“Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.” -Thomas Jefferson

As we rely on healthcare workers to care for us and heal our bodies, journalists provide another essential component during times like these. They give us information and facts which are critical to sustaining an informed citizenry, reminding us that it’s important to protect ourselves with a healthy understanding of the world around us. Today, we’re exploring an organization that recognizes academic excellence for students in that field, Kappa Tau Alpha: the honor society of journalism and mass communication.

Founded in 1910 at the University of Missouri, Kappa Tau Alpha focuses on academic excellence in the fields of journalism and mass communication. It’s currently the 7th oldest honor society and was founded at the world’s first school of journalism. According to their website, their Greek letters mean, “The Truth Will Prevail” and KTA suggests in English, “knowledge, truth, and accuracy” which is critical to the field.

KTA has an extensive list of requirements in order to be considered for membership into the invite-only organization, mostly centered around coursework. They require students to have a minimum GPA of 3.0, be ranked in the top 10% of their journalism/mass communication class, have completed specific professional skills courses, and be taking classes at a school or university that has an active KTA chapter. While their membership requirements are long, KTA allows chapters to hold even stricter acceptance guidelines. Selection for membership is considered “a mark of highest distinction and honor,” and once accepted, membership lasts a lifetime.

The honor society offers a unique benefit in that “membership meets one of the requirements for entrance at the GS-7 Level in numerous professional and technical occupations in the U.S. Government.” That level signifies at least a year of specialized experience, giving members a leg-up on the competition when applying for jobs post-graduation. 

As a part of The Association of College Honor Societies, KTA currently has 96 chapters and has inducted over 75,000 members. The organization’s colors are light (or royal) blue and gold, signifying truth and high standards and students typically wear a double honor cord of both colors intertwined at the graduation ceremony. 

Below are examples of products offered at Senior Class Graduation Products, though students are recommended they check with their chapters for specific purchasing information.

As a reminder, our team continues to operate with a modified business solution, complete with remote and isolated order processing locations. Our goal is to safely deliver honor and recognition gear to schools and institutions to have ready for their students once graduation ceremony dates have been reworked.

We appreciate all of our journalists working around the clock to bring us important stories while presenting facts and remaining truthful and objective. Graduating with a degree in journalism and mass communication in 2020 will bring no shortness of newsworthy topics, and we look forward to cheering for you on graduation day before you head out in the field!

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash