Lambda Alpha Anthropology Honor Society

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Honor cords

Lambda Alpha is the National Collegiate Honor Society for Anthropology. St. Lawrence University's chapter of Lambda Alpha, Iota of New York, has been active since 1996. We, the faculty of the anthropology department, want to encourage you to join Lambda Alpha and be recognized for your academic achievements in anthropology. You may qualify for Lambda Alpha Iota Chapter membership if you meet these criteria:

Academic Requirements:

* Be a major or minor in anthropology
* Have taken at least six courses in anthropology
* At least sophomore standing
* 3.5 GPA in anthropology 
* 3.3 cumulative GPA
* $25 lifetime membership fee (will be paid by the department)

In addition to basic academic requirements, students will be recommended for Lambda Alpha Honors if they exhibit exceptional character and leadership qualities.

Character requirements:

* Integrity, honesty 
* Courtesy, respect 
* Responsibility 
* Trustworthiness 
* Cooperation

Leadership requirements:

* Reliability, dependability 
* Positive attitude 
* Independence
* Ability to work with others 
* Initiative, resourcefulness

Benefits of Lambda Alpha Membership:

* Lambda Alpha membership is beneficial for your resume and since it is a lifetime membership, you may list it among your honors/affiliations indefinitely.
* Members may submit their work for publication in the Lambda Alpha Journal.
* The National Executive Office provides sizable scholarships each year to two outstanding members.
* Members are eligible to purchase Lambda Alpha Honors cloisonné tack pins bearing the emblem and colors of Lambda Alpha for $10.00.

Candidates will be judged/recommended based on academic performance, character, and leadership. All Lambda Alpha members must maintain good academic standing and must continue to demonstrate good character and leadership qualities to maintain their status as honor society members.

If you meet all the criteria listed above, then you qualify for Lambda Alpha Honors. Please, consider filling out a membership application, which you can obtain by contacting the Lambda Alpha faculty advisor. Inductions for new members take place every spring at the anthropology end of year party.

Honorary Cords

Each year, the honorary cords for graduating senior members of Lambda Alpha are handmade by the junior, sophomore, and first-year members of the anthropology club. The instructions for making these cords have been handed down from class to class for many years. The cords are red, white, and black, representing theories from the 1969 Berlin and Kay color study. These are the colors of anthropology!