A Modern Greek Language Honors Society has been formed under the auspices of the Pan Arcadian Federation of America at St. John's University (SJU), in Queens, New York City.

Professors John G. Siolas, Catherine Tsounis, Herbert Pierson, SJU Chairman of the Languages and Literatures Department and Willard Yoder, SJU Coordinator of Minor Languages, prepared the Constitution and the by-Laws. Veronica Georgiades, a senior student inaugurated the new entity. “I was inducted into the Italian Honor Society in May’2008 in an inspiring ceremony,’ she said. “I realized then that it is time to form an Honor Society for the Modern Greek language.”

Georgiades is a high honors student whose ancestors come from the Island of Cyprus. Her father is from Limassol and a Queens College graduate from the CUNY University system. Her mother, a St. John’s University graduate, is from Ammohostos (Famagusta), a refugee of the Turkish invasion. Veronica is a recipient of the Pan-Cyprian Association and Athanasiades Foundation scholarships. She plans to attend graduate School for a higher degree in the multi-faceted field of Psychology.

The Pan Arcadian Federation of America is a nationwide organization dedicated to promoting the principles of Democracy and the ideals of Hellenism. For more information, visit http://www.panarcadian.org/aboutus.htm.

“The formation of a Modern Greek Language Honor Society, with the necessary minimum funding, will create a precedent in Higher Education,” said Dr. Herbert Pierson. “We also plan to form a Chinese Language Honors Society in the near future.” For more information, contact: tsounisc@stjohns.edu and siolasj@stjohns.edu.

Website: http://facpub.stjohns.edu/~tsounisc