By Kai EL’ Zabar
The first weekend of spring in Chicago was beautiful, melted snow, warm weather and sunshine. The hotels were full of visitors in the Windy City convening at conferences from the American Beauty Show at the Hilton to the Alpha Chi—The National College Honor Society’s Annual Conference held at Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers, situated directly on the river in the heart of downtown, one block from Lake Shore Drive and within walking distance to such Chicago landmarks as Navy Pier, the Magnificent Mile, Millennium Park, the Art Institute, and the Loop District.
Some 400 students in the top ten percent of their junior and senior classes came to present their position papers and listen in support of others. The burgeoning honor society was founded in 1922 and inducts approximately 13,000 new members annually. Invitation to membership comes only through an institutional chapter. A college seeking a chapter must grant baccalaureate degrees and be regionally accredited. Currently there are some 300 chapters, located in almost every state and in Puerto Rico.
What distinguishes Alpha Chi from other honor societies is that it involves members in all aspects of its operation: chapter officer leadership, student representation on the National Council, local chapter event planning, and presenting scholarly programs at national conventions. The location for the annual conference is chosen based on the city’s success as a thriving center of opportunity. Dr. Trisha Yarborough, Executive Director adds, that, “An important aspect of the society’s mission is networking and collaboration.” These are encouraged through each chapter on its campus to perpetuate opportunities to interact and exchange information with each other but also with others students on campus as well. Dr. Yarborough, says, “Our members participate in local and national service projects, volunteering in crisis management, donating food and books, and tutoring those needing a little extra help. Whether it’s one meal or one book at a time, Alpha Chi members believe in scholarship and in service.” For this reason chapters are encouraged to engage in service-oriented projects.
The weekend’s conference awarded the 29 winning students out 200 presenters for the scholarly work they presented with scholarships from $100 to $5000 dollars. Christine Pappas, advisor from Southeastern Oklahoma State University says, “The topics covered anything from accounting to zoology.” In addition various chapters were also recognized as were the winners of the first time “Best Conference APP Users.”
The guest speaker Nedi Okorafor is a 2001 graduate of the Clarion Writers Workshop in Lansing, Michigan, and holds a PhD in English from the University of Illinois, Chicago. She is a professor of creative writing at Chicago State University and lives with her family in Illinois. Okorafor is also winner of the 2011 World Fantasy Award for best novel for Who Fears Death? She possesses an imagination the New York Times terms “stunning.” Born in the U.S. to Nigerian parents, she incorporates her childhood fascination with entomology and other sciences into her children’s, young adult, and adult fantasy and science fiction novels. As a speaker she was engaging and comfortable. Her delivery was neither delivered from memory or cards but
Nnedi Okorafor
rather comfortably casual with glances at her notes. She shared her life story which included the surgery that left her paralyzed and in a wheel chair ending her promising athletic career as a tennis player and at one time known as Illinois Athlete of the year. This she explained was the deciding moment in her life when she began to write and transformed her future from the her long desire to pursue medicine to the unleashing of her creative imagination. Since then she has gone on to become the accomplished author and professor. She urged students to look beyond their comfort zone. Ms. Okorafor said, “Recognize that learning happens on many levels; go to school to learn not to earn money; know that when one door opens another one closes; don’t be rigid; and if you are afraid, face your fear. Courage is to acknowledge your fear then get through and over it.”
Her speech was received with a thunderous applause and more than a few came over to commend the Society’s director on what a great choice for speaker. People began to mall around, take photos, gather around the speaker to indulge her further while others met to make plans for their last evening in Chicago as the Alpha Chi Annual Conference came to an end.
Author poses with Participants
Ms. Okorafor with Dakota McMahand, Alpha Chi Member from Los Angeles
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