Phi Beta Tartan! Women's Basketball Captains Selected to Prestigious Academic Honor Society

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – Phi Beta Kappa welcomed a pair of Tartans earlier this month, as women's basketball captains Jen Larsen and Alex Hansen were selected to the nation's most prestigious undergraduate academic honor society. Founded in 1776 at the College of William and Mary, only about 10 percent of colleges and universities in the United States have Phi Beta Kappa chapters.

"Being elected to Phi Beta Kappa is an incredibly prestigious honor. The women's basketball program is beyond excited that our two senior captains have received this tremendous accolade," said head coach Jacquie Hullah. "Both Jen and Alex were relentless in their pursuit of academic and athletic excellence during their four years at Carnegie Mellon. Their leadership will certainly set the tone for future generations of Tartans, who will also look to achieve their dreams on the court and in the classroom."

Hansen, who played in 22 games for the Tartans this past season, boasts a 4.0 GPA with a concentration in decision science and policy and management. This summer, Hansen will intern in the Physician Services Department Residency Program at UPMC. She will remain at Carnegie Mellon next year to complete the final year of a master's degree in healthcare policy and management at Heinz College. Her hope is to pursue a fellowship in hospital administration and potentially continue her studies through a doctoral program.

"I am so proud to be initiated into one of the most well-known academic societies in the country," Hansen said. "I attribute my academic success to my involvement in athletics. Playing college basketball forces a student to manage her time and prioritize. I have a competitive drive on the court and I developed that same spirit in the classroom."

An all-UAA honorable mention selection following the season, Larsen started all 25 games for the Tartans this year. Larsen, who holds a 3.94 GPA and will graduate with a degree in psychology, has already started working part-time at a neuroscience research lab at UPMC called the Translational Neuroscience Program. She will work there full-time following graduation and has committed to a two-year fellowship. Larsen is considering medical school after her fellowship completes.

"I have worked really hard to be successful academically throughout my college career and being selected to Phi Beta Kappa is a great validation of my efforts," Larsen said. "The most important thing I have learned in the past four years is that hard work pays off. I feel honored to be in the company of so many influential people as a member of Phi Beta Kappa."

Larsen and Hansen have been close friends since coming to Carnegie Mellon in 2008 and being inducted into Phi Beta Kappa together was truly a dream come true.

"It is an extremely special experience to receive this honor alongside Jen. I believe our friendship has propelled us both to success," Hansen said. "Our honor is also a testament to Carnegie Mellon and the Department of Athletics. We are very lucky to have had the support of our families, friends, coaches and teammates over the past four years."