Lambda Alpha

AMEC hosts a chapter of Lambda Alpha National Honors Society, the national anthropology honors society. Students at Mississippi State University are eligible for membership in this chapter. As an honor society, Lambda Alpha serves to recognize superiority, providing incentive for exceptional performance by granting certificates of accomplishment.

Benefits of Lambda Alpha Membership

  • Membership in a national honors organization is beneficial for your resume. This is a lifetime membership, and you may list it among your honors/affiliations indefinitely.
  • Members of Lambda Alpha may submit their work for publication in the national Journal (see department secretary for details if you are interested).
  • The National Executive Office provides sizable scholarships each year to two outstanding undergraduate members nationally.
  • Members are eligible to purchase the satin Lambda Alpha Honors stole ($25) and/or cloisonné pin ($10) bearing the emblem and colors of the organization ($10) to wear at commencement.
  • Lambda Alpha offers scholarships for its members, funding to support research projects, and an avenue for publishing their scholarly writing.

Lambda Alpha National Scholarship: AMEC’s ALPHA chapter may send forward only ONE candidate for this award.  The Lambda Alpha National Scholarship of $5000 is to be awarded to a true graduating senior majoring in anthropology.  The winner of the scholarship will be announced yearly in early June.

Graduate Research Grants: AMEC’s ALPHA chapter may send forward as many MA student candidates for these grants as deemed qualified. The Graduate Research Grant is designed to encourage thesis field research.  Request for financial support for travel, basic field equipment, and on-location labor costs would be favored.  The grant cannot be used for indirect expenses, and any unused money is to be refunded to Lambda Alpha.  The funds of $2000 will be awarded annually to each of the three sub-disciplines: archeology (one grant for $2000); bio-anthropology (one grant for $2000); and cultural/linguistic anthropology (one grant for $2000), or as many deemed qualified. The winners of the competition will be announced yearly in early June.

Lambda Alpha Journal: Since the editorial policy of the Lambda Alpha Journal provides for 50 percent of its space to be reserved for student publication, this offers a unique occasion for students to see their own work in print on a national level.

Membership Requirements

In order to be considered:

  • The student must be a junior or senior (graduate students are also welcome to become members).
  • The student must have at least a 2.50 overall GPA, with a 3.00 GPA in anthropology courses, and have earned a minimum of 12 semester hours credit in anthropology.

Joining Lambda Alpha

  • Lifetime membership dues are $25.00 (includes certificate and membership card).
  • AMEC solicits new members for Lambda Alpha once a year, in the early spring. Anthropology majors and minors meeting the requirements listed above will be contacted by the department.

Lambda Alpha Newsletters

Lambda Alpha National Website

Questions?

If you have any questions about Lambda Alpha, please contact faculty liaison Dr. Shawn Lambert (662-325-2013), E-mail: sl2042@msstate.edu.