Preparing to Graduate

Graduating with Honors

UNIVERSITY SCHOLARS

University Honors are awarded to undergraduate students in three categories based upon all courses taken at CSUSB and other institutions of higher learning. The minimum grade-point averages for recognition are:

Undergraduate candidates receiving university honors for degrees are listed in the Commencement Program. Honors are upon their grade-point averages through the conclusion of the quarter prior to commencement.

Honor Cord: Undergraduate students who have earned university honors are eligible to wear an honor cord as a special mark of the distinction achieved. Qualified students will receive a letter. You must present your letter at the CSUSB bookstore in order to purchase your honor cord. Graduate students do not wear honor cords.

Presidential Scholars

San Bernardino County high school students who rank in the top 1 percent of their graduating class are eligible to receive the President's Academic Excellence Scholarship at Cal State San Bernardino. PAES recipients receive an annual $5,000 scholarship to attend CSUSB, renewable up to four years as long as the recipients are full-time students and mantain a 3.5 grade point average. The scholarship covers student fees and textbook costs and also provides a small stipend to cover other student expenses.

The Presidential Scholars Program is made possible through the generous support of local corporations, foundations and individuals.

Departmental Honors

Some departments, to recognize distinction in the major field, award departmental honors to undergraduate students. The respective department specifies honors requirements and submits an eligible list of names to the Commencement Office. An asterisk by a student's name in the Commencement Program will reflect this honor.

Phi Kappa Phi

Phi Kappa Phi is a National Honor Society. Invitations are mailed out mid-March to the top 10 percent of graduate students and seniors, and the top 7.5 percent of juniors. Show your pride of affiliation with Phi Kappa Phi by wearing a Phi Kappa Phi recognition item during commencement.

Advisor: Dr. Jenny Zorn
Office Phone Number: (909) 537-5024
Email: jzorn@csusb.edu
National Website: http://www.phikappaphi.org/Web/

Golden Key International Honour Society

Candidates for Golden Key International Honour Society are selected from juniors, seniors and graduate students in the upper 15 percent of their class. Golden Key International was founded at the Georgia State University in 1977; California State University, San Bernardino's chapter was established in 2002.

Advisor: Dr. Ruth Burke
Office Phone Number: (909) 537-5899
Email: rburke@csusb.edu
National Website: https://www.goldenkey.org/GKIHS

Phi Beta Delta

Candidates for the Honor Society for International Scholars Phi Beta Delta are nominated by active members of the society. Domestic students who qualify for membership must have excelled in their study abroad classes and have, if an undergraduate, a 3.2 grade point average, or if a graduate, a 3.5 grade point average. International students must have an excellent academic record at CSUSB: if an undergraduate, a 3.2 GPA, if a graduate, a 3.5 GPA. Phi Beta Delta was founded at California State University, Long Beach in 1986; California State University, San Bernardino's chapter was established in 1995.

Advisor:
Office Phone Number: (909) 537-5193
Email:
CSUSB Website: http://iss.csusb.edu/Webhelp/pbdme.asp?page=pbdm&action=e

Beta Alpha Psi

Membership in Beta Alpha Psi is offered to Junior and Senior students who have a 3.0 GPA with a declared concentration in accounting, finance, or information systems and who will have the opportunity for self-development and affliliation among members and practicing business professionals, The Iota Eta Chapter founded in 1997, has been nationally awarded Superior Chapter for the last three years and has come to be a well recognized organization in the local business community. Beta Alpha Psi sashes are black and red.

Advisor: Dr. Janet Courts
Office Phone Number: (909) 537-5714
Email: jcourts@csusb.edu
CSUSB Website: http://www.bap.org

Beta Gamma Sigma

Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is offered by invitation only to the top 10% of juniors and seniors and the top 20% of business masters students, only at institutions accredited by the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACBS International).  This is the highest business honor society recognition internationally. The CSUSB Chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma was chartered in 1995 and has been awarded Exemplary Chapter status by BGS Headquarters for the last three years in a row.  Sashes are royal blue and gold.

