GMercyU Hosts Inaugural Induction of Alpha Alpha Alpha

On Tuesday, May 14, GMercyU hosted its inaugural induction of Alpha Alpha Alpha, or Tri Alpha, an honor society recognizing the academic accomplishments of first-generation college students. The ceremony celebrated 76 inductees, including students, faculty, and staff.

Tri Alpha was founded on March 24, 2018 at Moravian College, now Moravian University, in Bethlehem, Pa. GMercyU received its chartering of Tri Alpha in February 2024 from the efforts of Daniela Wexler, Executive Assistant to the Provost & VPAA and Jeff Breese, PhD, Provost & VPAA, both of whom are first-generation college students. Their goal was to celebrate GMercyU’s large population of first-generation students.

Dr. Stephanie Allen, Director of Equity, Diversity, and Belonging at Montgomery County Community College (MCCC), was invited to GMercyU’s campus to oversee the initiation pledge and the induction. While Dr. Allen is not a first-generation student herself, she is the daughter of two, and now serves as the advisor to the chapter of Tri Alpha.

To qualify for induction into Tri Alpha, inductees must have earned at least a bachelor’s degree, must be the first in their family to complete a bachelor’s degree, and must be serving in higher education at the time of induction. Faculty and staff members inducted will serve as mentors to future first-generation students attending GMercyU.