Phi Lambda Beta

Alpha Chi Chapter (University of Florida)

Originally founded in the 1960s at the Vanderbilt University Campus, Phi Lambda Beta is now under the auspices of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. It has a dozen active chapters at universities throughout the United States. It offers recognition to those students with high achievement in the area of advanced Luso-Brazilian Literature and Culture, both at the graduate and undergraduate levels.

Eligibility Requirements for Phi Lambda Beta

COURSEWORK: Students should have completed a minimum of 18 semester credit hours of intermediate and advanced college coursework Portuguese in the semester they apply, including three courses (of three credit hours each) in literature, culture, or linguistcs.
- Students who have completed 15 credits and are taking completing their final 3 credits, may apply for membership in PLB.
GPA: A 3.25 GPA or better in Portuguese courses and a 2.75 or better cumulative GPA is required
There is no an application fee. Please contact Elizabeth Ginway, faculty advisor, for more information: eginway@ufl.edu

Students will receive a Phi Lambda Beta certificate with their names and year of initiation and will be recognized in the annual Awards Ceremony of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese Studies.

Chapter History

In 1997, Dr. M. Elizabeth Ginway applied for a charter for Phi Lambda Beta  at the University of Florida. That year, seven undergraduates (Ligia Courneya, Jason Richards, Barbara St. Cyr, Angela Stuesse, Jessica Urba, Carlos Uriarte and Wendi Werneth) and three graduate students (L. Annie Hermansen, Amy Loeffler and Susan Soutter) were initiated into the society. In their honor, Dr. Charles Wood, Director for the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Florida, spoke about his experience with Portuguese particular and its importance in Latin American Studies in general.
In 1998, Dr. Martha Ellen Davis, the Associate Director for the Center for Latin American Studies, spoke about the importance of foreign language study and abroad programs in undergraduate education. Undergraduate members inducted that year included: Karrie Nickerson and Anna Pagano, and graduates Ariadne Ferro and Deborah Hooker joined.
In 1999, Dr. Candace Slater, visiting Barcardi Fellow at the Center for Latin American Studies, spoke about her experience in Portuguese and the “Literatura de cordel.” Undergraduate inductee: Nara Matos. Graduate inductees: Fred Boltz, Fernando Ojeda, and Natércia Príncipe.
In 2000, Dr. Jeffrey Needell, Associate professor of Brazilian History at the University of Florida, spoke about Portuguese as the key to the fascinating world of Brazil and Brazilian studies. Undergraduate inductees: Alex Lamazares, Stephanie Litka, Allison McMurray, Robin Minor and Serena Paskewicz. Graduate inductee: Natalie Arsenault.
In 2001, Dr. Charles Perrone, author of Brazilian Popular Music and Globalization spoke on behalf of Phi Lambda Beta initiates, David Cortese, Emily Milligan, Shad Munson, David Salisbury, Catarina Silveira, and Wendy Tahuico.
In 2002, Dr. Elizabeth Ginway, after spending seven years at the University of Florida, gave a short talk on the state of Portuguese and Brazilian Studies nationally and at UF. Undergraduates Melissa Bartron and Andrea Gálvez became members.
2003, Michael Heckenberger spoke on behalf of initiates: Miguel Bunker, Keith Penã, Gabriel Pumariega, Kurt Williams and Madalena Zielinska, and Guilherme Costa
In 2004 Andrea Ferrerira, Karelma Frontera-Acevedo and Tarsila Reybitz were initiated during the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures Awards Ceremony.
In 2005 the only initiate was graduate student Luciana Monteiro
In 2006, Daniela Alves Meyer of the Instituto Brasil-Estados Unidos (IBEU) of Rio de Janeiro honored initiates Kenyetta Mondrae Mullins, Shaune Heyser, Julia A. Carvalho, Loyda Tellez, Sarah Brush, Thais Dutra Ribeiro, Rachel Lara Teague, Natalia Jacovkis, and Honorary member Scott LaFramenta.
2007: Marcela Andrade, Brenton de Faria, Diana Roberta Frasier, Matthew A. González, Renato da Silva and Kristina Socarras
2008: Danielle Calin, Lewis Curtwright and Diana Ospina
2010: Daniela Abad, Maria Lobo, Rose Llanos, Carly Beaugé, Anneli Lefranc and Caitlin Marie Porter
2012: Dylan Attal, Grant Bennett, Sarah Benton, and Emilio Meneses
2013: Chloe M. Burke, Ana Hernández, Katerina Resek, and Thais Tavara
2014: Kiefer Fairbanks, Sephanie Silva Fernandes, Hollie Harrison, Antonio Augusto Senra, Cristina Villaroel
2015: Samantha Buhler, Tiffany Fuentes, Hans Goertz, Laura Sandoval
2016: Nicholas Grossi, Sara E. Kelly
2017: Clara Huebra, Daniela Monroy, Maria Sofia Quiñones
2018: Ashley Aguilar, Madeline Cruz, Carmen Florez, Isabel Maldonado, Amanda Menezes, Cassandra Sottile, Jessica Valdés, Melany Vergara (graduate student)
2019: Nicole Calderón Álvarez, John Hutton, Carolyn Imes, Danilo Marin, Jacqueline Mumford, Megan Radney, Lorena Reis, Paul Silva
2020: Yasmin Araújo, Victoria Noisom, Valentina de Queiroz
2021: Veronika Suyupova and Isabella Zucaro
2022: Cristina Cortez, Jamie Ferrer, Roberto Ferrer, John Jacqmein, Isabella Montoya Bedoya, Veronica Quiroz Olivares, Angeles Ramirez, Sofia Reinoso
2023: Sophie Nicole Barreiro, Ariana Miranda, YoVanna Solomon
2024: Fátima Gutérrez, Thomas Barretto Moore, Victoria Siqueira