Recent Florida State University graduate Taylor Merritt has been awarded a $5,000 fellowship by The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi — the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Merritt is one of 57 recipients nationwide to receive a Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship.
Merritt, a native of Pensacola, received her bachelor’s degree in biological science from Florida State. As a Phi Kappa Phi Fellow, Merritt will pursue a medical degree at the University of Florida College of Medicine.
Since its creation in 1932, the fellowship program has become the society’s signature award, allocating $345,000 annually to deserving students for first-year graduate or professional study. Currently, 51 fellowships of $5,000 and six of $15,000 are awarded each year.
“The Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship, the society’s first and now signature award, provides financial support to superior students beginning their graduate education. Endorsed by their local Phi Kappa Phi chapters, fellows go on to study at some of the nation’s finest graduate programs,” said Mary Todd, the society’s executive director. “We are pleased to have offered this opportunity to emerging scholars for more than 85 years and look forward to strengthening the program in the years to come.”
The selection process for a fellowship is based on the applicant’s evidence of graduate potential, undergraduate academic achievement, service and leadership experience, letters of recommendation, personal statement of educational perspective and career goals and acceptance in an approved graduate or professional program.
Phi Kappa Phi Fellowships are part of the society’s robust award programs, which give $1.4 million each biennium to outstanding students and members through study abroad grants, graduate fellowships, funding for post-baccalaureate development, member and chapter awards and grants for local, national and international literacy initiatives.
To learn more about the Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship, visit www.phikappaphi.org/fellowship.
About Phi Kappa Phi
Founded in 1897, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Phi Kappa Phi inducts approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni annually. The Society has chapters on more than 300 select colleges and universities in North America and the Philippines. Membership is by invitation only to the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students and 7.5 percent of juniors. Faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction also qualify. The Society’s mission is “To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.” For more information, visit www.phikappaphi.org.