WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., Oct. 11, 2007 -- Williams College has announced the election of 28 members of the Williams Class of 2008 to Phi Beta Kappa, the national honor society. The Phi Beta Kappa Society was founded in 1776 as a nationwide organization honoring students of the highest academic achievement at the college level.

Election to Phi Beta Kappa is granted to the top five percent of the Williams Class of 2008 at the end of their junior year. At the end of the senior year, students in the top 12.5 percent of the class, excluding those already elected, are eligible for election.

The students elected at the end of their junior year (listed in name, major(s), hometown format) are:

Sarah H. Adkins, biology, Oxford, Md.

Rachel M. Allen, chemistry and mathematics, Cataumet, Mass.

Megan E. Brankley, history, Oakmont, Pa.

Michael W. Daub, mathematics, Claremont, Calif.

Josef M. Gutman, biology and religion, St. James, N.Y.

Nancy C. Haff, psychology and Spanish, Concord, Mass.

Dixon T. Hargrove, economics, Wallingford, Pa.

Xiang J. He, physics and mathematics, Fort Pierce, Fla.

Didem Ilter, chemistry and economics, Istanbul, Turkey

William A. Jacobson, astrophysics, Honolulu, Hawaii

Shelby B. Kimmel, astrophysics, Newton, Mass.

Yevgeniy Korsunskiy, art, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Christopher E. Lust, chemistry, Rochester, Minn.

Christine M. Marshall, biology and economics, Kinnelon, N.J.

James W. Matthews, history, Athens, Ga.

Christopher S. Paci, history, Manalapan, N.J.

Meghan E. Ramsey, biology and English, Groveland, Mass.

Julia B. Sendor, contract major, Chapel Hill, N.C.

Benjamin K. Springwater, psychology, San Francisco, Calif.

Matthew W. Tetreault, chemistry and economics, Schenectady, N.Y.

Zachary T. Thomas, physics and economics, Pelham, N.Y.

Nela Vukmirovic, mathematics, Kotor, Yugoslavia

Andrew D. Wang, political science, Washington Township, N.J.

Erika K. Williams, biology, Fairport, N.Y.

Tina W.-T. Wong, biology, Robbinsville, N.J.

Paul A. Woodard, classics and mathematics, Buffalo, N.Y.

Zhichun Ying, economics and mathematics, Shanghai, China

Irina Y. Zhecheva, economics and mathematics, Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Williams College is recognized for its excellence among the country's Phi Beta Kappa chapters, of which there are 270 nationwide. John Churchill, chief executive officer of Phi Beta Kappa, recently praised Williams, "Its members have set a constructive example ff how to make a constructive impact on a campus community. It is exciting to see the values of Phi Beta Kappa given such a tangible and valuable expression."

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Founded in 1793, Williams College is the second oldest institution of higher learning in Massachusetts. The college's 2,000 students are taught by a faculty noted for the quality of their teaching and research, and the achievement of academic goals includes active participation of students with faculty in their research. Students' educational experience is enriched by the residential campus environment in Williamstown, Mass., which provides a host of opportunities for interaction with one another and with faculty beyond the classroom. Admission decisions are made regardless of a student's financial ability, and the college provides grants and other assistance to meet the demonstrated needs of all who are admitted.
To visit the college on the Internet:www.williams.edu

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