Three Marietta College seniors inducted into prestigious Phi Beta Kappa

Students will graduate with Class of 2018 at 181st Commencement on May 6

by Tom Perry

Marietta, Ohio (05/03/2018) — Three Marietta College seniors were inducted into the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa society, which was established in 1860 at the College, during a ceremony that was held in the Betty Cleland Room on Monday, April 30.

The inductees, who will graduate Sunday, May 6 during Marietta College's 181st Commencement ceremony, were Franco Biondolillo (Painesville, Ohio), Daniel Carlsen (Vincent, Ohio) and Morgan Rich (Sarahsville, Ohio).

"Being inducted into Phi Beta Kappa came as a surprise to me," said Biondolillo, who will earn a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems. "Though I put in a lot of hard work over the four years I spent here at Marietta, I wasn't necessarily working toward membership in such a great honor society."

Biondolillo, a graduate of Riverside High School, said not having a major his first few semesters allowed him to take a wide range of courses that helped him qualify for Phi Beta Kappa.

"I'm glad that I've been able to learn so much in so many different disciplines," he said. "I took classes that I didn't necessarily need for my degree, but rather sounded interesting to me. Classes like Linguistics, Spanish and Graphic Design aren't part of your typical Information Systems degree, but I think I'll find that my time spent in these classes will help me succeed in life after graduation."

Rich, a graduate of Shenandoah High School, said she was excited to learn she achieved this honor.

"College is hard, and I struggled to manage my class schedule and work schedule, as well as, find time for homework assignments and extracurricular activities," said Rich, who will earn a Bachelor of Arts in Land & Energy Management. "However, I managed to get through it and I am extremely honored to be recognized for my hard work throughout my college career."

Carlsen, a graduate of Warren High School, will earn both a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.

Located in Marietta, Ohio, at the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio rivers, Marietta College is a four-year liberal arts college. Tracing its roots to the Muskingum Academy back in 1797, the College was officially chartered in 1835. Today Marietta College serves a body of 1,200 full-time students. The College offers 45 majors and is consistently ranked as one of the top regional comprehensive colleges by U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review, as well as one of the nation's best by Forbes.com. Marietta was selected seventh in the nation according to the Brookings Institution's rankings of colleges by their highest value added, regardless of major.

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