A new, exclusive student organization has joined campus.
The Delta Alpha Pi honor society initiated its first members of the UNM chapter at a ceremony Friday.
The organization recognizes the academic achievements of students who live with a documented disability and are proud of their academic accomplishments. The society was founded in 2004 at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. It now has 32 chapters in 17 states.
"The three Greek letters represent what we stand for," said Julianne Walton, co-founder and vice president. "Delta stands for disability, Alpha stands for achievement, and Pi stands for pride."
Edith Miller, president and co-founder of the group, said the honor society aims to recognize the academic accomplishments of students who succeed despite disabilities.
"In addition, we try within the different chapters across the country to provide opportunities for the development of leadership skills and advocacy skills," she said.
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According to the group's Web site, group members strive to change the perception that students with disabilities cannot achieve academic success.
George Williams Jr., program specialist for the Accessibility Resource Center, is the adviser of the UNM chapter. He said bringing the program to New Mexico was a personal goal.
"It is very clear that we have successful college students with disabilities on this campus, just by taking a look annually and monthly at the GPAs of these students with all different types of disabilities," he said. "It's also personal for me, because I do have a brother with a disability, and I don't think that his strengths were promoted and recognized while he was in school and post-secondary school and things of that nature."
Williams said he also wanted the group at UNM because it shows students with disabilities and their accomplishments in a positive light.
All invited students must present a documented disability and work with one of the faculty or staff in the University's Office of Disability Services. They must also demonstrate an interest in disability issues.
Undergraduate students must have a minimum of 24 credits and a 3.1 GPA. Graduate students must have 18 credits and a 3.3 GPA.
"Universities bring chapters of our organization to their schools because they know their students are doing exceptionally well academically, and students with disabilities have never been recognized for that," Walton said.
Delta Alpha Pi is incorporated as a nonprofit and aims to become an international program by expanding into Canada, Miller said.
"We are a relatively young organization, but we have really expanded in that length of time," she said. "We don't currently have any chapters in other countries, but we are hoping that we will develop those chapters in the future."
