The Phi Beta Kappa Society
The Nation's Oldest Academic Honor Society
Founded December 5, 1776

Four Athletes Among Initiates to Phi Beta Kappa

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – Four Carnegie Mellon University student-athletes were selected for spring initiation into the Upsilon of Pennsylvania chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. The induction ceremony took place on May 21.

The four student-athletes joining the Carnegie Mellon chapter are women’s cross country and track athlete Keegan Barone, football player Nicholas Bellante, men’s swimmer Andrew Joyner, and men’s tennis athlete Joshua Pinckney.

“Being inducted into Phi Beta Kappa is among the most prestigious of academic honors,” said Director of Athletics Josh Centor, who was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa in 2004. “We are so proud of Keegan, Nick, Andrew and Josh. They have proven that academic and athletic excellence can and should go hand-in-hand.”

Phi Beta Kappa is the nation’s oldest honor society, which was founded in 1776, with chapters at 290 institutions of higher education across the country. Formed from the initials of the Greek motto Philosophia Biou Kybernetes, which translates to “Love of wisdom, the guide of life,” Phi Beta Kappa values intellectual honesty and tolerance. With these qualities established as the standards for election, about 10 percent of college students nationwide receive an invitation to join the prestigious honor society.