Honor society Phi Beta Delta to be revived

By Shannon Milliken
The Collegian

Students interested in studying abroad will now have a place to come together with experienced students, staff and faculty to discuss international education.

Phi Beta Delta, an honors society devoted to international programs, is in the process of starting up again at Fresno State. A ceremony was held in November to induct new members into the Upsilon chapter of the society.

Though the Fresno State chapter was originally started in 1992, it had been dormant in recent years due to a lot of turnover in the Continuing and Global Education department, said Berta Gonzalez, associate vice president of the department. Gonzalez directed the reactivation process this fall.

As Phi Beta Delta gets organized and back into the swing of things, Gonzalez said it is important to continually increase membership.

“The university has a general goal to increase the number of students with international education experience,” Gonzalez said. Simon Haeder, a graduate student who is helping Gonzalez with the reactivation, said he agrees increasing membership is key.

Once the society has a solid base, the goal is to participate in International Education Week and numerous other activities to raise awareness about all of the international programs open to students.

“We want to make sure the university brings enough international students and make sure more Fresno State students get the chance to study abroad,” Haeder said. “We want to get more exchange going on.”

Haeder is an international student from Germany. He transferred to Fresno State in 2004 because he wanted to get a different international experience, he said. Now, Haeder has graduated but is staying at Fresno State to complete his graduate education in International Relations because of all the opportunities he’s been offered here, such as becoming president of an international education honors society.

Haeder said Phi Beta Delta will become an important voice of influence for the students interested in international programs. One way the society will do this is through bringing speakers to campus.

Gonzalez said there are already about 20 visiting scholars at Fresno State, doing research or teaching.

“We will tap into their expertise as part of the honors society,” Gonzalez said.

There will be another induction ceremony in the spring, for students interested in joining Phi Beta Delta.

Contact Simon Haeder at 294-9119 for more information about applications for the spring 2007 semester.

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