11/21/96 Contact: Christina Beck, 614/593-9167

ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio University's Beta Mu chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, the national communication honor society, has been named Chapter of the Year for 1996 by the honor society's national office.

Chosen from among the nation's 126 chapters, the award recognizes the chapter's outstanding level of activities and the academic excellence of its members.

Tina Jancik, Beta Mu chapter president, Lori Stesiak, chapter public relations specialist, and chapter adviser Christina S. Beck, assistant professor of interpersonal communication, will accept the award Nov. 24 at Lambda Pi Eta's national business meeting during the Speech Communication Association annual meeting in San Diego.

"Because the chapter is only four years old, we are very honored to receive this award, especially since one of our members received the Stephen P. Smith Award for the outstanding undergraduate research paper at the 1995 business meeting," Beck said.

With more than 170 active members, Ohio University's chapter is considered one of the largest and most active chapters in the country, according to Michelle Randall, a representative of the Speech Communication Association.

Activities sponsored by the Beta Mu chapter include an interpersonal communication peer mentor program, peer advising for students in INCO 101 and 301 classes, speakers throughout the year, coordination of the INCO day luncheon during annual Communication Week events, and induction ceremonies every quarter.

Eligible students must have a 3.25 GPA in INCO courses and a 3.0 GPA overall, and must have completed at least 18 quarter hours in INCO classes and 90 quarter hours overall.