OTD News Volume VII, Issue 3

Pi Theta Epsilon 5 Year Anniversary Page 15 OTD News, Volume VII, Issue 3 By: Sheila M. Longpré, MOT, OTR/L According to the national organization for Pi Theta Epsilon, Pi Theta Epsilon (PTE) is the national honor society for occu- pational therapy students and alumni. The society recognizes and encourages superior scholarship and leadership among stu- dents enrolled in professional entry-level programs at accredited educational programs across the United States. The mission of the honor society is to support the practice of occupational sciences and the practice of authentic occupational therapy by promoting research, leadership, and scholarly activities by its members. In this way, the organization serves not only the profession, but helps to insure quality health care services for the general public. Membership in Pi Theta Epsilon is extended to eligible students by individual chapters in accordance with national criteria specified in the constitution of the society. Election of new members includes those who have demonstrated superior scholar- ship and leadership. Those who are eligible are among the highest 35% of their class in scholarship and have a GPA of at least 3.5 on a scale of 4.0 after completing the first four semesters of the entry-level doctoral program. Pi Theta Epsilon Beta Delta Tampa Chapter was established in 2014. The first members were inducted in the Fall of 2014 fol- lowing program accreditation. Hillary Anderson Whitaker, Lillian Freeman, Kristen McMillen, Kim Bartels, Megan Dadez, Mara Rosen, Amanda Skillen Pignon, Shannon Taylor, Kim Yetman and Molly Zagoria were the founding members. One year later the following students in the Class of 2017 were inducted into Pi Theta Epsilon Beta Delta Tampa: Bryce Carsone, Kerri Easterling, Lydia Fritzsche, Kelsea Rose Grampp, Cheryl Mae Granada, Nicole Kozee, Sunayana Malavalli, Jonathan Pitts, Jor- dan Powers and Sarah Weldon. Members of Pi Theta Epsilon Beta Delta Tampa introduced Evening with a Scholar in 2016. Evening with a Scholar is an event that promotes learning and scholarship by inviting a prominent member within the field of occupational in which a dis- tinguished member of the occupational therapy community is invited to speak to students, faculty and staff about their contri- butions to the profession.