Kathleen Allison

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - Dr. Kathleen Allison of Lock Haven University has been awarded a 2010 Literacy Grant by The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Allison, associate professor of health science, is one of 12 recipients nationwide to receive such an award.
The Phi Kappa Phi chapter at Lock Haven University will partner with Ross Library to offer the “Ross Library Building Healthy Bodies and Healthy Minds Program.” Phi Kappa Phi members will conduct healthy living activities such as yoga and line dancing, serve as volunteer readers of children’s books based upon the activities, and purchase books and other educational resources on health topics for child library patrons. The purpose of the project supports the library’s philosophy as a place of lifelong learning.
Nancy Antram, youth librarian at the Ross Library, commented, “Partnering with the university is a wonderful opportunity to bring together two community assets, the Ross Library and LHU, to promote the health and well being of young people and their families.” She added, “We hope this opens the door to additional successful collaborations.”
The Phi Kappa Phi Literacy Grants program was initiated in 2003 to provide an opportunity for campus chapters and individual members to reach out to local communities to share with them the love of learning. Drawing from a multi-disciplinary Society of students and scholars from large and small institutions located in both urban and rural communities, applicants are encouraged to consider literacy projects that have creative relevance to their disciplines and to the needs of their communities. Phi Kappa Phi has awarded more than $150,000 in literacy grants.
Allison is secretary/treasurer to the Lock Haven University chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, Chapter 179. Along with the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education and Human Services, the LHU chapter of Phi Kappa Phi sponsors the annual Spring Student Symposium, the university's only public forum for students from every discipline to present their individual research and creative works.
Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Baton Rouge, La., Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest, largest and most selective all-discipline honor society. Phi Kappa Phi inducts annually more than 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni. The Society has chapters on more than 300 select colleges and universities in North America and the Philippines. Membership is by invitation only to the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students and 7.5 percent of juniors. Faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction also qualify.
Since its founding, more than 1 million members have been initiated. Some of the organization’s more notable members include former President Jimmy Carter, NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence, writer John Grisham and Netscape founder James Barksdale. The Society has awarded approximately $12.7 million since the inception of its awards program in 1932. Today, more than $800,000 is awarded annually to qualifying members and non-members through graduate fellowships, undergraduate study abroad scholarships, member and chapter awards and grants for local and national literacy initiatives. The Society’s mission is “To