One of the oldest members of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS), KTA is the only such society in journalism and mass communication recognized by ACHS.

The emblem of Kappa Tau Alpha is the key, the oldest symbol of knowledge and communication. The Greek letters mean “The Truth Will Prevail.” The letters also suggest three English words: knowledge, truth and accuracy. The Society’s colors are light blue, significant of truth, and gold, emblematic of worth and high standards.

Benefits of membership include: national recognition for academic excellence; lifetime membership; Certificate of Membership; a keypin; a sense of community with other fellow outstanding scholars in journalism/mass communications. Membership meets one of the requirements for entrance at the GS-7 Level in numerous professional and technical occupations in the U.S. Government.

History

Shortly after the Missouri School of Journalism’s first year, faculty members led by Dean Walter Williams sought a method to recognize the work of outstanding students. The first meeting of Kappa Tau Alpha was held March 10, 1910. Minutes indicate that grades were to be the only prerequisite for admission.

Inactive during World War I, KTA remained a local society until 1925 when a second chapter, at the University of Illinois, was established under the leadership of journalism director Lawrence W. Murphy, who later became the first national president.

Professor Murphy led the nationalization drive, seeking interest from other educators at the December, 1930 meeting in Boston of the American Association of Teachers of Journalism, forerunner to the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). A nationalization luncheon followed on December 29. Murphy was elected president and served until 1935 when J.L. O’Sullivan of Marquette University succeeded him. Frank L. Martin of Missouri followed him in 1936. Frank Luther Mott, then head of journalism at the University of Iowa, served 1937-1939.

Mott later moved to Missouri as dean and directed KTA until 1962, when William H. Taft took over as executive director.

The historic Boston meeting resulted in additional chapters being established at West Virginia, Marquette, Ohio, Michigan and Southern Methodist. Colorado, Arkansas, Iowa and Ohio State followed soon thereafter.

Membership increased slowly until the 1950s when 11 chapters were added. Another 11 joined in the next decade. Rapid growth occurred during the 70s and 80s with each decade producing 22 new chapters.

Foreshadowing today’s journalism/mass communication enrollments, Kappa Tau Alpha was ahead of its time in recognizing women. Elizabeth Agee, member #19, was initiated in KTA’s second year of existence, but apparently never graduated. Mary Paxton Keeley, the first woman to receive a degree in journalism, is member #81.

Today there are more than 90 KTA chapters around the country.

