Center for Student Success

Alpha Alpha Alpha

The Center for Student Success is excited to announce that Oberlin College and Conservatory has been awarded a new chapter of Alpha Alpha Alpha, a national honors society for first-generation students!  The new Lambda Delta Chapter at Oberlin will honor the academic achievements of first-generation students, staff, faculty, and alumni. 

Logo for Tri-Alpha Honors Society in blue on white background

Oberlin College and Conservatory recognizes that being academically successful as a first-generation student is no easy feat - it takes courage, determination, focus, and motivation. The Center for Student Success (CSS) is proud to sponsor the new Lambda Delta chapter of Alpha Alpha Alpha as an opportunity for leadership, growth, recognition and connection among our first-generation Obies.

    Oberlin undergraduate student requirements for membership: 

    • Must be a current baccalaureate candidate at Oberlin.
    • Has completed at least two full-time undergraduate terms of study (as defined by the Academic Avising Resource Center); at least one of which must have been at the institution at Oberlin (for transfer students).
    • Has completed at least 30 credit hours towards their degree.
    • Has an overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.2 (out of 4.0) in all coursework.
    • Comes from a family where neither parent (nor any legal guardians) earned a bachelor’s degree.

    Oberlin first-generation faculty and staff are invited to apply to the Lambda Delta chapter as well. Please note the following requirements for interested applicants:

    • Have earned at least a bachelor's degree. There is no GPA requirement for membership.
    • Neither parent (nor legal guardians) completed a bachelor’s degree prior to the faculty/staff completing one (if they completed a bachelor’s degree subsequent to yours, that does not matter for this purpose).
    • The candidate for membership must be serving in higher education.
    • Will agree to serve as a mentor, if requested, for a first-generation student at their institution of employment.

    First-generation Oberlin alumni are invited to apply for membership. Requirements for first-generation Oberlin alumni and honorary members are as follows:

    Alumni

    • Must have earned at least a bachelor’s degree (honorary inductees may be graduates of any accredited institution).
    • Neither parent (nor legal guardian) completed a bachelor’s degree prior to the faculty/staff completing one (if they completed a bachelor’s degree subsequent to yours, that does not matter for this purpose).

     Honorary members

    • Should be strong advocates and supporters of first-generation initiatives at Oberlin, despite not being first-gen themselves (though ideally they were first-generation students).
    • The candidate for membership must be connected to Oberlin as a member of the board, a parent/sibling, a volunteer, donor, a speaker, etc. in a way that provides visible support to first-generation students of the institution.
    • Acts as a visible role model for the kinds of success that first-generation students can achieve.
    • Agrees to serve as a mentor (if requested) for a first-generation student at Oberlin.

    A small number of alumni and honorary inductees may be inducted each year. Honorary members need not have been first-generation college students; rather honorary inductees may be first-gen students with some kind of connection to the institution (as indicated above) OR clearly be a first-gen student advocate, mentor, or supporter while maintaining a connection to the institution which is inducting them.

    What are the benefits of joining Tri-Alpha? 
    • Each inductee receives a certificate of initiation, graduation cords, and an Alpha Alpha Alpha pin. 
    • A certificate signifying membership.  
    • An outward recognition of personal accomplishment and an incentive for continued high scholarship.
    • The opportunity to meet other first-generation scholars from all academic disciplines on your campus and to join them in promoting academic excellence and creating a supportive environment for first-generation college students.
    • Identifies you to employers, professionals, and graduate schools as a person of superior academic ability and commitment.
    • Ability to mentor younger first-generation students.
    • Ability to receive mentoring from more senior first-generation students, as well as faculty, staff, and alumni who were first-generation students.
    • Local chapter leadership opportunities.
    • An affordable, lifelong national membership:
      • Free for first-generation students*
      • $25 for faculty, staff, and alumni.*
      • *Note: this fee does not include honor cords.
    Induction Ceremony

    Each spring qualifying students, staff, faculty and alumni will be invited to join via email. Induction ceremony information will be sent following acceptance of the invitation.

    Contacts

    For Lambda Delta chapter inquiries, please contact Amanda Shelnutt, Director of Student Success Operations (co-chair) at ashelnut@oberlin.edu, or Alonso Avila, Information Literacy and Student Success Librarian (co-chair) at aavila@oberlin.edu.