Key Takeaways
- • Thirteen Arkansas State University students were inducted into Kappa Tau Alpha (KTA) on April 7, 2026, recognizing academic excellence in journalism and mass communication disciplines.
- • Mariana Frias Fernandez of San Luis Potosí, México, was named top undergraduate scholar, while Andy Mayberry of Hensley earned top graduate scholar honors for the 2025 class.
- • Kappa Tau Alpha, founded in 1910 at the University of Missouri, operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with 95 chapters nationwide and has inducted approximately 75,000 students since inception.
- • Membership in KTA requires students to rank in the top 10 percent of their class in journalism or mass communication and have completed at least five semesters of coursework.
- • Holly Kathleen Hall, professor of strategic communication at Arkansas State University and former KTA national president (2018–2020), serves as chapter adviser.
Summary
Arkansas State University conducted an induction ceremony on April 7, 2026, welcoming thirteen students into Kappa Tau Alpha, a nationally recognized honor society dedicated to academic excellence in journalism and mass communication. The inductees hailed from multiple states and one international location, reflecting the geographic diversity of KTA's membership base. Among the cohort, Mariana Frias Fernandez of San Luis Potosí, México, received designation as the top undergraduate scholar, while Andy Mayberry of Hensley earned recognition as the top graduate scholar for the 2025 class.
Kappa Tau Alpha represents one of the nation's oldest honor societies, having been established in 1910 at the University of Missouri—the site of the world's first school of journalism. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity and maintains membership in the Association of College Honor Societies, the nation's primary certifying body for college and university honor societies. With 95 chapters distributed across institutions nationwide, KTA has inducted approximately 75,000 students since its founding over a century ago.
Membership criteria are selective, requiring students to rank within the top 10 percent of their class in journalism or mass communication and to have completed a minimum of five semesters of coursework. This rigorous standard ensures that induction serves as a meaningful mark of distinction and scholarly achievement. The Arkansas State chapter is advised by Holly Kathleen Hall, a professor of strategic communication who previously served as KTA's national president from 2018 to 2020, bringing substantial institutional leadership to the program.
Kappa Tau Alpha represents one of the nation's oldest honor societies, having been established in 1910 at the University of Missouri—the site of the world's first school of journalism. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity and maintains membership in the Association of College Honor Societies, the nation's primary certifying body for college and university honor societies. With 95 chapters distributed across institutions nationwide, KTA has inducted approximately 75,000 students since its founding over a century ago.
Membership criteria are selective, requiring students to rank within the top 10 percent of their class in journalism or mass communication and to have completed a minimum of five semesters of coursework. This rigorous standard ensures that induction serves as a meaningful mark of distinction and scholarly achievement. The Arkansas State chapter is advised by Holly Kathleen Hall, a professor of strategic communication who previously served as KTA's national president from 2018 to 2020, bringing substantial institutional leadership to the program.
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