DELAWARE, Ohio — Amanda Hays, of Winthrop, was inducted May 8 into Ohio Wesleyan University’s chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest academic honor society. The historic organization counts 17 U.S. presidents, 41 Supreme Court justices, and more than 140 Nobel laureates among its members.

Nationwide, only 10 percent of all U.S. colleges and universities have Phi Beta Kappa chapters, and each of the 290 chapters selects only 10 percent of its graduates annually to join through a highly selective, merit-based invitation process.

Based in Washington, D.C., Phi Beta Kappa was founded in 1776, and its name originated from the motto “Love of learning is the guide of life.” Ohio Wesleyan’s Eta Chapter was founded in 1907.

The honor society’s mission is to champion education in the liberal arts and sciences, to recognize academic excellence, and to foster freedom of thought and expression.

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