Phi Beta Kappa Names Class of 2000 Honorees

Phi Beta Kappa announced its first round of Harvard class of 2000 inductees yesterday. Twenty-five juniors won the accolade from the honor society.

Bryan W. Leach of Quincy House said he remembered hearing of the honor as a first-year and hoping that someday he would receive it. The thinness of the envelope that arrived Friday contributed to his skepticism.

"I always had it in my mind as something I would like to receive," Leach said. "I always doubted that I would get it but it turned out well for me."

Davin Chor of Currier House said he was also happy about his accomplishment.

"It was a great honor and I'm glad that I got it," Chor said.

The students are: Thomas A. Grossi of Adams House; Michael N. Jacobson and Matthew S. Levine of Cabot House; Han Ping Davin Chor and Ilyana M. Kuziemko of Currier House; Micah S. Myers and Joseph E. Subotnik of Dunster House; MaryAnn Cockerill, Daniel J. Hopkins and Matthew C. Weinzierl of Eliot House; Ceen-Yenn C. Lin and Rajeev Malhotra of Kirkland House; Eliza C. Block, Gabriella N. Skirnick and Siddharth Mohandas of Leverett House; Max D. Lieblich and Liam P. McAllister of Lowell House; Jennifer E. Ballard of Mather House; Giridhar M. Shivaram of Pforzheimer; Leach, Samantha L. Chaifetz, Meredith J. Jensen and David Y. Oh of Quincy House; and Timothy W. Pepper and Wendy A. Seider of Winthrop House.

Phi Beta Kappa inductees are generally in the upper tenth of their class.

The Harvard chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Iota, was chartered Dec. 4, 1779, and began in September of 1781. It is the oldest continuously operating chapter in America.

In mid-March, Phi Beta Kappa invited 48 students to each submit two faculty recommendations for membership. These students were chosen on the basis of grade point average. Of these 48 students, the society selected 25.

There will be two more rounds of inductees from the Class of 2000, one this fall and one next spring before Commencement.