News from Chapters

Alpha Delta Eta Chapter, Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405

Chapter representative Dr. Sonia Velázquez announces the induction of three new undergraduate members into the Alpha Delta Eta Chapter of Theta Alpha Kappa.

Alpha Xi Gamma Chapter, Kenyon College
Gambier, OH 43022

Chapter representative Dr. Krista N. Dalton reports that graduating senior Ciara Mulcahy ('23) placed second in the TAK Graduate Fellowship competition and recently began the UNC Chapel Hill’s doctoral program in Early Christianity.

Sigma Chapter, Georgian Court University
Lakewood, NJ 08701-2697

Chapter representative Dr. Johann Vento reports that the Sigma Chapter of Theta Alpha Kappa inducted three new students on April 27, 2023. Two students were inducted at the graduate level, one at the undergraduate level.

Establishment of New Chapters

With this issue of the journal Theta Alpha Kappa welcomes two new chapters.

Alpha Xi Zeta Chapter, Butler University

The Alpha Xi Zeta Chapter of Theta Alpha Kappa has been established at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. Butler University was founded in 1855. Its program offerings include majors and minor in Religious Studies and Philosophy. The chapter representative is Dr. Brent Hege.

Alpha Xi Eta Chapter, Arkansas Baptist College

The Alpha Xi Eta Chapter of Theta Alpha Kappa has been established at Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock, Arkansas. Arkansas Baptist College was founded in 1884. Its programs include majors and minors in Religious Studies and Christian Education. The chapter representative is Dr. Marshawn C. Wilbourn.

News from the National Board

The 2023 annual Theta Alpha Kappa business meeting will be held online this year and is scheduled for Wednesday, November 8, at 8–9 p.m. Central. You will receive a Zoom link closer to the meeting date. Additional information about the meeting has been sent out via email to Chapter Representatives in the Fall 2023 President’s Newsletter.

Kathleen Connolly-Weinert Leadership Award and Student Award

The National Board of Theta Alpha Kappa is pleased to announce that Dr. Ken Stenstrup of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, Winona, Minnesota is the 2023 recipient of the Kathleen Connolly-Weinert Leadership Award. He will be honored at the society’s Annual Business Meeting on Wednesday, November 8 (online). Tim Kujawa, a seminarian in his sophomore year at Saint Mary’s University, is the 2023 recipient of the KCW Student Award, which is presented annually to a student selected by the winner of the Kathleen Connolly-Weinert Leadership Award.

 

Undergraduate Achievement Awards

As of September 1, nominations for the 2023–2024 Undergraduate Achievement Award are open. All chapters whose chapter number ends in the digits 0-4 are encouraged to select one student for this $100 Award; selection criteria are left to the discretion of the local chapter but might focus on overall academic excellence, chapter leadership, outstanding public service, or, in the case of a sophomore or early junior inductee, as an encouragement award toward continued excellence. To name an awardee, Chapter Representatives should send the student’s name and current mailing address to the Treasurer:

Dr. Michael Berger, TAK Treasurer
Dept. of Religion
Emory University
S210 Callaway Center
537 Kilgo Circle
Atlanta, GA 30322
michael.berger@emory.edu

Upon receipt of this information, an Award check will be issued directly to the student. Notice of the selected student must come from the Chapter Representative either via regular mail on signed letterhead or via e-mail from the Chapter Representative’s institutional address. The current policy is to offer the award to half the chapters each year. In the academic year 2022-2023, chapters ending in the digits 5-9 will name an awardee; in the next academic year (2023–2024), chapters ending in the digits 0-4 will name an awardee. See the Theta Alpha Kappa website for your chapter’s number.

2023 Annual Graduate Fellowship Awards

Each year, Chapter Representatives are invited to nominate a student to compete for graduate fellowship awards. The nominee must be an inducted member of TAK who will be advancing to a graduate degree program in religion or theology in the following Fall. Three students were awarded Graduate Fellowship Awards for the 2023–2024 academic year and are pictured below. The first place fellowship was awarded to Lucianna Onderwyzer Gold. Lucy was inducted into TAK as an undergraduate Religious Studies major at Pomona College (in the Claremont Colleges chapter) and now is pursuing her Ph.D. in Religion and Critical Thought at Brown University. Ciara Mulcahy, our second-place GFA winner, was inducted into TAK as an undergraduate at Kenyon College, where she double-majored in Religious Studies and Classics. She now studies early Christianity in the Ancient Mediterranean Religion track at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Calista Alejandra Robledo was the recipient of the third GFA prize. Inducted into TAK at St. Edward’s University, where she double-majored in Catholic Studies and Writing and Rhetoric (with a concentration in Creative Writing), she is now enrolled in the M.Div. program at the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry.

 

Invitation to the 2024 Albert Clark Awards

The National Board of Directors of TAK invites entries for the 2023 Albert Clark Award, given annually for the best papers in religious studies or theology, as judged by panels established by the Board. Each competition winner in each category (undergraduate or graduate) will receive a $500 award, and the runner-up in each category will receive a $250 award. The winners and runners-up will have their essays published in the Journal of Theta Alpha Kappa. Other excellent essays submitted for the competition will be chosen to appear in the Journal.

Competition guidelines: The competition is open to current students at the undergraduate or graduate level who satisfy one of these conditions: a) currently enrolled in or having graduated from a school with an active TAK chapter, provided that the paper was written while attending that school and submitted for the competition within 12 months after graduation; b) currently enrolled in a school that does not have a TAK chapter, provided that the student was inducted in a chapter of TAK at a school previously attended.

  • Papers in religious studies and in all fields of theology are welcome.

  • Authors may only submit one paper for consideration, and the paper may not be submitted for publication elsewhere during the duration of the competition.

  • All papers submitted will be considered both for the Albert Clark Award and for publication in the Journal.

  • Papers should be double-spaced and a maximum of 20 pages, including footnotes, with 12-point font size.

  • Papers should be submitted as Word documents or PDFs.

  • Submissions should follow the Chicago Manual of Style 17th edition (footnotes and bibliography). The citation of all source material, including information drawn from electronic sources or the internet, should be as complete as possible.

  • The paper must be free of any information that may identify the author and may not contain comments by previous readers.

  • Papers must be submitted with a completed Clark Award Submission Form. Clark Award Submission Forms are available at https://thetaalphakappa.org/clark-awards/.

  • Papers must be titled “Lastname Clark submission”; forms must be titled “Lastname Clark form”.

Winners will be chosen and all applicants will be notified of the judges’ decisions in March 2024. Deadline for submission is Monday, January 22, 2023. Send completed Clark Award Submission form and the paper in one email to: Dr. Andrea Stanton, JTAK Associate Editor (andrea.stanton@du.edu).

“Start Up” Grant

The national board of TAK offers a “start-up” grant of $200 for any region of the AAR or SBL that organizes a section at its annual meeting for the presentations of papers by chapter members. A $100 award should be given for the best paper presented, and the remaining $100 may be used at the discretion of the region to help organize the session. In subsequent years, the honor society will continue to offer $100 for the best paper presented at a TAK session. Participants should also be encouraged to submit their papers for the Albert Clark Award and possible publication in this journal.

Procedures for Ordering TAK Certificates and Regalia

The Board of Directors of Theta Alpha Kappa has an agreement with Kenneth E. Jernigan & Associates to collect inductee information and fees and to issue the induction certificates to the Chapter Representative. Chapter Representatives should refer to the link on the TAK website for detailed information about recording and processing this information. Please let us know of any problems. Send comments to theta_alpha_kappa_inquiries@ThetaAlphaKappa.org.