Academic Recognition
Academic Honors List
Academic Honors Lists are compiled each fall and spring semester to recognize undergraduate students for superior academic performance.
Traditional students earning at least a 3.75 grade point average (on a 4.00 scale) while completing a full-time course load of at least 12 credit hours of graded work (Pass/Fail courses are not included) are eligible for consideration. Students receiving an Incomplete in a credit-bearing course are ineligible for the semester in which the Incomplete is received.
Students in the Adult Undergraduate program earning at least a 3.75 grade point average (on a 4.00 scale) while completing a minimum 6 credit hours of graded work (pass/fail courses are not included) and who had no Incompletes in credit-bearing courses are eligible for consideration.
Phi Kappa Phi
Phi Kappa Phi, a national honor society founded in 1897, is the oldest and largest honor society recognizing and encouraging superior scholarship in all academic disciplines. The Nebraska Wesleyan chapter, established in 1914, is the eleventh oldest in the nation. There are currently more than 275 chapters in the United States and throughout the world.
Admission to Phi Kappa Phi is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by the local chapter in accordance with the bylaws of the chapter and the national society. To be considered for election, traditional undergraduate seniors must be in the top 10% of their class; juniors must be in the top 7.5% of their class.
Each year the national society awards 50 fellowships to support the first year of graduate study.
Cardinal Key/Blue Key
The purpose of Cardinal Key National Honor Society is to recognize women for scholarship, outstanding leadership, and community service on and off campus. Junior or senior women in the traditional undergraduate program with at least a 3.50 grade point average may apply for membership.
Blue Key National Honor Fraternity recognizes outstanding achievement in leadership among upperclass men in the traditional undergraduate program. Students in the upper 35% of their class are eligible for nomination. Scholarship, leadership, and service to Nebraska Wesleyan University and to the community are the primary criteria for selection.
Who’s Who
Selection for Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges is based upon students' scholarship, participation, and leadership in academic and extracurricular activities, citizenship and service to Nebraska Wesleyan, and potential for future achievement. Juniors and seniors in the traditional program are nominated by faculty, administrators, and students. Each student’s qualifications are carefully discussed by a committee of faculty, administrators, and students. The national Who’s Who program determines the maximum number of nominees for each campus based upon a university’s enrollment.
Alpha Sigma Lambda
Alpha Sigma Lambda, a national Honor Society for students in continuing education, was founded in 1945 at Northwestern University. The Iota Rho chapter at Nebraska Wesleyan was chartered in 1995, joining more than 200 other chapters throughout the United States. Admission to Alpha Sigma Lambda is by invitation only and requires approval of the local chapter in accordance with the bylaws of the national society. Potential inductees must be matriculated and have a minimum of 30 graded semester hours at Nebraska Wesleyan in a degree program. Inductees selected must have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 and rank in the top 10% of the class.
Departmental Honoraries
Students who excel in individual disciplines or academic divisions may be invited to join the following honoraries: Alpha Kappa Delta (sociology), Alpha Mu Gamma (modern languages), Beta Beta Beta (biology), Delta Mu Delta (business), Kappa Delta Pi (education), Kappa Mu Epsilon (mathematics), Lambda Pi Eta (communication), Mu Phi Epsilon (music), Omicron Delta Epsilon (economics), Phi Alpha Theta (history), Phi Epsilon Kappa (health and human performance), Pi Alpha (social work), Pi Sigma Alpha (political science), Psi Chi (psychology), Sigma Pi Sigma (physics), Sigma Tau Delta (English), Sigma Theta Tau (nursing), and Theta Alpha Phi (theatre).
Gold Key/Silver Key Awards
The Phi Kappa Phi awards are presented each year to at least two graduating seniors. The Gold Key is awarded to the undergraduate student(s) with the highest cumulative grade point average in the class, and the Silver Key is awarded to the undergraduate student(s) with the second highest cumulative average. Students are eligible for the Gold and Silver Keys only if they meet the requirements for graduation with honors at the time of the graduation ceremony.
Graduation with Honors
Students whose cumulative grade point average (GPA) upon the completion of their baccalaureate degree requirements is a 3.80 or above may graduate with honors.
Transfer students who complete at least 64 credit hours at Nebraska Wesleyan University are eligible for graduation with honors. Students who complete fewer than 64 credit hours from the University, however, are eligible for graduation with honors only if they have completed at least 45 credit hours at the University and have earned at least a combined cumulative 3.50 GPA from all regionally-accredited institutions previously attended.
To receive “Highest Distinction” a student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.93 or above. To receive “High Distinction” a student must have a cumulative GPA between 3.86 and 3.92. To graduate with “Distinction” a student must have a cumulative GPA between 3.80 and 3.85. The grade point average is calculated at the time all degree requirements are completed.
Students who have completed all baccalaureate degree requirements at the time of the graduation ceremony will have their achievement announced at Commencement. All students completing their baccalaureate degree requirements after the graduation ceremony, but before September 1 of that year, may receive graduation with honors, although it will not be publicly announced. Any exceptions must be appealed to the Academic Standards Committee.
National and International Awards
Nebraska Wesleyan students are encouraged to enter the competitions for national and international awards, such as the Marshall Scholarship, Fulbright Grants, the Rhodes Scholarship, Goldwater Scholarship, Scholarships of the National Security Education Program, James Madison Fellowships, the Andrew W. Mellon Fellowships in Humanistic Studies, Rotary Scholarships, the Harry S. Truman Scholarship, the Udall Scholarship, and the Gates Cambridge Scholarship.
Information for those and other special opportunities may be obtained from the Coordinator for National and International Prestige Scholarships or the Academic Affairs Office.