HONOLULU — The Alpha of Hawai'i Chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, the oldest national honor society for the liberal arts and sciences, will induct 82 new University of Hawai'i at Manoa undergraduate members at its annual initiation and banquet on May 7 at the Ala Moana Hotel, according to a university news release.

Founded in 1776, Phi Beta Kappa is the most prestigious academic honorary society in the nation. UH-Manoa hosts the only chapter in the state and it is one of only 276 chapters in the country. Since its chartering in 1952, the UHM chapter has initiated more than 2,400 students in majors ranging from anthropology to zoology. The chapter's youngest member, at age 18, was inducted in 2006.

To be invited to membership, students must achieve a very high cumulative grade point average, demonstrate intellectual breadth in their upper-division work, and complete at least 60 credits in residence at the Manoa campus. The chapter typically invites only about 4 percent of the year's bachelor's degree students to membership.

For more information, visit www.english.hawaii.edu/pbk/.