Ilea Johnson becomes member of Alpha Chi

Tomi, Ilea and Kurk Johnson pose with Dr. David Veazie, professor and director of SPSU's Center for Advanced Materials Research and Engineering, who was also a member of Alpha Chi when he was an undergraduate.

Yesterday was a joyous day for Ilea Johnson, her family, mentors, and friends. She became a member of Southern Polytechnic State University's (SPSU) Georgia Nu Chapter of Alpha Chi, an honorary organization promoting truth, character, research, and scholarship.

"It's not easy getting an 'A' here," said Dr. Zvi Szafran, SPSU vice president of Academic Affairs. He said SPSU has challenging, rigorous programs noted for low grade inflation. "These students represent our university's top 10%, the top of the top, the best of the best."

Dr. Mark Stevens, Alpha Chi faculty advisor, confers with inductees before ceremony.

Ilea Johnson was born in Huntsville, Ala. and first attended kindergarten at Alabama A&M University at the age of four. She is a product of Cobb County Schools in Marietta, Ga., however, she was home schooled by her mother, a former educational television producer, during Ilea's last 2 1/2 years of high school. Ilea graduated with honors from Seton Home Study School in Front Royal, Va.

"The Seton curriculum helped Ilea advance at her own pace and expand her skills in critical thinking, test taking, and problem solving," Johnson said. "Our family sacrificed to make sure Ilea had the best schooling, and it was God-sent that I was able to hire a tutor, John Michael Blaser, who helped her with Algebra II. She gained a love for higher mathematics."

Dr. Stevens smiles as Ilea lights her candle during ceremony.

Johnson is majoring in Accounting and was a 2011 summer intern with the City of Atlanta, Department of Watershed Management. She is now interning with Amendia, Inc. which manufactures and distributes custom medical devices for patient, surgeon, hospital, and healthcare industries.

Ilea and Shannon Shumate, accounting instructor.

"I think one reason I have been successful in college is because my instructors are very caring, especially my Accounting teacher, Ms. Shannon Shumate," Johnson said. "She always answers my emails when I have questions about assignments."

"I do have a life of my own and a two year old," Shumate said. "But I do care about Ilea and all my students, especially when they are trying to do their best in figuring things out."

Ilea plans to procure scholarships and grants to help finance graduate school and is hoping to become a CPA.

Alpha Chi Honorary Society admits students from all academic disciplines. Membership is limited to the top 10 percent of an institution's juniors, seniors, and graduate students and is by invitation only. Founded in 1922, there are some 300 chapters in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. To learn more about Alpha Chi, go to https://www.alphachihonor.org.

Other inductees wait in line during ceremony. Members may compete for Alpha Chi scholarships and fellowships, including 26 awarded on the national level totaling more than $60,000 a year.

Photos by Tomi Johnson and Felipe Alequín.
©2011 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.