PHI LAMBDA BETA,
THE PORTUGUESE HONOR SOCIETY
THE ALPHA CHI CHAPTER
OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
History
Originally founded in the 1960s at the Vanderbilt University
Campus, Phi Lambda Beta is now under the auspices of the American Association
of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. It has a dozen active chapters
at universities throughout the United States. It offers
recognition to those students with high achievement in the area of advanced
Luso-Brazilian Literature and Culture, both at the graduate and undergraduate
levels.
At the University of Florida, Phi Lambda Beta initiates are recognized at the annual Romance Languages Undergraduate Awards Ceremony, held in April each year.
In 1997, Dr. M. Elizabeth Ginway applied for a charter
for Phi Lambda Beta
at the University of Florida. That year, seven undergraduates
and three graduate students were initiated into the society. In their
honor, Dr. Charles Wood, Director for the Center for Latin American Studies
at the University of Florida, spoke about his experience with Portuguese
particular and its importance in Latin American Studies in general.Undergraduates:
Ligia Courneya, Jason Richards, Barbara St. Cyr, Angela Stuesse, Jessica
Urba, Carlos Uriarte and Wendi Werneth.Graduates: L. Annie Hermansen, Amy
Loeffler and Susan Soutter.
In 1998, Dr. Martha Ellen Davis, the Associate Director for the Center for Latin American Studies, spoke about the importance of foreign language study and abroad programs in undergraduate education. Undergraduate members included: Karrie Nickerson and Anna Pagano. Graduates: Ariadne Ferro and Deborah Hooker.
In 1999, Dr. Candace Slater, visiting Barcardi Fellow at the Center for Latin American Studies, spoke about her experience in Portuguese and the "literatura de cordel." Undergraduate: Nara Matos. Graduates: Fred Boltz, Fernando Ojeda, and Natércia Príncipe.
In 2000, Dr. Jeffrey Needell, Associate professor of Brazilian History at the University of Florida, spoke about Portuguese as the key to the fascinating world of Brazil and Brazilian studies. Undergraduates: Alex Lamazares, Stephanie Litka, Allison McMurray, Robin Minor and Serena Paskewicz. Graduate: Natalie Arsenault.
In 2001, Dr. Charles Perrone, author of Brazilian Popular Music and Globalization spoke on behalf of Phi Lambda Beta initiates, David Cortese, Emily Milligan, Shad Munson, David Salisbury, Catarina Silveira, and Wendy Tahuico.
In 2002, Dr. Elizabeth Ginway, after spending seven years at the University of Florida, gave a short talk on the state of Portuguese and Brazilian Studies nationally and at UF. Undergraduates Melissa Bartron and Andrea Gálvez became members.
2003, Micheal Heckenberger spoke on behalf of initiates.Miguel Bunker, Keith Penã, Gabriel Pumariega, Kurt Williams and Madalena Zielinska, and Guilherme Costa
In 2004 Andrea Ferrerira, Karelma Frontera-Acevedo
and Tarsila Reybitz.were initiated during the deparment of Romance Languages
and Literatures Awards Ceremony.
In 2005 the only initiate was graduate student Luciana
Monteiro
In 2006, Daniela Alves Meyer of the Instituto Brasil-Estados
Unidos (IBEU) of Rio de Janeiro honored initiates Kenyetta Mondrae Mullins,
Shaune Heyser, Julia A. Carvalho, Loyda Tellez, Sarah Brush, Thais Dutra
Ribeiro, Rachel Lara Teague, Natalia Jacovkis, and Honorary member Scott
LaFramenta.
Students receive a certificate with the Phi Lambda Beta logo from the president of the society, and their achievement is recorded in the Portuguese Newsletter, published in association with the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. Initiation fees are $15.00, and are sent to the president of the society, who, in turn, sends the certificates with the names of the initiates in calligraphy to the faculty sponsor for distribution. Each speaker is named as an honorary member of the society and receives a certificate.
Most initiates are chosen in the spring of each year.
Contact Dr. M. Elizabeth Ginway for more information about the society:
eginway@rll.ufl.edu