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Alpha Kappa Delta - Maryland Zeta Chapter

The 2023 Alpha Kappa Delta Inductees sit with their honor cords.

Congratulations to our 2023 Loyola University AKD Inductees!

Top row (L-R): Max Verheyen, Mathilde Gammino*, Lara Ayala, Hanna Addis, Ally Moore, Genevieve Green*, Paul Capobianco, Jacob Bierstaker*
Middle row (L-R): Jen Reilly, Kathleen Staunton*, Maura Budd, Margaret O'Connor*, Nea James, Charlie Sayers
Bottom row (L-R): Lexi Jackson, Aisha Veras, Isabella Mahan-Mesa, Meredith Conn, Robin Hoy
Not pictured: Mallaidh Duffy, Kathleen Hanson, Elizabeth Kelly, Sara Palmer
* denotes students who were inducted in 2022

 

What is Alpha Kappa Delta?

In 1920, University of Southern California sociologist Dr. Emory S. Bogardus founded Alpha Kappa Delta for the purposes of stimulating scholarship and promoting the scientific study of society. Bogardus’ impetus in establishing this organization was to provide a forum for student and faculty interchange. His endeavor paved the way for what has become an international organization dedicated to promoting, facilitating, and recognizing academic scholarship. As we enter the 21st century, Alpha Kappa Delta is an integral part of many sociology programs and is proud to acknowledge that in the past eight decades, more than 80,000 scholars have been initiated into the Society. More than 490 chapters have been chartered in the United States, Canada, China, Finland, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Singapore.

Goucher College and Loyola University Maryland established a joint chapter of AKD in 1985 - the Maryland Zeta Chapter.

What is required for membership?

The status of Life Member is conferred upon those persons who have been approved for membership by a Chartered Chapter of this society and who have paid the initiation fee for membership. Membership fee is $50.

The status of Voting member is conferred upon those Life Members who maintain a current subscription to Sociological Inquiry, official journal of the United Chapters of Alpha Kappa Delta.

Students who are invited to join must fill out an AKD Membership Renewal Form to be an active member.

Criteria for Undergraduate Membership – Maryland Zeta Chapter:

  1. Must be an officially declared sociology major or demonstrate a serious interest in sociology (at Loyola this means be a declared minor).
  2. Must be at least a junior (third year) by standards of the host institution.
  3. Must have accumulated the equivalent of an overall GPA of 3.3 (by a four point scale where: A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0) and rank in the top 35% of their class in general scholarship.
  4. Must have maintained the equivalent of a 3.0 GPA in sociology courses taken at Loyola University Maryland prior to initiation.
  5. Must have completed at least four regular courses in sociology prior to initiation (exclusive of extension or courses graded pass/fail).

What is gained through membership?

Besides the recognition of your academic talent, you can gain some useful benefits from membership. These include:

  • Funding for travel to regional sociology meetings
  • Each year Alpha Kappa Delta sponsors an undergraduate student paper competition.

More information about AKD is available through the AKD national organization website.

Who has Loyola University Maryland honored?

View the complete membership of the Loyola University Maryland Zeta Chapter of AKD.