KTA Inductees 2011-2020

Last NameFirst NameYear
AldrichZachary Thomas2011
AmenKatelyn J.2011
AndersenAaron Joseph2011
ArnoldChelsea2011
BabcockErica Mendez2011
BasdenBrittney Ann2011
BatchelderCassandra M.2011
CallahanSarah Michelle2011
CarterCaitlin2011
CrawleyElise Diane2011
DohseKaitlin2011
DongSnow2011
DundonEric Scott2011
EichnerKatelyn B.2011
ElstonJennifer2011
FinePamela B.2011
FlandreauMichelle2011
FrydmanJoshua2011
GalbreathBradley J.2011
GiddingsCaitlin2011
GonderGeorgia Faye2011
HagopianMichelle Lynne2011
HeXin2011
HelmyHarumendhah2011
HigginsNathan Michael2011
HoffmanShane Martin2011
Horn-ZoellickSarah K.2011
HurtleEsten C.2011
JacksonTiffany2011
JenkinsAndrew Curtis2011
JeongJiYeon2011
JohnstonLaura Catherine2011
JonesHannah Huber2011
KellyKathryn L.2011
KimAndrew C.2011
KlohmannAmanda2011
LanceElizabeth A.2011
LeahySean2011
LueckeJacob2011
McIntoshRita C.2011
PaskalMolly Rebecca2011
PearceMatthew D.2011
ReedElizabeth2011
RitchieHannah Marie2011
RodabaughDanielle Renee2011
RuppenthalAlex2011
SchallonLindsay Anne2011
SchmidAbigail2011
Schreiber, Jr.John A.2011
SkulborstadKyrsten Elaine2011
SmouchaEmily2011
StroupMegan Catherine2011
StubblefieldErin L.2011
SwasyAlecia2011
ThompsonMcClain E.2011
WhippleKelsey Nicole2011
WojnowskiLaurieAnn2011
WoytusAmanda2011
AlexanderCaitlin2012
AmerAida Sherif2012
BeesleyChris2012
CameronCole T.2012
CavazosShaina Ruth2012
ChattertonTaylor Elizabeth2012
DeliaKristen Nicole2012
DesaiNatasha2012
DohleMary Catherine2012
DonelsonCole2012
EversonDaniel J.2012
FruehSarah Jillian2012
HeinsSara Elizabeth2012
HighfillSamantha S.2012
JahngMi Rosie2012
JinDalrae2012
KrampeJessica Marie2012
KruppJacklyn2012
LeeJoonghwa2012
LeGrandEmily Catherine2012
LeneweaverMelissa 'Moe'2012
McGinnisMegan2012
MeraJamie2012
MillerCaitlin2012
MitchenerBrandon Scott2012
MoonEmily Grace2012
MoonSuyoung2012
NoeMegan Marie2012
OverschmidtTayler Nicole2012
PasseyKristopher R.2012
PucciJessica E.2012
RedohlSarah Margaret2012
RenwickD. Dustin2012
ReynoldsChelsea2012
RungeLauren Elizabeth2012
SanderBrice2012
SchutzmanStacey Belle2012
SlawkowskiLyndsey2012
SneathenAshley Marie2012
StaubDiana2012
SwaffordScott Cunningham2012
WieseHannah Elizabeth2012
WurtzStephanie B.2012
ZermenoAlaina2012
ZhangIris2012
ZhouYouyou2012
AlewelKayla Anise2013
ArtemasKatie2013
BoudreauJulia Lynn2013
BrannenKate2013
BurleyDaniel Thomas2013
DavisonLaura2013
DrazenEllen V.2013
EversonKate Elizabeth2013
FerrucciPatrick R.2013
GarnettEmily2013
GiffinEmily Katherine2013
GilboaA lon2013
GilstrapMelissa Naioma2013
HagedornElizabeth Creighton2013
HenquinetMargaux M.2013
HillKristopher Crouse2013
HoferBrooke2013
JorgensenErica M.2013
KappBridget2013
KossoverLisa2013
KreinbergJake Scott2013
LearyKerry Lynn2013
MoffittKelly Marie2013
OhlmsMark Philip2013
RayburnNina2013
RaymondAudrey Elizabeth2013
ReillyPaul Francis2013
RoadmanMelissa Erin2013
RoodKara M.2013
SimmonsJoseph2013
SmithCharnissia2013
SoleCaitlin Meredith2013
StraussBridgit Patricia2013
TandocEdson C. Jr.2013
TaylorAnn Elise2013
TaylorClaire Connor2013
VetoMatt2013
WagamanAndrew Lee2013
WardenKatherine Rose2013
WeiderKatherine Rose2013
WhiteHarriet Elizabeth2013
WonJiyoung2013
XuMengti2013
XuRuohan2013
YimGrace Eunhae2013
YoungRachel2013
ZhuXinrui2013
AllenAnne Mary2014
AmpelCelia2014
BanovLee2014
BishopNancy Caroline2014
BrownVicki Knasel2014
ClanceySarah2014
DankelsonAnne2014
DumbacherBreanna Arielle2014
EbertPaige Lynn2014
FrakesBreanne Elizabeth2014
