Two recent Southwestern College graduates are the recipients of the 2018 Pi Gamma Mu scholarships. 
Troy Fort and Jerlecia Thompson have been selected to receive $1,000 scholarships from Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society in Social Sciences. 

Fort and Thompson each earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from SC in 2018.  Fort was also the Scholar of the College.  He is currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program in behavioral neuroscience and animal learning at Kansas State University.  Thompson is attending Oklahoma State University working on a specialist in education degree in school psychology.

“It is a very competitive scholarship program and having two winners from Southwestern College in one year is something the college should be proud of,” says Suzanne Rupp, executive director of Pi Gamma Mu.

The honor society awards up to 12 scholarships to attend graduate school annually in the amount of $1,000 and $2,000.  These scholarships are awarded only to Pi Gamma Mu members.  

Pi Gamma Mu was founded at Southwestern College in 1924 when Dr. Leroy Allen, dean and head of the economics department, met with his students to start an economics honor society.  Each member donated 25 cents to cover postage for a mailing to other colleges across the United States, encouraging them to participate with Southwestern College in starting an honor society.  The theme of the honor society was soon changed to include all of the social sciences.  The society has inducted 271,986 members to date and has established chapters at 471 colleges and universities around the globe.  Southwestern College houses the Kansas Alpha Chapter.

Cheryl Rude, professor of leadership studies and academic director at SC, is the faculty sponsor of the chapter.