Alpha Sigma Nu
Ritual of Induction

 
2011

Introduction
 
The Alpha Sigma Nu Ritual of Induction serves to:
- Inform inductees and their guests of the history, mission, and purpose of the Society
- Describe the Alpha Sigma Nu tenets of Scholarship, Loyalty, and Service
- Congratulate the inductees on living these tenets and ask for their commitment to these values in the future
- Formally induct the new members
This manual is presented as a guideline for Chapter induction ceremonies. While flexibility and different degrees of formality may be appropriate, the following order of ceremonies and instructions shall assist Chapters in carrying out this essential Ritual of Induction into Alpha Sigma Nu. The term President in this ritual will refer to the President of the local Chapter. The President of the institution will be specifically noted.
 
 
Invitees
 
In addition to the new inductees and their families, it is always appropriate to invite your Chapter’s current members--that is, those students inducted the previous year. Members of the Board of Directors living nearby should be invited to represent the Society. If there is a local Alumni Club, its president may welcome the new inductees to the Alpha Sigma Nu community. The Central Office database can be utilized to invite other local alumni members.
 
 
Honorary membership
 
Chapters are urged to consider as candidates for honorary membership men and women who represent well the tenets of scholarship, loyalty, and service. These may include members of the Jesuit community, the faculty and administration, persons working in local or national Jesuit projects, and other individuals who have distinguished themselves in their community. Please be sure to check to see if an honorary candidate is already a member by consulting the Member Directory or calling the Central Office.
The President, Chief Academic Officer, and Chief Mission Officer of the college/university, and the Chapter’s Faculty Adviser shall become members at the first induction following their appointment if they are not already members.
 
 
Induction Program Covers
 
The Alpha Sigma Nu Central Office has induction program covers available to all Chapters at no charge. The induction cover information includes:
- Alpha Sigma Nu purpose and mission
- The Greek words and their translation
- Eligibility information
- Brief history
- List of all Chapters
- The Alpha Sigma Nu Pledge
The Central Office updates the induction program covers annually. By using them, you can be assured you are sharing the most accurate and up to date information about Alpha Sigma Nu. If you choose not to use them, please be sure to include the items listed above and to update the text you use for creating the program.
 
 
General Instructions
 
The objective is to make the ceremony as impressive as possible for the inductees and guests. This ceremony may be the only formal contact some members will have with Alpha Sigma Nu. Chapter officers are urged to retain the essentials but are free to add elements that will enhance the ceremony. The Alpha Sigma Nu bylaws require that all inductees recite the Pledge during the Induction Ceremony. It is desirable that each candidate be identified as clearly as possible. This may be accomplished by announcing each name during the ceremony and by publication of the names of those inducted in the Induction Program. The President of the college/university should take an active part in the ceremony. Often, the date of the ceremony is set according the President’s availability, which requires setting the date far in advance. Variety and interest are added to the ceremony when a number of active members (student, alumni, board, and honorary) participate.
Responsibilities
All of the officers are responsible for the induction. The Induction Ceremony is called to order by the President of the Chapter.
Invitations
The Faculty Adviser and Chapter officers shall decide whether the ceremony will be open to the institution’s community or if it will be by invitation only. Faculty members, deans, department heads, and other administrative officers should be reminded to wear Alpha Sigma Nu pins if they are members.
Protocol
Members, especially officers, should wear their pins/pendants. Chapters are urged to display the official Alpha Sigma Nu banner at the ceremony and at any social functions following the induction. Provision for music at the entrance and exit or a suitable musical interlude might be made. The institution’s song and/or an appropriate anthem might be sung.
Seating
The inductees should be arranged in the central place. Chapter officers are to have prominent places. Honorary inductees and the student inductees should be seated where they can be seen and where they can move conveniently about and to the dais area. The faculty should be seated near the candidates.
Standards
The explanation of the three standards is the essential message of the Induction, and shall be described by the Chapter officers.
 
 
Script for the Ritual of Induction
Induction Prayer
 
This induction prayer may be used to open the Induction Ritual ceremony.
Gracious and loving God,
As we gather to honor the achievements of these members of Alpha Sigma Nu
And those who will be inducted this day,
We pause to celebrate the many ways you have blessed their lives
And to give you thanks and praise.
 
For their dedication to scholarship;
For their intelligence and ideals that lead them to deepen their commitment to the pursuit of knowledge.
May they come to see that the wisdom they gain today will be realized in what your great plan holds for their lives tomorrow.
 
