The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi

« Back to Recent News

Phi Kappa Phi Announces 2025 Literacy Grant Recipients

by Alyssa Papa

Baton Rouge, LA (06/24/2025) — The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society, today announced its 2025 Literacy Grant recipients. The grants of up to $2,500 were awarded to 8 Phi Kappa Phi members across the nation.

The Literacy Grant Program, established in 2003, is part of the Society's robust portfolio of award and grant programs, which currently gives more than $1 million each year to outstanding students and members through study abroad grants, graduate fellowships, funding for post-baccalaureate development and member and chapter awards. Drawing from a multidisciplinary society of students and scholars from large and small institutions, the grants help fund projects ranging from traditional reading initiatives to those fostering learning in cultural, digital, health, historical literacy and beyond.

The 2025 recipients and their respective projects are:

  • Roselle Barretto, Science in the Mountains: STEM Literacy for Indigenous Youth
  • Kristen Diederichs, Storybook Music Project
  • Fonda Dupre, Phi Kappa Phi Literacy Deep Dive into Literacy: Bones Beneath the Waves
  • Tabitha Ernst-Chadwick, Financial Literacy-Elevate Communities
  • Maria Garrett, Chemistry Outreach through the Lens of Scientific Literacy
  • Laurence Gebhardt, Refugee Literacy
  • Stacy Jones, Family Literacy Engagement: Building a Community of Readers
  • Lisa Taylor Cook, Expanding Literacy and Executive Functioning Skills in Early Childhood Programs

"Promoting literacy is at the heart of Phi Kappa Phi's mission to foster lifelong learning," said Society Executive Director and CEO, Dr. Bradley R. Newcomer. "We are honored to support members who are turning passion into impact-empowering individuals and communities through innovative and meaningful literacy initiatives. Congratulations to this year's recipients for leading the way."

The winning literacy projects were selected for a grant based on a number of criteria including the project's scope, student and community involvement, impact, duration and ability to achieve success.

To learn more about this year's recipients and projects, please visit www.PhiKappaPhi.org/2025Literacy.

About Phi Kappa Phi

Founded in 1897, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Phi Kappa Phi inducts approximately 20,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni annually. The Society has chapters on more than 300 select colleges and universities in the United States and its territories. Membership is by invitation only to the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students and 7.5 percent of juniors. Faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction also qualify. The Society's mission is to "cultivate a community that celebrates and advances the love of learning." For more information, visit www.PhiKappaPhi.org.

Copyright © 2025 Merit Pages, Inc. • All Rights Reserved. • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy • Opt Out