Alpha Sigma Lambda, the university's newly created honor society for non-traditional students, has inducted its first members.

Sixteen students were inducted during a ceremony on Dec. 1 in the North Complex of the University Heights Residential Learning Complex. To be eligible, students must have 24 graded hours at UVM and GPAs that are in the 90th percentile of all UVM students with at least that many graded hours.

Approximately 500 non-traditional students are currently enrolled at UVM. To be considered nontraditional, students must be 25 or older, married, or single parents pursing a conventional undergraduate degree at the university.

The chapter was formed in May 2006 after a year-long process spearheaded by Thomas McLeod, a 49-year-old non-traditional student living in Montpelier who is pursuing a dual degree in computer science and mathematics. Honors College Dean Robert Pepperman Taylor is the advisor for the group.

"Non-traditional students can become invisible on campus, especially to each other," said McLeod. "The honor society is a step forward in helping us develop a sense of identity and community at UVM. It’s very rewarding to see the process that began 18 months ago come to fruition with the induction of our first members."

In addition to McLeod, newly inducted members of Alpha Sigma Lambda include the following students: Marina Asaro, Lionel Beasley, Greggory Carpenter, Matthew Casari, Abbey Dattilio, Christine Griffis, Joi Hart, Raymond Hebert, Ian Kavanagh, Scott McClure, Claudia Mucklow, Andrew O’Brien, Peter O’Callaghan, Glenn Steinman, Kate Sudhoff, Eve Tyrrell-Berinati and Kristen Watson.

Madeleine Kunin, former governor of Vermont, delivered a keynote address at the ceremony and was inducted as an honorary member.