UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications

UT Tyler Alpha Chi Honor Society Chapter Recognized at National Convention

April 7, 2014

Media Contact:  Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)

April 7, 2014

Students from The University of Texas at Tyler’s Texas Alpha Xi Chapter of Alpha Chi were recognized at the national college honor society’s annual convention in St. Louis.

C.J. Kornman of Longview received a 2014 Nolle Scholarship in the amount of $1,500 for undergraduate study for his paper titled, “Enhancement of Risk Prediction for Lumbar Spinal Fractures using Stochastic Assessment of Bone Mineral Density Distribution from DXA Images.” The national scholarship is one of only 10 awarded annually by the honor society.

Other student presenters and their presentation titles were Jessica Cagle of Troup – “Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy,” Kaylee Dean of Bedford – “Chronic Stable Angina” and Michael Suarez of Tyler – “Oxytocin delivery as a therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder.”

Suarez also was elected to serve a two-year term as student representative to the National Council of Alpha Chi from Region II, which includes half of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.

“He will represent the region at the annual meetings of the council and will thus play an important role in the governance of the national organization. Alpha Chi is the only major honor society in which students and faculty have equal roles,” said Suzanne Pundt, UT Tyler senior lecturer in biology and chapter sponsor.

Alpha Chi Honor Society has some 300 chapters in 45 states and the District of Columbia. It is a coeducational society whose purpose is to promote academic excellence and exemplary character among college and university students and to honor those who achieve such distinction. As a general honor society, Alpha Chi admits to membership students from all academic disciplines.

A member institution, which must be a regionally accredited, baccalaureate degree-granting college or university, may invite to membership no more than the top 10 percent of the junior, senior and graduate students.

For more information about the UT Tyler Alpha Chi chapter, contact Pundt, 903.566.7274 or spundt@uttyler.edu.

One of the 15 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler features excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at UT Tyler, which has an enrollment of more than 7,500 high-ability students. UT Tyler offers courses at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine as well as a location in Houston.