A National Honor Society for First-Generation College students

Mission

The mission of the Tri-Alpha chapter at University of Missouri, is to assist in the professional development of First-Generation students who showcase exceptional academics and involvement on campus.

Benefits

• Opportunities to meet other first-generation scholars and join them in promoting academic excellence and creating a welcoming and supportive environment for all first-generation students
• Leadership opportunities within the Tri-Alpha chapter at MU
• Outward recognition of personal accomplishments and a symbol of your hard work
• Communicates to future employers, professionals, and graduate schools that you possess academic ability and commitment
• Members receive a certificate and pin signifying membership during the formal induction (November 8th). Membership is for life.

Membership Criteria & Eligibility

Students qualify for induction into Tri-Alpha if they meet the following criteria:

• Actively enrolled as a full-time (12 or more credit hours) student or half-time (6-11 credit hours) in a program of study leading to a bachelor’s degree;
• Completed at least three full terms of study and at least 30 credit hours;
• Identify as a first-generation student as defined as “Neither parent(s) nor guardian(s) earned a bachelor’s degree or higher prior to the student beginning their program”
• GPA of at least 3.2 in all coursework.

Faculty and staff may also be inducted into the Tri-Alpha honor society. To qualify, they must have met the definition of a first-generation student at the time they completed their bachelor’s degree.

Graduate students who are first-generation students may also be admitted if they have completed the equivalent of at least one term of study (9 or more graduate credits) and have a GPA in their graduate program of at least 3.5.

Application and Membership Process

Students who meet eligibility criteria will receive invitations to apply for Tri-Alpha at the beginning of September.

Upon receiving invitations, students should submit an application and pay the membership dues of $15. Membership dues can be paid via cash, checks, money orders, or cashier checks.  Checks and money orders should be payable to “Tri-Alpha Honor Society”. 

Fee waivers may be available to eligible students.

Induction Ceremony

The 2024 Tri-Alpha induction ceremony will be held from 1pm-2pm on November 8th (National First-Generation College Student Day).

Contact us!

We hope that you will consider joining Tri-Alpha! Contact the co-advisors with any questions.

Selena Meints- selenameints@missouri.edu

Taylor Stevenson- tstevenson@missouri.edu