We give you thanks and praise
For their dedication to loyalty;
For the challenges they encounter in seeking truth and justice,
So as to live as men and women of honor and integrity in their daily lives.
May the vision of St. Ignatius be their guide in deepening their encounters with God and with others.
 
We give you thanks and praise
For their dedication to service;
For the work of their hands and the generosity of their hearts
that reach out to see the sufferings of others and seek ways to serve.
May the ideal of generous service be their guiding principle as they work for justice in our world.
 
Lord,
May this induction ceremony today be a life-long reminder of the ideals of Jesuit education
that have been so firmly rooted in the mission of the Society of Jesus and [name of school].
And may your grace continue to fill their lives
that they may always be challenged to be leaders
who are examples of excellence and integrity,
generous in their compassion, and committed to serving others for your greater glory.
Amen.
President: Alpha Sigma Nu, the honor society of Jesuit institutions of higher education, is a dynamic fellowship of lifetime leaders dedicated to Ignatian vision and values in the highest tradition of the 450-year Jesuit mission in Catholic higher education. An invitation to be inducted into Alpha Sigma Nu is one of the very highest honors a Jesuit institution confers upon a student. As a unique honor society, Alpha Sigma Nu carries a profound mission:
Alpha Sigma Nu recognizes those students who distinguish themselves in scholarship, loyalty and service. The only honor society permitted to bear the name Jesuit, Alpha Sigma Nu encourages its members to a lifetime pursuit of intellectual development, deepening Ignatian spirituality, service to others, and a commitment to the core principles of Jesuit education.
Founded in 1915, Alpha Sigma Nu is an international organization with chapters at all 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States , at Sogang University in Korea , and at Campion and Regis Colleges in Canada . The name Alpha Sigma Nu signifies the Greek words Adelphotes Scholastikon Nikephoron (ah-del-foh-tes scow-last- i- kown Nee-kay- for-own), meaning “the company of honor students.” The key of the society bears the three Greek letters together with the eye of wisdom. On the reverse side is inscribed the member’s name and date of induction. The Alpha Sigma Nu colors are maroon and gold.
The President may add his/her own remarks here. Some Presidents choose to give a brief reflection on the Chapter’s activities and experiences throughout the year.
The invitation to membership in Alpha Sigma Nu has been based upon the journey you began on the first day you matriculated at____. This ceremony celebrates your dedication to Alpha Sigma Nu’s values: scholarship, loyalty, and service. Keep in mind that, as this commitment determined your selection, so shall it justify membership in the future.
The first standard is Scholarship, to be explained by the Vice-President of our Chapter, ….
 
 
Descriptions of the Alpha Sigma Nu tenets by the Officers
 
Scholarship
Scholarship is the most important qualification for membership in Alpha Sigma Nu, as this tenet reflects the primary purpose of higher education. True scholarship, however, runs deeper than a high grade point average or the mastery of information and specialized knowledge. Alpha Sigma Nu recognizes those persons as scholars who possess a depth of comprehension and a breadth of knowledge. Alpha Sigma Nu honors those students who have a passion for knowledge, the world of ideas, and critical analysis. The true scholar realizes that education and knowledge are lifelong pursuits, but never loses contact with the world of reality beyond the library or the classroom. Through a balanced integration of experiences, the scholar advances in both knowledge and wisdom. Humility is a mark of true scholars who continue to develop their intellectual gifts with the awareness that they pursue a standard set by God, who alone is wise.
The President then calls on the Secretary to explain the criterion of Loyalty.
Loyalty
The search for wisdom is also a search for truth. The vision of Saint Ignatius Loyola is that the purpose of Jesuit education is to lead students to the knowledge and love of God, our Creator and Lord. Thus, membership in Alpha Sigma Nu is a lifelong vocation, not merely a scholastic honor. You, as Jesuit-educated men and women, are called to make and live out a lifelong personal commitment to the moral and social values of the Gospel.
Inspired by the vision and values of The Society of Jesus and the teachings of its Superiors General, you, as new members of Alpha Sigma Nu, are invited to further develop a depth of thought and imagination in the Ignatian tradition that will transform your minds and hearts. You will become collaborators with the Society of Jesus in the service of faith and the promotion of justice, with a special care for the marginalized and the poor.
To be loyal to these ideals means developing a full engagement with the real with a deep sense of decency and responsibility to truth and justice. It will always entail personal integrity as well as an abiding effort to advance the good of society and the well-being of all.
The President then calls on the Treasurer to explain the criterion of Service.
Service
The third of the standards, which were the basis for your selection, is Service. St. Ignatius has said that love is shown in deeds, not merely in words, and so service to others is an integral part of the philosophy of Jesuit education and thus of Alpha Sigma Nu. Knowledge should not exist in a vacuum; it should be used to build up and ennoble the world in which we live. This is why a distinguished academic record is not sufficient to warrant admission to Alpha Sigma Nu. There must be a proven dimension of willing and generous service to others. This is demonstrated by giving freely of time and talent to the academic community as well as to the larger community. Alpha Sigma Nu expects its members to translate ideals into actions as lifelong leaders and contributors to the building of a just and decent world.
President’s Address: These three standards -- Scholarship, Loyalty, and Service -- are the core of Alpha Sigma Nu, but they are only powerful when translated into action. Each of you is working toward this goal in your own unique way, both in and out of the classroom, both on and off campus.
The President may add his/her own remarks here. Some Presidents choose to give specific examples of student achievement and involvement.
Your ongoing commitment to the ideals of Alpha Sigma Nu may evolve as your situations become increasingly diverse. Together, you are a strong community of leaders devoted to scholarship, loyalty, and service. While membership spans state and country borders, what brings the Society together is its distinct Jesuit identity, and each member’s continuous striving toward the magis: a desire to reach further, dig deeper, and go beyond what is expected. New inductees join the community of Alpha Sigma Nu members who commit their imagination and energy to address the needs and concerns of the world around them.
 
