Concordia inducts students in health and human performance honor society

Eight Concordia University, Nebraska students were inducted into Phi Epsilon Kappa, a health and human performance honor society, during a ceremony on Sunday, Dec. 11. The induction took place in the Hall of Fame room in the Walz Human Performance Complex.

“Being a member of this group means I will always have a connection to others in America who are in the same field. It is a great honor to stand out here at Concordia,” said inductee Christina Tomka, a junior from Dodge, Neb.

Tomka's fellow inductees were Kellie Fegter, junior, Holdredge, Neb., Nicole Mapes, junior, Greeley, Colo., Daniel Margritz, senior, Lexington, Neb., Mia Pauluhn, senior, St. Louis, Mo., Megan Schmidt, senior, Seward, Neb., Ashlea Vaudt, senior, Kalispell, Mont., and Ashley Willoughby, junior, Fairfield, Iowa

This is the first year Concordia has inducted members into the honor society. “I wanted Concordia health and human performance students to have the opportunity to receive praise and recognition for their academic achievements,” said Dr. Jen Janousek, chair of the health and human performance department.

Janousek, already a member of PEK, asked three students in the department to help her apply to begin a chapter at Concordia. The students wrote essays about their involvement in the area of health and human performance. The paperwork was submitted in the spring of 2011 and the chapter was approved.

PEK's executive director, Jeff Vessely, visited campus to help with the chapter’s first initiation ceremony. The eight inductees were recognized with membership certificates and graduation cords upon their initiation.