FrenchMarie Jenaeve2014
GeshevaAlexandra2014
GibsonAndrew2014
GriffithHilary2014
HerholdKristen2014
HingaAllison Taylor2014
HoffmanKelsey2014
HosteBenjamin Henry Gauvain2014
JohnsonElizabeth Anne2014
LandsbaumClaire Drey2014
LemakisMaria2014
LiuJennifer2014
LydenGrace2014
MaynardAlexandra2014
MeyersStephanie2014
ModliszJenny2014
NgYee Man (Margaret)2014
NycklemoeKaia Ann2014
OrnduffMatthew Scott2014
O'ShaughnessyThomas2014
OuyangSifan2014
ParkEunHae (Grace)2014
PechenikAnne McDonnell2014
PetrowAnna2014
PohleAllison2014
PullingMeg McLeod2014
RichieGarrett Francis2014
SaraconeChrissy2014
SchillingerDawn Lynn2014
SchmidtHannah2014
SchrieberSierra Nicole2014
SoldnerTaylor Anne2014
SostaricKatarina2014
SteffensBeth Allison2014
StephanoffJonathan2014
StephensChallen2014
StephensElizabeth Conner2014
StillSkyler Christine2014
SwiecaCaitlin Rose2014
TacchiVincent Sergio2014
TingleAbigail Leigh2014
TraversJennifer2014
TrierMary Helene2014
WagnerAlicia Nicole2014
WeissmanCourtney Kay2014
WillbrandCatherine2014
WilliamsKerrigan E.2014
ZhaoWeicheng2014
BaileyHeather2015
BarryColleen2015
BaumanCaroline Frances2015
BeardJamie2015
BrannenJane2015
BurrisErin Lou2015
CaiDelia2015
ChronisterDanielle N.2015
Clayton-AlexanderVictoria2015
CooleyBlair S.2015
DaytonEmily C.2015
DenlowMorgan2015
DickherberCalvin2015
DrewKevin K.2015
ElliottLauren Patrice2015
FeatherAndrew2015
FinnemanTeri2015
HallamMargaret2015
HanJoy2015
HendersonMolly Katelyn2015
HohmanLaura2015
JankelowAndrea I.2015
JohnsonRebecca2015
KauffmanAndrew2015
KingOlivia Rae2015
KoehnRachel2015
KucKiersten Elise2015
LaBrotAmanda Kathleen2015
LinkKatie2015
MersmannKathryn Marie2015
MolholmKatrina Noel2015
ParkJoun-Joo2015
PerreaultGregory Pearson2015
ReaumeGenevieve Mary2015
RobertsAmy M.2015
ScanlanJohn2015
SchaffMegan Elizabeth2015
SchnitkeAllison Taylor2015
SchultzMegan2015
SilvestriAmy Paige2015
SimsAndrea2015
VelardeCiera2015
WatsonStephanie2015
WeberGreta2015
ArkinsEimear2016
BartonAlexa2016
BatheEmily M.2016
BergmanPhilip Lawrence2016
BondAlex2016
BradyBridget2016
DameJordyn Elizabeth2016
DonicaAdrienne Perri F.2016
FinneganMitchel J.2016
FloodNicole M.2016
GannonMatthew Ryan2016
GoldbergJessica A.2016
GoodwinHannah K.2016
GreenwayRebecca2016
GuoWei2016
HaganKarol Anne M.2016
HanSuhan2016
HellinghausenValerie Lisa2016
HerveyGinger2016
HigginbothamSara Jeanne2016
HoltAshley Alexandra2016
HugueletDavid Austin2016
JelinekRachel E.2016
KelloggSarah2016
KloeppleSarah A.2016
KohnRyan2016
LeviRyan2016
MartinKaitlynn2016
McVayElaine M.2016
MiddaughJenna2016
MullinVeronica Audrey2016
NarishkinAbigail Anne2016
O'BrienEmerald2016
OrsoAnthony Charles2016
PengJoyce2016
RenZhaoqian2016
ShaddyNicole Brianne2016
SimonKara2016
Sirtori-CortinaDaniela2016
SlomeLauren Elizabeth2016
SmithEliza Montague2016
SmithZachary Andrew2016
SubramanianRoma2016
SullentrupZachary2016
TanVera2016
VanDelinderEmma E.2016
VossConnor Richardson2016
WolfgangDavid2016
WoodroofLandon2016
ZhangJingru2016
ZhaoHong2016
ZhaoXinqi2016
AkreElizabeth2017
AnzMarisa Nicole2017
BarnesMegan Elizabeth2017
BrandeisEmma Catherine2017
BrownMadeline L.2017
BusslerKyrie2017
CagleEllen C.2017
ChenYutao2017
CobbEvan T.2017
Foster-GimbelRachel2017
FryErin2017
GarrettAmberle Madisyn2017
GaulTheresa Katherine2017
GillespieMacyn D.2017
GloorLindsay M.2017
GordonMeghan2017
GroveShanna Marie2017
HaveyMaxwell2017
JambulatovaKamila2017
JenNina2017
JenkinsJoy M.2017
KillianAbigail2017
KottAlison E.2017
LadigEmily Ann2017
