Images in this story were taken before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Marymount University chapter of Lambda Pi Eta (LPH), the official honor society of the National Communication Association (NCA), is set to receive two awards in November – Rookie Chapter of the Year and Rookie Advisor of the Year.
Following a competitive selection that was resolved with a tiebreak, Marymount’s Alpha Chi Omicron Chapter was named Rookie Chapter of the Year. This award is given to chapters that have been chartered in the last three years and “strive to reach the goals of Lambda Pi Eta” and “find their place on campus and develop procedures and traditions that the chapter will adhere to in the future.”
Meanwhile, Assistant Professor of Communication Dr. Megan McFarlane will receive the Rookie Advisor of the Year award, which recognizes an advisor who has served for three years or less and has “dedicated his/her time, energy and service to the student members of their LPH chapter.”
Both awards will be presented during the NCA’s 106th annual convention, “Communication at the Crossroads,” which will be held in a fully virtual manner due to COVID-19.
“Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society offers fantastic leadership opportunities for students at local and national levels, and most of these activities provide unique professional development and networking opportunities that are completely student-led and student-inspired,” explained Dr. McFarlane, one of five members of LPH’s national Faculty Advisory Board. “As part of Marymount’s Alpha Chi Omicron chapter, students have organized internship panels, offered professional headshots and participated in service opportunities. At the national level, members have attended the annual meeting at the National Communication Association convention.”
At last year’s convention in Baltimore, a current Marymount senior and President of its LPH chapter – Brittany George – ran for and was elected to serve on the National Student Advisory Board for NCA. She is one of only three college students from across the country to hold this position.
“Lambda Pi Eta has definitely challenged me to think outside the box and step out of my comfort zone,” George said. “Being an elected member of the National Student Advisory Board has allowed me to network and connect with others across the United States. LPH has also given me the opportunity to learn more about myself in the Communication major.”
With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic impacting all career fields and industries, including communications, former members of the Marymount LPH chapter credit their time in the organization for preparing them to navigate these uncertain times.
“At the national meeting in Baltimore, I really came to understand how communication intersects with nearly every aspect of our lives – whether that be in the professional world, the political world or now most importantly, the health world,” said Noelle Larino, now a Marymount graduate and former President of Marymount’s LPH chapter. “While attending the conference, we also got to meet important scholars in the communication world, which included the Foss sisters – Karen and Sonja. This was a particularly special moment for me because at the time, I was in the middle of writing my senior thesis, and much of my research came from these scholars.”
“The most important value I learned from LPH is collaboration. Whether it be planning for LPH events on campus or hosting activities for our chapter, putting different minds together and collaborating was the key to success. Now as a young professional in the workplace, I have really come to appreciate the value of collaboration and the many other skills that LPH has given me.”
