History of DAPi at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing
In 2022, the idea of forming a student-led organization that supported the needs of students registered with disability services at JHSON was born, with the focus on promoting collaboration, allyship, and fostering community with the School of Nursing community at large. In May 2023, Learning CapAble Personified (L-CAP) was incorporated and approved as a student organization. As an extension of L-CAP and housed under L-CAP, the Iota Alpha Chapter of Delta Alpha Pi International honor society was brought to. In August 2023, L-CAP hosted its first induction ceremony for Delta Alpha Pi, where 38 students were inducted into the Iota Alpha Chapter of Delta Alpha Pi. Delta Alpha Pi is an academic honor society founded to recognize high-achieving students with disabilities in higher education.
Iota Alpha Chapter of DAPi
Delta Alpha Pi is an academic honor society founded to recognize high-achieving students with disabilities who are attending colleges (including community colleges) and universities as undergraduate or graduate students. This dynamic organization celebrates and supports academic achievement, leadership and advocacy for post-secondary students with disabilities. Invitation to join Iota Alpha is extended several times a year to students who meet the eligibility requirements.
Purpose
The three Greek Letters have specific meaning
Delta – D for Disability, but also the triangle, symbol of strength. Members of Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society demonstrate strength as leaders on campus to help break down the barriers of negativism. Also, they serve as mentors and role models for other students with disabilities.
Alpha – A stands for Achievement. Alpha is the beginning, and academic achievement must come first. But A also stands for advocacy because students must advocate for themselves before they can advocate for others. Members of Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society enhance advocacy skills for themselves and for the rights of all individuals with disabilities to be included fully in society.
Pi – P represents Pride, pride in academic achievement and in other accomplishments, not just as students with disabilities, but as members of the university community. Pi is a mathematical symbol that we learned to use in elementary arithmetic classes. So Pi is an appropriate symbol for education. Members of Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society participate in activities designed to educate the community and society regarding disability issues and the need to apply the principles of universal design in learning.
Members of Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society articipate in activities designed to educate the community and society regarding disability issues and the need to apply the principles of universal design in learning. Members of Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society work for an “aDAPtable” world.
Membership
Membership is open to both undergraduate and graduate students at colleges and universities with chartered chapters of DAPi and who meet the following criteria:
