Contact: Sasha Steinberg
STARKVILLE, Miss.--One current student and two Mississippi State graduates are selections for 2015 Love of Learning recognitions by Phi Kappa Phi.
The nation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines recently awarded $500 each to doctoral student Austin P. Jacobs of Winchester, Kentucky, along with graduates William K. Funderburk of Columbus and Divek V.D.T. Nair of Saint Paul, Minnesota.
They are among 80 members from around the country honored this year by the organization.
Society membership is by invitation only to the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate-level students, and 7.5 percent of juniors. Faculty and other non-students achieving scholarly distinction also qualify. Learn more at www.phikappaphi.org.
Jacobs currently is pursuing a doctoral degree in agricultural science/agricultural and extension education. In 2009, Funderburk received a master's degree in geosciences; Nair, an agriculture/poultry science master's degree in 2014.
Prior to enrolling at Mississippi State, Jacobs received a bachelor's in agricultural science/agriculture business and a master's in career and technical education-agriculture from Morehead State University. A 2013 initiate of Morehead State's PKP chapter, he will apply his award toward dissertation research expenses.
Funderburk now teaches physics at the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science. A 2006 initiate of MSU's PKP chapter, he plans to use the award to attend a professional chamber-music workshop.
Nair is a 2013 initiate of the MSU chapter. Now a University of Minnesota doctoral student, he will use his award to present research at an upcoming scientific conference.
Established in 2007, PKP's recognition program annually selects 160 members--80 per application cycle--who are seeking to continue their educations. Awards may be applied to graduate or professional studies, doctoral dissertations, continuing education, career development or education-related travel expenses.
Demonstrated leadership and community service experiences, along with academic honors and awards, are among criteria for selection. For more information, see www.phikappaphi.org/loveoflearning.
Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, the society currently has more than 300 university and college chapters throughout North America and the Philippines. Its more than 32,000 members include students, faculty, professional staff and alumni.
MSU, the state's flagship research institution, is online at msstate.edu, meridian.msstate.edu, facebook.com/msstate, instagram.com/msstate and twitter.com/msstate, using hashtag #WeRingTrue.