Gamma Beta Phi – what’s the big Phi-dea?
Investing in service, community-building and camaraderie pay major membership dividends
By Tam Bui
Knightly News Reporter
tam.bui@mymail.centralpenn.edu
The Central Penn chapter of Gamma Beta Phi is looking for its newest members.
The honor society, for people who may be unfamiliar with it, is dedicated to community service.
GBP is a club at Central Penn. Its members value hard work, commitment and dedication in opportunities that allow them to volunteer and help people in the community.
The organization is one of 130 “chapters” of the national office. Assistant of Professor Humanities Amanda Stuckey advises the Central Penn chapter.
According to Stuckey, CPC chapter members “uphold the national society’s core pillars of scholarship, service and character,” and this is shown through membership-application requirements. Students interested in joining and who meet the requirements, or who have already been invited, must apply by May 26. There’s a one-time fee of $70 paid to the national Gamma Beta Phi office.
Stuckey said members are invited based on GPA , which must be at least 3.0. To remain an active member, students must log at least seven hours of community service each term. Stuckey added that members have an opportunity for a $1,500 scholarship each year from the national office.
GBP member Gabryelle Breski said chapter members can help others around them and allow college students to understand one another’s needs. She said that helping others has been one of her biggest passions and noted how she organized a night in the multipurpose room on campus to decorate cards for people living in an assisted-living home.
She added that the chapter is gathering art supplies for the West Shore Connect students to create art to display in their suites. West Shore Connect is a project the West Shore School District operates with Central Penn in which district students with disabilities to take Central Penn courses and experience campus life by learning and making relationships.
Another notable recent GBP project was the food drive organized during the winter term, themed around the Super Bowl. Donations came from across the community for the Central Penn Food Pantry, which helps any students in need of food or other personal necessities.
Stuckey and Breski explained that student members have opportunities to voice their ideas for the organization, including which Central Penn community members will speak during chapter meetings.
Stuckey said she loves hearing from new members who get invited and loves seeing what projects they create that bring the community together.
“Joining GBP is exactly what you make of it,” she stated.
For more information, reach out to Stuckey at amandastuckey@centralpenn.edu or to Breski at gabryelle.breski@mymail.centralpenn.edu.
Comment or story idea? Contact KnightlyEditors@CentralPenn.Edu.
Edited by media-club co-adviser and blog editor Professor Michael Lear-Olimpi.
