A record-shattering total of 160 members attended Pi Gamma Mu's 2011 triennial international convention on October 20-22 in the Washington, D. C., metropolitan area. As volunteers, employees, and the delegates themselves pitched in to cause everyone to accomplish worthwhile outcomes and to have a good time, the convention proved to be a model for honor-society programming.
Indisputably, the highlight was the day-long presentation on Friday, October 21, of 40 members' research findings, which took place in the ornate Kennedy Caucus Room of the Russell Senate Office Building, located across from the U. S. Capitol on the northern side of Constitution Avenue.
Theme: Pi Gamma Mu Honors America's Past, Plans the World's Future
Chairman of the convention committee : Barry D. Friedman, international first vice president and secretary-treasurer of the Pi Gamma Mu chapter at North Georgia College & State University, Dahlonega.
We are proud to recognize our chapters in the vicinity of Washington, D. C., that are serving as host chapters for this convention: Campbell University, Catholic University of America, Coppin State University, Emory & Henry College, Salisbury University, University of Maryland - University College.
Location:
Holiday Inn National Airport Hotel
2650 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, Virginia 22202
(703) 684-7200
Convention room rate: $119 (plus tax) per night, up to quadruple occupancy.
(Breakfast is not included in room rate.)
Deadline for reservations: Monday, September 19, 2011. Call hotel directly.
Registration fee:
$18. Registration payment must be received at the international office by Monday, October 3.
Download a registration form (Adobe file): Click here
Download the detailed convention announcement (Microsoft Word document): Click here
(The detailed convention announcement includes information about shuttle transportation from the airport.)
Proposals for papers / posters:
Pi Gamma Mu student members may propose to present papers in the form of an oral presentation (with a PowerPoint presentation being an optional enhancement) or in the form of a poster at the convention. Regardless of the presentation format, proposals for this convention must be submitted in the form of a completed research paper or, at a minimum, a complete draft of a paper. One should submit her proposal by E-mail to [email protected] (and send a "CC" to convention-committee chairman Barry D. Friedman at [email protected] ); attach the research paper as a Microsoft Word document and specify whether the student wishes to deliver an oral presentation or display a poster.Other word-processing software is unacceptable.
Proposals must be received by the chairmen of the Committee of Readers and of the convention committee no later than September 19, 2011. The chairman of the Committee of Readers is Dr. Charles W. Hartwig, chancellor of the South / Southwest Region of Pi Gamma Mu, Arkansas State University (State University, Ark.), (870) 972-3048, [email protected] . (Other members of the Committee of Readers: Dr. Stephen E. Medvec, Holy Family University, Philadelphia, Penn., and Dr. Janice K. Purk, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, Mansfield, Penn.)
If a student presents a poster, the poster must display (a) a summary of the research project, including the thesis statement or hypothesis, (b) an outline of the methodology and information discovered, and (c) the findings, including a statement of whether the thesis statement or hypothesis was supported or unsubstantiated.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
9 a.m. Meeting of the Board's Executive Committee
9:30 p.m. Board of Trustees Meeting
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Luncheon for Old and New Trustees
(featuring a presentation by Mary Rose Muccie and Alodie Larson of JSTOR)
1-3 p.m. Board of Trustees Committee Meetings
3-5 p.m. Board of Trustees Meeting (guests welcome)
5-7 p.m. Registration
5-7 p.m. Dinner on Your Own
7-7:45 p.m. Welcome (President Gordon E. Mercer)
Keynote Address (Attorney Jeff Thiebert, national grassroots director, the Concord Coalition)
7:45-8:05 p.m. Dessert Bar
8:05 p.m. Roll Call of Chapters (Executive Director Sue Watters)
Ice Breaker: "Who Said That?" (First Vice President Barry Friedman)
8:30 p.m. Pi Gamma Mu Constitutional Convention (Student Trustees Mark Bender and Michaela Dolphin) We will ask delegates to bring a stuffed animal, perhaps with some kind of state-specific identification such as a state flag or a ribbon with the name of the state on it. We'll pretend to have a national Constitutional Convention for the proposal of amendments to the U. S. Constitution. Then, we'll donate the stuffed animals to the Fairfax County Artemis House, a shelter for battered women and their children. Denise Cannon, director of community outreach, will accept the stuffed animals on behalf of the children who will be at the Artemis House.
This is a very well-regarded and popular service project! Veterans of previous conventions undoubtedly remember the 2002 "Teddy Bear Pageant," the 2005 "March of the Musical Toys," and the 2008 "National Nominating Convention."
9:15-10 p.m. Student Mixer / Caucus #1 -- Nomination process for student trustees (Student Trustees Mark Bender and Michaela Dolphin)
9:15-10 p.m. Recognition of Alumnus/Alumna Members and Discussion (President Gordon E. Mercer and Past Student Trustees Jamie Cooper and Nilda Pyronneau)
9:15-10 p.m. Social Time for Trustees, Sponsors, and Other Faculty Attendees
Friday, October 21, 2011
8-9 a.m. Registration
8-9 a.m. Breakfast Orientation for Trustees and Governors
(President Gordon E. Mercer, First Vice President Barry D. Friedman)
9-9:30 a.m. Travel via Metrorail to Russell Senate Office Building for student presentations
PRESENTATIONS OF PAPERS AND DISPLAY OF POSTERS BEGIN AT 9:30 A. M. TODAY
Abstracts for the papers and posters appear on a Web page at http://www.pigammamu.org/convention-2011-presentations.html#presentations.
9:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Student Panel Session (presentation of students’ papers)
(Convenor: Hon. Devta Ohri, alumnus member, University of Maryland – College Park)
Panel #1: Equality and Inequality
Panel #2: Psychology, Emotions, and Human Relations
Panel #3: International Relations and International Leaders
12:15-1 p.m. Lunch on Your Own
1-4 p.m. Student Panel Session (presentation of students’ papers)
(Convenor: Past President Jean Karlen)
Panel #4: Legal and Social Systems
Panel #5: Government and Public Policy
Panel #6: Spies and Terrorists
4-7 p.m. Tour of the Mall: "It's a Mall World After All" (Secretary-Treasurer Larry Heck)
Saturday, October 22, 2011
8-8:30 a.m. Student Caucus #2
8:30-10 a.m. Student Balloting for New Student Trustees
8:30-10 a.m. Workshops
10-11:30 a.m. Plenary Business Session
12 noon-1:30 p.m. Board of Trustees Meeting (new board)