LambHeather2017
LazaroffLamie2017
LeeMiranda2017
LewisHayden Robert2017
LiuXin2017
MaiHaotian2017
MajorsMadison N.2017
MechelkeMorgan Elizabeth2017
MedvedevaYulia2017
PeepoErika L.2017
PichtOlivia Lennon2017
PierceAllison M.2017
ReedSavannah2017
RoeDan2017
RosencrantsPeyton Elise2017
RussellEmily Ann2017
RussoEmily Michelle2017
RutledgeHailey Anne2017
SalelaAlyssa2017
SchnellKatherine2017
SchraderKelsie Lenora2017
SerranoJasmine2017
ServenRuth2017
SherwinJessica2017
ShipleyJacob I.2017
SorbelliKatherine Marie-Caleb2017
StanfieldKellie2017
TesonMargaret Allyn2017
ValeroMaria2017
WilsonEmily May2017
AlamdariNatalia2018
AlexanderKaty Dionne2018
AllenJenna Lynn2018
AltAsher H.2018
BergElizabeth2018
BlatchfordTaylor2018
BlechingerKatelyn2018
BrownSamantha2018
CornwallKathryn M2018
Cortés-MartínezCarlos Adolfo Cortés2018
CygnarowiczSophia2018
DustmanHannah Nichole2018
EggertHannah2018
GrantRachel Lindsey2018
GrantRachel Lindsey2018
HegerCarolyn Rose2018
HegerCarolyn Rose2018
HigleyAnnamarie2018
HigleyAnnamarie2018
HulleAlexander Van2018
HurwitzKelsey2018
JonesCamden C.2018
JonesMadeline2018
KellingKimberly2018
KenneyJoDee Elaine2018
KonczalLea Kristina2018
KwasnikMonica2018
LaFonDelaney Brynne2018
LandollAbigail2018
LiCassandra2018
LujinMackenzie2018
MagidMorgan Cosette2018
McKinstryErin2018
MinarikCassidy2018
PaganoEmily2018
PecorinAllison Marie2018
PhillipsRachel2018
PriceTaylor Kay2018
QuinnElizabeth2018
ReedTashan Lewis Joseph2018
RosenbergDaniel J2018
SimsRayna2018
StackerDiamond D.2018
StanzeMadison Hope Bree2018
SutherlandMadeleine E2018
SzopaRachel2018
TarletonJenna2018
ThomsonT.J.2018
TopouriaVictor Alexander2018
VitaleKara J2018
VogtsTodd Ray2018
WallentaAllyson Sue2018
WendlandtCatherine2018
WilnerTamar Shulamit2018
YesenoskyDan2018
YuDaphne G2018
ZatzLauren A2018
ZeigerRebecca Katherine2018
AshleyAnthony C.2019
BalstadGina Rebecca2019
BartolacMegan2019
BaughPeter Brewster2019
BrittTerry L.2019
BuckallewMegan2019
CatalanoAriana2019
ChoiHeesook2019
CissellPaige2019
ClaybrookEmma Dillon2019
CollinsDevan Suzanne2019
CollinsLisa2019
CraneIsabel2019
DunnNoah Charles2019
FreebergAlicia2019
GreenspunAlexandra Rose2019
HaasKyra2019
HannemannEmily Elise2019
HerrickKatherine2019
HiegerLauren F.2019
HuoppiPeter2019
HurleyEmily Anne2019
JaeckelsBeck2019
JiangHaoyi2019
LeeEric2019
LinYujing2019
LiuKaixin2019
MackayMercedes2019
MussmanPhoebe L.2019
OrueDavid Antonio Estrada2019
PsaledakisDaphne2019
RackersEmily2019
RenYuhua2019
SharplesGrant2019
SheinkopNicole Lauren2019
SmithElizabeth Claire2019
TaylorRachel McKee2019
ThomasRyan2019
TurleyJeremy2019
WadeJenna2019
WangRunjie2019
WhiteKatherine2019
WinterAlexis2019
YoungJordan Anne2019
ZhuDi2019
AxfordMadison2020
BalmerSam2020
BeaudoinEva2020
BomanCourtney2020
BronsSabrina2020
CarterAaron2020
ConnersSiobhan2020
CraigDanielle2020
CruzElena K.2020
CzopekMadison2020
DadeCaroline2020
DavisAva2020
DorfAshley2020
DugganJerome2020
EverettSarah2020
ForbesSamuel2020
GarrisonSteve2020
GuarigliaIsabel2020
GuoLei2020
HalversonGrace2020
HambyAlexis2020
HelmGwyneth2020
Shaban HendrixsonSara2020
HoevelmannKaitlyn2020
HookTrevor2020
HustonRegan2020
JohnsonHope J2020
KinderKevin2020
KresicKristyna2020
LucasEmmy2020
MiserezLaura2020
OchitwaAnnie2020
O'HaraAshlyn2020
ParkinsKatherine2020
PolonusMadison2020
PowerFaith2020
ReedEmmalee2020
ReynoldsDavid2020
SharpAlexandra2020
SchroederNicole2020
SchoikMichael2020
Emma VeidtEmma2020
Meredith WrightMeredith2020
YoungAJ2020