Honor Societies
JSU offers over 31 national and international general and departmental honor societies for students who achieve high scholastic standing during their tenure at the university.
Recognizing high scholastic standing
JSU offers over 31 national and international general and departmental honor societies for students who achieve high scholastic standing during their tenure at the university. Students who meet the requirements for invitation for an honor society are notified to complete an application for membership.
You can find the list of honor societies, requirements and contact information in the JSU Honor Societies requirements and contact information spreadsheet.
For a complete list of honor societies and scholastic requirements, please contact 601-979-2107.
- Societies
- Over 31 national and international
- Types
- General and departmental
- How to Join
- Eligible students are notified to complete an application
- Full List
- Requirements and contact spreadsheet
- Phone
- 601.979.2107
Honor societies at Jackson State
Select a society to see its membership requirements, advisor, and contact details.
Membership is open to all disciplines, is limited to the top 10% of an institution's juniors, seniors, and graduate students.
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Ella Moore-Boyd
Contact: ella.g.moore@jsums.edu or 601-979-2789
Membership is open to students who, after having earned at least 12 hours of graduate study, have a GPA placing the student in the top 35% of graduate students; a record of leadership and service to graduate students or graduate student organizations.
Advisor: Debra Washington
Membership is open to full-time juniors, seniors and graduate students in good standing; juniors should have completed at least 50% of graduation requirements and rank in the upper 10% of the class. Entering graduate students should have at least a 3.3 GPA and rank in the upper 10% of the class. Continuing graduate students should have completed a minimum of 15 hours and have a 3.7.
Advisor: Dr. Loria Brown-Gordon
Contact: loria.c.brown@jsums.edu or 601-979-2107
Alpha Lambda Delta was founded at the University of Illinois in 1924, specifically to honor excellence in academic achievement by students in their first year of study in higher education. The constitution states its purpose as follows: “…to encourage superior academic achievement…to promote intelligent living and a continued high standard of learning and to assist students in recognizing and developing meaningful goals for their roles in society.” In addition to the initial recognition described, the Society has numerous programs to encourage continued superior classroom performance, such as awards, national workshops, campus activities and fellowships and loans for undergraduate, graduate, and professional study.
Membership is open to all freshmen who meet the following academic qualifications:
- A student must be enrolled full-time for a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree.
- The minimum scholastic average is a grade of 3.5 or above.
- Eligibility is based on either grades of the first full curricular period or on the cumulative average of the first year in college.
- Once initiated, the student becomes a life member of Alpha Lambda Delta.
Advisor: Latonya Robinson-Kanonu (latonya.d.robinson@jsums.edu or 601-979-1494)
Contact Ms. Velasquez for requirement information.
Advisor: Ms. Esperanza Velasquez
Contact: esperanza.m.velasquez@jsums.edu or 601-979-2866
Membership requirements: Membership for Criminal Justice majors is open to undergraduate students who have completed at least one-third of the total hours toward graduation, have a 3.2 GPA, and rank in the top 35% of the class; and graduate students who have a 3.4 GPA.
Advisor: Dr. Vineeth Vijayan
Contact: vineeth.vijayan@jsums.edu
Alpha Phi Sigma membership application
Alpha Phi Sigma informational brochure (PDF)
Membership is open to undergraduate Liberal Arts majors with at least 24 hours toward graduation completion.
Advisor: Dr. Deidre L. Wheaton
Contact: deidre.l.wheaton@jsums.edu or 601-432-6515
Membership is open to sophomore Biology majors who have completed at least three semesters and have a 3.0 GPA.
Advisor: Dr. Joseph Cameron
Contact: joseph.a.cameron@jsums.edu or 601-979-2586
Seniors (upper 10%) and graduate students who are Business Administration majors. Rank in upper 10%. Graduates rank in upper 20% of class.
Contact Dr. Wright for requirement information.
Advisor: Dr. Terrance Wright
Contact: terrance.wright@jsums.edu or 601-979-0873
Membership is open to strong sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students who have demonstrated a record of success in scholarship, leadership and service; minimum GPA of 3.0.
Sophomores, students who were admitted via developmental studies, student support services, etc. Must hold a 3.0 GPA for two consecutive semesters.
Advisors: Stacy Davison and Dr. Shirley Burnett
Contact: stacy.davison@jsums.edu, 601-979-1393 or shirley.f.burnett@jsums.edu, 601-979-1394
Membership is open to selected student-athletes. Selection for membership is by an athletic department designee in consultation with the individual's head coach and is based on outstanding scholarship, earned athletic letter winner, and excellent character and citizenship.
Advisor: Ms. Genese Lavalais
Contact: genese.a.lavalais@jsums.edu or 601-979-1997
Sophomores, Technology majors. 3.2 GPA. $25 fee.
Advisor: Dr. Jessica L. Murphy
Contact: jessica.l.murphy@jsums.edu or 601-979-1145
Membership is open to students in all disciplines, sophomore through graduate status, who are enrolled full-time and are in the top 15% of their class.
Contact Dr. Smith for requirement information.
Advisor: Dr. Ingrad Smith
Contact: ingrad.smith@jsums.edu or 601-979-2351
Students must be a Mass Communication and/or Theater major.
Advisor: Dr. Candace Brown
Contact: candace.a.brown@jsums.edu or 601-979-3332
Contact Mrs. Stokes for requirement information.
Advisor: Mrs. Ester Stokes
Contact: ester.w.stokes@jsums.edu or 601-432-6277
Second semester freshmen, Social Work majors. 3.0 GPA, 3.25 in SW classes. Graduate students 3.5 GPA. $20 fee.
