Eckerd College inducted 24 seniors, three juniors, and one alumna in Eckerd’s Zeta Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Photos by Kaitlyn R. Willgohs ’21.
By the time she defended her undergraduate thesis this spring, Eckerd College senior Thea Rind had already spent three years conducting research in the College’s Chemical Oceanography Lab, helping study the health of seafloor ecosystems on the West Florida Shelf using microscopic marine organisms.
Now, her achievements have earned her induction into Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest academic honor society.
“Being inducted into Phi Beta Kappa is a great honor,” says Thea, a marine science student from New Jersey. “The opportunities that come from Phi Beta Kappa are great, through the alumni network, scholarship opportunities, and lectures. I am very excited to be a member of the society.”
Founded in 1776 at the College of William & Mary, Phi Beta Kappa recognizes exceptional achievement in the liberal arts and sciences. Membership is highly selective, and only about 10% of American colleges and universities have been awarded a Phi Beta Kappa chapter, including Eckerd College, which established its Zeta Chapter of Florida in 2004.
Lisa Bonner, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry and president of Eckerd’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter, says students must meet rigorous academic standards to qualify for induction. Seniors must earn at least a 3.75 GPA in qualifying liberal arts coursework to be considered, while juniors must maintain at least a 3.9 GPA. Students must also demonstrate intermediate proficiency in a language other than English.
Eckerd College President Jim Annarelli poses for a photo with new Phi Beta Kappa inductee Robert Shedden.
This year, Bonner inducted 24 seniors and three juniors into Eckerd’s Zeta Chapter of Florida—a milestone she says reflects the College’s broader academic culture.
Lisa Bonner, Ph.D., welcomes the Phi Beta Kappa inductees and their guests to the induction ceremony on Thursday, May 14.
“At Eckerd, students are encouraged from the beginning to stay curious, explore different perspectives, and challenge themselves beyond their majors,” Bonner says. “Phi Beta Kappa recognizes students who have really embraced the depth and breadth of a liberal arts education.”
Thea says Eckerd’s liberal arts approach fundamentally changed the way she thinks about science and research.
Although she initially arrived at Eckerd interested in biology and invertebrates, coursework in geology and chemistry gradually shifted her focus toward broader questions surrounding ecosystem health.
During her freshman year, she joined Eckerd’s Scientist at Sea program, an initiative that provides students with hands-on research opportunities and early exposure to geoscience careers. The program eventually led her to the Chemical Oceanography Lab, where she spent much of her time developing the project that became her undergraduate thesis.
Now, Thea plans to continue building a career in marine science after graduation. This fall, she will begin a research assistant position studying the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining, before eventually pursuing graduate school opportunities in marine research.
New Phi Beta Kappa member Lucian Flanagan-Burt followed a very different—but equally interdisciplinary—path during his time at Eckerd.
Over the past four years, the Eckerd senior explored majors ranging from marketing to psychology before ultimately landing in history, while also balancing environmental restoration projects with leadership roles in student government. Rather than narrowing his focus over time, Lucian says Eckerd encouraged him to continue following unexpected interests and connections between disciplines.
“I love to learn a little about a lot of things,” Lucian says. “I think it’s an honor to be a certified curious guy.”
Eckerd College President Jim Annarelli congratulates Jordan Aitken on her induction into Phi Beta Kappa.
This year’s Phi Beta Kappa induction ceremony also included the induction of Melissa Seixas ’92 as an alumnus member of the society.
Seixas, president of Duke Energy Florida, graduated from Eckerd before the college established its Phi Beta Kappa chapter. A proud American history major, she says many of the skills that continue to guide her career today began taking shape during her time at Eckerd.
“Eckerd prepared me by pushing me to see the world through a wider lens and to speak plainly, yet confidently, about complex issues,” she says. “My time there taught me how to listen, collaborate and lead with curiosity—skills that matter just as much as technical expertise.”
For Seixas, the induction feels especially meaningful because it reflects the lasting impact of the education she received at Eckerd.
“Being inducted … reflects the lasting impact of a liberal arts education,” she says. “It’s an honor that recognizes not just academic excellence, but a lifelong commitment to learning and freedom of thought. To be recognized by the institution that shaped how I think and lead is truly humbling.”
2026 Phi Beta Kappa Inductees
Zeta of Florida
Juniors
Bella Cotter
Adeline Halloran
Kara Thomas
Seniors
Jordan Aitken
Theodore Barker
Casey Bedwell-Coll
Tamsyn Caddy
Anna Carrier
Lauren Carter
Alyssa Ferrero
Lucian Flanagan-Burt
Joy Gilbertson
Carly Harshbarger
Lily Horn
Emma Kelliher
Nilo Khoury
Claudia Knickrehm
Brooke Krueger
Melody Mayo
Rebecca Meberg
Pixie Parker
Thea Rind
Robert Shedden
Josephine Sievers
Caroline Simpson
Kaitlynn Touchton
Jeniana Willner
Seniors Inducted in 2025
Casper Graham
Alexander Kissel
Hanna Kobs
Jayden Kuhn
Holly Langdon
Lydia McKeever
Akari Miura
