become a member of Lambda Pi Eta, students must: (1) be a communication major (2) have completed a minimum of 60 credit hours (3) have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours in communication coursework (4) have an overall cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 (5) have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 in communication coursework

Applying

In order to become a member of the Rho Chi chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, students who meet the eligibility criteria must complete a Rho Chi Application for Permanent Record of Election in Lambda Pi Eta. Students should submit the completed application along with the $50 membership fee. Please do not send cash! Checks should be made payable to Rho Chi. This fee includes your initiation, a one-time membership fee, an emblem of membership, and honor cords to be worn at graduation. If you are graduating at the end of the semester in which you plan to apply, the deadline for submitting your application in time to receive your honor cords for the commencement ceremonies is Oct. 14 for Fall and Mar. 14 for Winter (graduation dates in Dec. and May, respectively). Applicants should send all materials to: Rho Chi, c/o L. Heisel Department of Communication/590 Lucas Hall University of Missouri - St. Louis One University Boulevard St. Louis, MO 63121 Students who are accepted for membership will receive a certificate of initiation, an emblem of membership, and honor chords at graduation to be worn during the commencement ceremony.

Benefits

As a member of Rho Chi, students will be invited to attend national communication conferences, apply for selective scholarships, and take part in social and academic events and community service projects. Membership in Lambda Pi Eta, as with other honor societies, can have many benefits. First, membership in Rho Chi will provide tangible evidence and recognition of your excellent academic record. Second, membership in Rho Chi can help provide networking opportunities for the purposes of employment or graduate education. Third, for those who wish to pursue an M.A. or Ph.D. in Communication, membership can give you an advantage during the admission process. Finally, membership in Rho Chi allows students to show their pride in their choice of majors. Membership implies a strong commitment to the Communication discipline. Attendance at National, International, and regional communication conferences can provide additional benefits, especially for members.

Advising

Leigh Heisel is the faculty adviser for the Rho Chi chapter of Lambda Pi Eta. If you have any questions, send her an email to: heisell@umsl.edu.

This page was constructed by Alan and Leigh Heisel for the Department of Communication at UM-St. Louis.