Advisors: Ms. Candace Riddley and Ms. Bernice G. McKenny
Contact: candace.l.riddley@jsums.edu, 601-979-4170 or bernice.g.mckenny@jsums.edu, 601-432-6832
Membership is open to students who have earned at least 12 hours in history, or history majors who have earned at least a 3.1 GPA and are in the top 35% of the class.
Advisor: Dr. Mark Bernhardt
Contact: mark.a.bernhardt@jsums.edu or 601-979-2495
Membership is open to top scholars in the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Department.
Advisor: Dr. Gwen Dawkins
Contact: gwendolyn.s.dawkins@jsums.edu or 601-979-2770
Organization: Membership is open to students who have demonstrated scholarship at a two-year institution.
Advisor: Galina Bennett
Contact: galina.m.bennett@jsums.edu or 601-979-1784
Scholarship: To apply for the PTK scholarship, you will need to be admitted to Jackson State University and be an active member of the organization. You will also need to have an Associate's degree with 60 transferable hours.
Scholarship Coordinator: Pamela Johnson
Contact: pamela.d.johnson@jsums.edu or 601-979-8636
Membership is open to sophomore through graduate level education majors who have a 3.5 GPA.
Advisor: Dr. Laverne Allen-Gentry
Contact: laverne.a.gentry@jsums.edu or 601-979-2351
Membership is open to math majors who are sophomore through graduate level who are in the top third of the class or who have a 3.0 GPA.
Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society is a national honor society for political science students. It rewards and encourages scholarship and discourse. The Jackson State University Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, Nu Mega Chapter, is sponsored by the Department of Political Science. In order to be eligible a student must have completed at least 18 credits of political science courses, have a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or higher and have a political science cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher. Members need not be political science majors. However, they must meet the minimum course requirements.
For more information, contact its adviser, Dr. Lolita D. Gray, 601-979-2725 or lolita.d.gray@jsums.edu, or Dr. Byron D'Andra Orey, 601-979-1505 or byron.d.orey@jsums.edu.
Why you should join:
- Recognition of academic excellence
- Right to wear honor regalia
- National Student Conference
- Scholarships for graduate study
- Best paper awards
- Annual chapter activity grants
2016–2017 officers: Jasmine Jackson (President), Jauan Knight (Vice President), Courtney Body (Secretary), Kesicia Dickinson (Treasurer)
Membership is open to political science majors who are juniors through graduate level. Undergraduates must complete half of credits toward the degree, 10 credits of Political Science, have at least a B average, and rank in the top third of the class. Graduate students must have 9 credits in Political Science and a 3.0 GPA.
Advisor: Dr. Byron Orey
Contact: byron.d.orey@jsums.edu or 601-979-2136
Membership is open to sophomore through graduate level Psychology majors or minors who have completed at least three semesters of Psychology classes, have a 3.0 GPA and are in the top 35% of the class.
Advisor: Dr. Pamela Banks
Contact: pamela.g.banks@jsums.edu or 601-979-2371
Membership is open to sophomore through graduate level Physics majors who have completed three semesters of full-time coursework and three courses in Physics.
Advisor: Dr. Carl Drake
Contact: carl.drake@jsums.edu or 601-979-3624
Membership is open to English majors who are sophomores through graduate level who have completed at least two English courses or literature beyond freshman English, rank in the top 35% of the class, have completed at least three semesters, and have at least a 3.0 GPA.
Advisors: Dr. Rashell Smith-Spears, Dr. Sheila S. Salins, Dr. Noel E. Didla, and Dr. Helen J. Crump
Contact: rashell.smith-spears@jsums.edu, 601-979-5859 or sheila.s.salins@jsums.edu, 601-979-1480 or noel.e.didla@jsums.edu, 601-979-0377 or helen.j.crump@jsums.edu, 601-979-5864, 601-979-5890
Membership is open to transfer students who have earned at least a 3.5 GPA as a full-time Jackson State University student.
Organization mission and purpose: The National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) is an honors organization that recognizes and elevates high achievers. NSCS provides career and graduate school connections, leadership and service opportunities and gives out a million dollars in scholarships annually. NSCS members are deeply committed to scholarship, leadership and service and as a result, are impacting their campus and local communities every day.
2020–2021 officers: David Bernard (President), Jamee McAdoo (Executive Vice-President), Amaris Edwards (Star Status Coordinator), Kecia Ramsey (Treasurer), Courtney Logan (Secretary), Kya Green (Vice-President of Community Service), Jordan Greenwood (PACE Chair), Kayla Singleton and Sydney Bridgwaters (Active Minds Co-Chairs), Jhanae Harris (Vice-President of Public Relations & Recruitment), Kia Jackson (March 2 College Chair), Kayla Carter (Vice-President of Social Media), Ricky Lunford (CAB Representative), Britasia Burks (SGA Representative)
Advisor: Dr. Pamala Heard, Director of Honors Student Services and Activities — 601.979.3418 or pamala.heard@jsums.edu
How to join: NSCS membership is by invitation only.
Mission: The Society for Collegiate Leadership & Achievement (SCLA) honors student achievement and empowers the next generation of leaders. Our members become leaders who stand out from the crowd.
Current officers: Eliza Garcia (President), ArTaisha Bridge-Shumate (Vice President), Jazmy Bates (Secretary), Teresa Green (Treasurer), Jazmy Bates (SGA Representative), Jacqueline James (CAB Representative), Marlisa Scott (Public Relations)
Advisor: Dr. Pamala Heard, Director of Honors Student Services and Activities — pamala.heard@jsums.edu or 601.979.3418
How to join: Email your name and J number to the chapter president.
Honors College information
Join the Honors College
High-achieving students at Jackson State earn recognition, scholarships, and a national network.
Contact the Honors College
Charles F. Moore Building, Room 105
1400 J.R. Lynch Street, P.O. Box 17004
Jackson, MS 39217