 
Introduction of the Candidates and Conferral of Membership
 
The President directs the Secretary to introduce the candidates. This can be done by calling their names as they enter the hall or by asking them to stand as their name is called if they are already present and seated. Individual introductions may also be done at the presentation of certificates and pins. If candidates are not present, their names could be read after all present are introduced.
 
 
Alpha Sigma Nu Pledge
 
As a member of Alpha Sigma Nu,
I promise to do everything in my power
To carry out the ideals of Scholarship,
Loyalty and Service.
I will be committed to intellectual integrity and the pursuit of wisdom.
I promise to be loyal to the moral, social, and religious ideals of my education.
I promise to be genuinely committed to the well-being of others and active in serving them.
I will do all this in light of the Jesuit concern
And for the greater honor and glory of God.
 
 
Acceptance of the Candidates
 
After the pledge has been recited, the President calls upon the institution President who formally declares the candidates members of Alpha Sigma Nu with the following statement: As President of … and in the name of the Alpha Sigma Nu Board of Directors, I formally declare the candidates presented at this ceremony to be members of Alpha Sigma Nu.
In the absence of the institution President, the Chief Academic Officer, the Faculty Adviser, or a member of the Board of Directors can make the formal declaration of membership.
 
 
Presentation of Keys and Certificates
 
The President now requests the members to approach the President of the institution to receive their certificates and keys in the order agreed upon for the rite. Names should be clearly announced.
 
 
Conferral of Honorary Memberships
 
Honorary members may be introduced before or after the presentation of keys and certificates to student members. Honorary members stand while a designated student reads a citation. To avoid awkwardness, decide beforehand if the person(s) honored will come to the dais or stand at their place. At some schools, an honorary member is chosen to be the guest speaker.
 
 
Remarks by the Institution President, Faculty Adviser or Guest Speaker
 
After the presentation of the keys and certificates, the President calls upon the President of the institution, the Faculty Adviser, or the guest speaker for appropriate remarks or a formal address. Introduction of Board of Directors members or Alumni representative The Board of Directors member may be simply introduced, or may speak depending on the
program. The Alumni Club representative welcomes the new members to Alpha Sigma Nu:
- Reminding inductees that they join an alumni group of over 70,000 life-long members
- This is a remarkable network the inductees may now access by using the Alpha Sigma Nu Online Member Directory
-  The Directory can be found at www.alphasigmanu.org.
 
 
Concluding the Ceremony
 
The program which follows will vary by Chapter. Announcements by the President will be made in the light of events planned to follow the Induction Ceremony. The President may instruct officers, student members, alumni and faculty to form a reception line. Thereupon the new members, in the order of the Secretary’s list, greet the President of the school, the Faculty Adviser, Chapter members, and honored guests to introduce themselves and to receive congratulations.

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