Delta Phi Alpha

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History of Longwood’s Iota Psi Chapter | Activities | Members | Pictures

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History of Longwood's Iota Psi Chapter

Charter members from left to right: (seated) Melissa Richardson, Michele Sims, Ann Lawson; 

(standing) Dr. John Reynolds, Rosa Marie Pohl, Julia Polvent, Boris Steinbach, Dr. Geoffrey Orth

The Iota Psi chapter of the National German Honor Society, Delta Phi Alpha, was founded at Longwood in 1987 by Dr. Geoffrey Orth, assistant professor of German and head of the English and Modern Languages Department at that time.  Kerri Hruby, Ann Lawson, Rose Marie Pohl, Julia Polvent, Melissa Richardson, Michele Sims, and Boris Steinbach were initiated on April 7, 1987 as charter members.  After the initiation ceremony, they had dinner and watched “Farmville Clan,” a satirical movie they had written and produced in their German Conversation 402 class.  Polvent served as the first president of Iota Psi. 

Since its establishment, the Iota Psi chapter has sponsored an all day field trip at Smith Mountain Lake and Frühlingsfest at Twin Lakes.  The Society has also sponsored German film festivals and German food festivals.

Dr. Orth is now the director of the Honors Program, as well as a professor of German.