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School for Adult Learning
Alpha Nu Chapter, Alpha Sigma Lambda

1998 Inductees | 1999 Inductees | 2000 Inductees
2001 Inductees | 2002 Inductees | 2003 Inductees
2004 Inductees | 2005 Inductees | 2006 Inductees
2007 Inductees | 2008 Inductees

About Alpha Sigma Lambda

In November 1968, the Board of Councilors of Alpha Sigma Lambda, the national honor society for adult learners, accepted the petition of the University of Indianapolis (formerly Indiana Central University until May 1986) for the establishment of a chapter. This chapter is known as the Alpha Nu Chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda.

Alpha Sigma Lambda originated in 1946 at Northwestern University. In 1947, following the establishment of the Beta Chapter at the University of Cincinnati Evening College, Alpha Sigma Lambda became a national honor society. Today there are over 150 charter chapters at member institutions throughout the United States.

The purpose of the society is to provide an association of extended programs students whose academic performance is outstanding. Each year on March 1 at the University of Indianapolis, all Extended Programs and Accelerated Programs students are automatically considered for membership in the Alpha Nu Chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda based upon the eligibility criteria listed below. Invitations to membership are mailed around March 25 each year. This is the highest honor that the University of Indianapolis may bestow upon an adult learner.

INDUCTION CEREMONY (see photo at right). 80-year-old Betty Stader receives her ASL membership certificate and pin from Dr. John Batey, Associate Dean of the School for Adult Learning, during the 1999 induction ceremony on May 1.

Eligibility Criteria

While good grades are certainly important, an invitation to membership in the University of Indianapolis Chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda recognizes much, much more. Perhaps more than anything, it could be characterized as a "hard work" award at UIndy. It recognizes motivation, desire, commitment, "stick-to-it-ivness," etc., in addition to good grades. You can't just take a couple of courses, get A's, and receive an invitation to membership. To be eligible for consideration, students must, on March 1:

• Be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student in the Extended Programs Division or the Accelerated Programs Division at the University of Indianapolis.
• Be a declared baccalaureate degree program candidate.
• Not have completed the requirements for a baccalaureate degree nor been awarded a baccalaureate degree.
• Have completed a minimum of four semesters with a minimum of 6.0 credit hours each semester at the University of Indianapolis, not counting summer sessions or the currently-enrolled semester, in a baccalaureate degree program.
• Have 30 graded credit hours in Extended Programs or Accelerated Programs at the University of Indianapolis, not counting summer sessions or the currently-enrolled semester (this does not include work in progress or transfer credit, pass/fail courses, S/U grading, CR [credit] grading, math proficiency testing, CLEP/DANTES/Excelsior College testing, etc.).
• Have 15 graded credit hours in University of Indianapolis core requirements (general education courses) in Extended Programs or Accelerated Programs, not counting summer sessions or the currently-enrolled semester (this does not include work in progress or transfer credit, pass/fail courses, S/U grading, CR [credit] grading, math proficiency testing, CLEP/DANTES/Excelsior College testing, etc.).
• Students with D or F grades on the official transcript of any college or university attended are not eligible for consideration regardless of meeting the other eligibility criteria on this page.
• Have a grade point average for the semester of at least 3.20 or higher for a minimum of two semesters in Extended Programs or Accelerated Programs at the University of Indianapolis, carrying a minimum load of at least 6.0 credit hours for each of those semesters.
• Have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.20 at the University of Indianapolis.
• Be in the top 5% of all students currently enrolled in the Extended Programs Division and the Accelerated Programs Division (determined by cumulative GPA) at the University of Indianapolis.
• Students who meet all of the above requirements are rank ordered by cumulative GPA. Invitations to membership are then extended to the top 5% of the current official Semester II EPD/APD enrollment figure (as reported by the University Registrar), rounded up to the nearest whole number. Example for illustration purposes only: EPD/APD enrollment = 749. 5% of 749 = 37.45, or 38 maximum number of invitations (if the number of students who meet all the requirements above does not total the maximum number of invitations that may be extended, only those who meet the qualifications will be invited to become members of the chapter).

NOTE: It is quite literally impossible to tell you in advance if you will be eligible for membership in Alpha Sigma Lambda. You could meet all the eligibility criteria shown above and still not be in the top 5% of the current enrollment. You are considered based not only upon your own credentials, but also in comparison to the credentials of all other enrolled EPD and APD students. Until the computer center generates the Possible Eligibility Roster on March 1 each year, ineligibles are manually removed from the roster, and eligibles are ranked order by GPA, we do not know who will be eligible for induction.

Other Information

Faculty and administrative officers may be elected to honorary membership but their number may not exceed 20, or ten percent of the total membership of the chapter. Alumni may retain their membership following graduation.

The National Councilor of the Alpha Nu Chapter at UIndy is Dr. Patricia A. Jefferson-Bilby, Dean of the School for Adult Learning. The Chapter Sponsor is Bob Burchfield, Director of Academic Support Services in the School for Adult Learning.