Grace College inducted 32 juniors and seniors into the Alpha Chi Honor Society on Saturday, Jan. 31. These high-achieving students have earned the top 10% of GPAs across all disciplines at Grace. Every year, Alpha Chi inducts nearly 11,000 students from across the country.
Established in 1922, Alpha Chi aims to nurture academic excellence and character elements, making scholarship effective for good among college and university students of every discipline. The national honor society celebrates more than a century of rich history marked by scholarship and service. Alpha Chi has been affiliated with the Association of College Honor Societies since 1955, making it the second-oldest and second-largest general honor society in the United States.
“As faculty, we look forward to this event every year, as these are students who have really distinguished themselves in academics throughout their time at Grace,” said Dr. Lauren Rich, Alpha Chi faculty sponsor and professor of English in the Department of English, Literature, and Languages. “Membership in Alpha Chi is an honor signifying students’ hard work, dedication to learning, and strong character.”
Grace College paid the membership fee for all eligible students who wished to join. This was made possible by the generous support of Grace’s administration, particularly Dr. Kevin Roberts, Grace’s provost, as well as Doug Baumgardner, vice president of financial affairs, who joined Alpha Chi when he was a student at Grace.
After inductees were introduced by a faculty member from their school and presented with a certificate and pin, Dr. Patrick Loebs, professor of communication at Grace, delivered a keynote address. Rachel Macy, a 2024 Alpha Chi inductee and student body president, delivered the benediction.
The 2026 Grace College Alpha Chi Honor Society inductees are:
- Rachel Albert of Dyer, Ind., studying management of information systems
- Cora Armes of Bicknell, Ind., studying elementary education
- Kelsey Bough of Elkhart, Ind., studying history
- Hannah Breidenbaugh of New Haven, Ind., studying intercultural studies
- Hattie Brisco of Roanoke, Ind., studying English education
- Bria Bucciarelli of Monroe Falls, Ohio, studying elementary education
- Riley Capron of Buchanan, Mich., studying counseling
- Nathaniel Close of Plainfield, Ind., studying management
- Zachariah Conrades of Sellersburg, Ind., studying sport management and sport ministry
- Esteban Josue Corbalan Martinez of Argentina, studying psychology
- Carter DeVoe of Indianapolis, Ind., studying health science
- Alexis Douglas of Bourbonnais, Ill., studying elementary education
- Cassidy Felger of Cicero, Ind., studying accounting
- Ethan Huber of Pierceton, Ind., studying health science
- Andrew Johns of Lafayette, Ind., studying sport business
- Ian Koch of Tremont, Ill., studying finance
- Grace Lidgett of Traer, Iowa, studying visual communication design
- Charity Lundgren of Kittanning, Pa., studying French education
- Ellison Miller of Milford, Ind., studying exercise science
- Audrey Myers of South Bend, Ind., studying marketing
- Reagan Oldfather of Columbia City, Ind., studying digital communication
- Carina Olson of Pataskala, Ohio, studying elementary education and Spanish
- Anne Penner of Valparaiso, Ind., studying educational ministries
- Isaac Reynolds of Aurora, Ill., studying management and accounting
- Henry Schavey of Mishawaka, Ind., studying accounting
- Meredith Schumacher of Roanoke, Ind., studying counseling
- Leah Shuler of Scottsburg, Ind., studying elementary education
- Ethan Snyder of Wadsworth, Ohio, studying math education-secondary
- Ethan Vande Werken of Orland Park, Ill., studying accounting
- Amber Ward of Anderson, Ind., studying visual communication design
- Elizabeth West of Logansport, Ind., studying English
- Sarah Williamson of Noblesville, Ind., studying exercise science
The Grace College Alpha Chi chapter is sponsored by the Office of Faith, Learning & Scholarship.
For more information on the Alpha Chi Honor Society, visit www.alphachihonor.org. For more information about the Grace College Alpha Chi Chapter, contact faculty sponsor Dr. Lauren Rich at richlg@grace.edu.