Advisor: Beth Flynn, MBA Director
Email: bflynn@csusb.edu
Office Phone Number: (909) 537-5703
National Website: http://www.betagammasigma.org/aboutbgs.htm

Eta Sigma Gamma (National Health Education Honor Society)

Eta Sigma Gamma is the National Health Education Honorary Society, with headquarters on the campus of Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. The Delta Delta chapter of ESG was installed on the CSUSB campus on May 5, 1998. Membership requirements include a 3.0 GPA, and participation in a minimum of two professional or club events per year. Annual club activities have included organizing and sponsoring the HSCI Winter and Spring Banquets, participation in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life (which ESG began on the CSUSB campus), hosting the American Lung Association Inland Empire Conference at CSUSB, tree-planting, a Valentine's Day Rose Sale, club t-shirt sale, plus sponsoring a quarterly "Meet the Professional" for Health Science students. Membership is currently open to all Health Science undergraduate and graduate students; dues are $10 per quarter. New members are inducted bi-annually at the winter or spring banquet.

Advisors: Dr. Kim Clark
Email: kclark@csusb.edu
Office Phone Number: (909) 537-5323
National Website: http://www.etasigmagamma.org/

Lambda Pi Eta  (National Honor Society for Communication Studies)

This national honor society of the National Communication Association (NCA) recognizes, fosters, and rewards outstanding scholastic achievement by students in the discipline of communication studies, promotes and encourages professional development among communication majors, and provides them with opportunities to discuss and exchange ideas, establish and maintain closer relationships with faculty, and explore options for graduate education in the discipline.

Advisor: Dr. Brian Heisterkamp
Email: heisterkamp@csusb.edu
Office Phone Number: (909) 537-7665 
Website: http://communication.csusb.edu/lpe.html

Omicron Delta Epsion (International Honor Society for Economics)

Omicron Delta Epsilon (ODE) is one of the world's largest academic honor societies. Its objectives include recognizing outstanding scholastic achievement in economics; establishing closer ties between students and faculty of economics within and across universities; publishing its official journal, The American Economist; and sponsoring panels at professional meetings as well as the Irving Fisher and Frank W. Taussig research competitions. The CSUSB chapter of ODE is called Alpha Delta and was founded in 1985.

Advisor: Dr. Mayo C. Toruno
Email: mtoruno@csusb.edu
Office Phone Number: (909) 537-5517
National Website: http://www.omicrondeltaepsilon.org/index.html

Phi Alpha Honor Society (National Honor Society for Social Work Students)

The purpose of the Phi Alpha Honor Society are to provide a closer bond among students of social work and promote humanitarian goals and ideas. Phi Alpha fosters high standards of education for social work students and invites into membership, those who have attained excellence in scholarship and achievement in social work.

Advisor: Dr. Laurie Smith
Email: lasmith@csusb.edu
Office Phone Number: (909) 537-3837
CSUSB Website: http://www.freewebs.com/phialphahonorsociety/index.htm
National Website: http://www.phialpha.org/

Phi Alpha Theta (History Honor Society)

Alpha Delta Nu is CSUSB's chapter of the Phi Alpha Theta national honor society. Phi Alpha Theta is a professional organization designed to promote the study of history and encourage excellence in historical research, teaching, and publication. Membership in Phi Alpha Theta is reserved for exemplary students who have achieved at least a 3.0 overall GPA. CSUSB's Alpha Delta Nu strives to uphold the standards of the national society by encouraging students to participate in the thoughtful and critical study of history. To achieve these goals, Alpha Delta Nu sponsors field trips, guest speakers, and publication of a student journal of history. Members of CSUSB's Alpha Delta Nu chapter of Phi Alpha Theta wear blue and red honor chords.

Advisor: Dr. Cherstin M. Lyon
Email: clyon@csusb.edu
Office Phone Number: (909) 537-3836
National Website: http://www.phialphatheta.org

Pi Sigma Alpha (National Political Science Honor Society)

Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, is the only honor society for college and university students of government in the United States. At present, there are 621 Pi Sigma Alpha chapters on campuses across the country. Pi Sigma Alpha is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies. Members of Pi Sigma Alpha wear black and red cords. The CSUSB chapter has twice won a national best chapter award.

