NEW YORK – Columbia women's tennis senior Winta Tewolde was selected as one of 27 members of the Columbia senior class for the Phi Beta Kappa initiation on Friday, January 24 in Low Library.
 
Each year, 10 percent of the Columbia College graduating class is elected to membership in Phi Beta Kappa. Two percent — Junior Phi Beta Kappa — are elected in the fall, and the remaining eight percent are elected in the spring.
 
As part of the group, Tewolde was chosen by a faculty selection committee of Phi Beta Kappa members based on the breadth, depth and rigor of academic programs, as well as recommendations from faculty members who have worked closely with them. Tewolde is the only Columbia student-athlete that will be initiated into the chapter this year.
 
"We are so proud of senior captain Winta Tewolde," Columbia Women's Tennis Head Coach Ilene Weintraub said. "To achieve such an incredible honor while also managing the time and commitment it takes to be a Division I student-athlete is extremely impressive and a testament to her discipline and gift."
 
Phi Beta Kappa was founded in 1776 for the pursuit of "friendship, morality, and literature." It was the first student group to adopt Greek letters, standing for the Greek words philosophies bios kubernetes, or "love of wisdom, the guide of life." Today, this honor society celebrates and promotes excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. To be inducted into Phi Beta Kappa is one of the highest academic honors for undergraduates and recognizes their exceptional scholarship.
 
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