In a ritualistic ceremony Monday, the Alpha Epsilon Delta premedical honor society adopted its newest chapter at UNM and initiated its first members into the organization.
Charles Rose, an AED alumnus from Brigham Young University, presented the 12 premedical students with their certificates and said they should feel proud.
"It's a gauge of character," Rose said. "It's the ability to try and make people well and a combination of academic pursuits and caring."
Rose expressed delight and surprise with the establishment of the new chapter.
"It's a thrill," Rose said. "It should have been done 10 or 20 years ago. Its high time there is a premedical society here. I'm surprised there hasn't been one here before."
The honor society recognizes excellence in pre-professional health endeavors, including medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine and also functions as a service organization, said the chapter President Melissa Muffoletto.
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"AED offers opportunities for intellectual and professional development, provides a forum for students with common interests and extends a program of service to benefit the University and surrounding community," said Muffoletto, a 23-year-old biology major.
The UNM chapter of Alpha Epsilon Delta is the 186th for the national organization and although there are only a dozen members now, Muffoletto said she would like to more than double that number by the end of the year.
"My hope and goal is to have around 30 members initiated by the end of this year," she said.
The UNM chapter is a branch of the Alpha Epsilon Delta national organization, the world's largest honor society which exclusively serves pre-professional health students with membership exceeding 142,000, according to the organization's Web site. The organization was founded in 1926 at the University of Alabama.
Last year, Muffoletto, also the secretary of the organization, was looking for premedical conventions online when she discovered the Alpha Epsilon Delta honor society.
She was immediately motivated to start a chapter at UNM, she said.
"I was very impressed with the organization and purpose of the society and felt it would be beneficial to UNM to have a chapter here," Muffoletto said.
Members of the honor society will attend monthly meetings, as well as community service and fundraising events.
"Because the society is also a service organization, it can be expected that we will be involved with campus programs and community service programs that members are encouraged to participate in," she said.
Eric Toolson, UNM biology professor, said his role as adviser of Alpha Epsilon Delta will be to help members when they need it. But, he added, he wants the work done by members to be their own.
"That is the way I want it," he said. "It is their organization."
Membership is open to all students who are pursuing health education and have had three semesters of pre-professional coursework. Additionally, students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0.
The honor society, though currently funded by ASUNM in its infant stage, looks to use fundraising to help support its future.
"We hope to organize some fundraisers this summer and next year so we will not have to depend on ASUNM for full funding in the upcoming years," Muffoletto said.
The UNM Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Delta has been one and a half years in the making and has taken a lot of effort to establish, said Muffoletto, a fifth-year premedical student. Though the organization is young, Muffoletto is optimistic and looking forward to the opportunities the honor society will provide for its members.
"I believe AED will give pre-health students the opportunity to become involved more on campus and in the surrounding community," she said. " I strongly feel this establishment will be most beneficial to UNM's pre-health students and am looking forward to watching this chapter grow."