Advisor: Dr. Edward Erler
Email: eerler@csusb.edu
Office Phone Number: (909) 537-5555
National Website: http://www.apsanet.org/~psa/

Sigma Delta Pi (National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society)

Sigma Delta Pi (Zeta Pi Chapter) is a National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society (La Sociedad Nacional Honoraria Hispanica) that honors those who attain excellence in the study of the Spanish language and in the study of the literature and culture of the Spanish-speaking peoples; honors those who have made the Hispanic contributions to modern culture better known in the English-speaking world; encourages college and university students to acquire a greater interest in and a deeper understanding of Hispanic culture; fosters friendly relations and mutual respect between the nations of Hispanic speech and those of English speech; and serves its membership in ways which will contribute to the attainment of the goals and ideals of the society.

Advisor: Dr. J. David Jerez-Gomez
Office Phone Number: (909) 537-5851
Email: jdjerez@csusb.edu
National Website: http://www.sigmadeltapi.org

Sigma Pi Sigma (National Physics Honor Society)

Sigma Pi Sigma exists to honor outstanding scholarship in physics; to encourage interest in physics among students at all levels; to promote an attitude of service of its members towards their fellow students, colleagues, and the public; to provide a fellowship of persons who have excelled in physics. Sigma Pi Sigma's mission is not completed in the induction ceremony with the recognition of academic accomplishment. In the four dimensions of Honor, Encouragement, Service, and Fellowship, the mission of Sigma Pi Sigma takes a longer view.

Founded in 1921, Sigma Pi Sigma is a member honor society of the Association of College Honor Societies. Our society has some 75,000 historical members. Election to Sigma Pi Sigma is a lifetime membership.

Advisor: Dr. Laura Woodney
Email: woodney@csusb.edu
Office Phone Number: (909) 537-7593
National Website: http://www.sigmapisigma.org/about.htm

Sigma Tau Delta (International English Honor Society)

The CSUSB Chapter Sigma Tau Delta, International English Honor Society, seeks to:

A.	Confer distinction for high achievement in the study of English language and literature at California State University, San Bernardino;
B.	Promote interest in English and American language and literature at California State University, San Bernardino and in the surrounding community;
C.	Foster the discipline of English in all its aspects, including creative and critical writing;
D.	Promote good fellowship among its members; and
E.	Exhibit high standards of academic excellence.

Qualifications for Membership: Membership is by invitation only extended to students chosen on the basis of superior scholarship, as reflected both in their college grade point averages and the quality of their departmental coursework in English. To be considered for membership, a student must be enrolled in an English program at California State University, San Bernardino, and have completed a minimum of three English courses at California State University, San Bernardino at the 200-level or above.

Advisor: Dr. Margaret Doane
Email: mdoane@csusb.edu
Office Phone Number: (909) 537-5830
Website: http://english.csusb.edu/sigma.htm

Sigma Theta Tau (International Honor Society of Nursing)

Membership is by invitation to baccalaureate and graduate nursing students who demonstrate excellence in scholarship, and to nurse leaders exhibiting exceptional achievements in nursing. The vision of the Honor Society of Nursing is to create a global community of nurses who lead in using knowledge, scholarship, service and learning to improve the health of the world's people. Members of Sigma Theta Tau International wear orchid and white honor cords.

Advisor: Dr. Donna Rane-Szostak
Email: draneszo@csusb.edu
Office Phone Number: (909) 537-5386
National Website: www.nursingsociety.org

Rogers Scholars

The Rogers Scholars Program located at the Cal State San Bernardino Palm Desert Campus was created through the generous support of the Mary Stuart Rogers Foundation. Recipients, called Rogers Scholars, demonstrate exceptional academic records, outstanding leadership qualities, a sincere commitment to their own personal growth, and show a desire to serve their fellow students and communities.