Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society Inducts New Members

MOLLY SCHINELLER ’18
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

You may recognize members of Tri-Beta on campus by the forest green sweatshirts they sport, featuring the society’s ornate seal on the front. Tri-Beta (Beta Beta Beta), the Biology Honor Society at Trinity, has existed for years and just inducted its new regular members and associate members last Thursday. While induction has always taken place during the spring semester, the inclusion of associate members was a new and interesting addition to this year’s ceremony. Those students who have not fulfilled the requirement of having completed three biology classes by the time of induction while maintaining a 3.0 GPA in biology classes are now allowed, and encouraged, to join the society as associate members and begin their involvement in the sciences as early as possible. The addition of this membership class to Trinity’s Tri-Beta chapter may become increasingly important, as the regular membership requirements may potentially increase in the future to match the selectivity of other chapters nationwide.
The induction also featured an official passing of the executive board’s baton from this past year’s leaders to those who will lead next year. Josh Knopf ’17, the current Tri-Beta president, handed his responsibilities over on Thursday evening to Stefanie Hernandez, an IDP student in biology who was elected as Tri-Beta president for the incoming academic year. Hernandez looks forward to further establishing the group’s presence on campus next year while maintaining the outreach efforts that are currently taking place.
Tri-Beta hosts biology tutoring sessions multiple times per week in LSC Commons, where students can bring questions from introductory or higher level biology courses and seek assistance from Tri-Beta members. TJ Lee ’17, who has been a Tri-Beta member for two years, notes that tutoring sessions are “a key example of the initiative Tri-Beta has taken this year to reach out and help underclassmen interested in the sciences.” These sessions run all throughout the year, but students may especially consider taking advantage of this resource now as the final exam season steadily approaches.
To raise funds for its future community service and biological outreach endeavors, Tri-Beta hosted a Family Feud night a few weeks ago in Vernon Social Center. The society distributed fun survey questions in Mather the week prior, then compiled the responses to use as questions in the Family Feud event. At the event, students formed teams and competed to guess the most popular answers to those survey questions. The event was very enjoyable for those who attended and something like it may even be repeated in the future.
Looking forward, you can expect to see Tri-Beta representation at the annual Relay for Life. The society is undecided as to what sort of booth they will host at the event, but in the past, the group has hosted a successful ice cream sundae station and has seen an incredible turnout. Tri-Beta members also intend to participate in the Brain Injury Alliance Run, Walk, and Roll 5K this weekend, in which runners and walkers (and rollers) wear glow apparel to benefit a great cause.
For more information about the Tri-Beta organization on the Trinity College campus, please contact stefanie.hernandez@trincoll.edu.