Distinguished Science and Mathematics Honours Society established at St. Mary’s 

Photo Caption: Six of the first eight members of the St. Mary’s Sigma Zeta chapter pose at the installation ceremony held on September 6, 2024

September 6, 2024, was no ordinary afternoon for the sciences here at St. Mary’s University. On this day, St. Mary’s University, and our Biology program, made history as the first Canadian university to establish a Sigma Zeta chapter, a distinguished undergraduate science and mathematics honour society originally founded in 1925 with over 80 chapters across North America. The organization’s objective is to draw superior students from all fields of science and mathematics together as a unified group, to encourage scientific knowledge.  

Dr. Mason Kulbaba, Assistant Professor of Biology, previously worked as an Assistant Professor at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas, and held the position as national president of Sigma Zeta. Since Dr. Kulbaba’s arrival to St. Mary’s in 2023, he was determined to establish the first Canadian chapter in the 100-year history of Sigma Zeta right here at St. Mary’s.  

The Sigma Zeta chapter at St. Mary’s is formally known as the Gamma Phi chapter, and the installation ceremony welcomed Gamma Phi’s first members and student leadership team: Megan Fraser (President), Oliver Noseworthy (Vice President), Alexandra Crozier (Secretary), Cassidy Moline (Treasurer), Leah Earle, Daegan Kovacs, Cheyanna Luard, and Ivy Morgan. The ceremony was primarily conducted by Dr. Joe Burnell, the visiting Executive Director of Sigma Zeta from the University of Indianapolis.  Dr. Kulbaba stood as the conductor of the ceremony, and Professor Gary Grothman served as the national installation recorder.  

The establishment of the Sigma Zeta chapter on our campus opens many opportunities for newly inducted students, including funding for travel to conferences and research, publishing opportunities in the newly established Sigma Zeta journal, and the potential to present at the annual Sigma Zeta conference, with the next one scheduled in 2025, to be held in Kentucky. 

Megan Fraser, expressed her pride in being the first chapter president: 

 “I believe I speak for everyone involved in StMU’s new Sigma Zeta chapter when I say we are thrilled to join such an outstanding community of science and mathematics students. I am also deeply honored to have been elected as the first student president of our chapter. By bringing Sigma Zeta to StMU, I hope we can inspire others to pursue careers in mathematics and science and continue the legacy of this esteemed organization. The experiences provided by Sigma Zeta are invaluable for the preparation of our future careers, giving St. MU students a significant competitive edge.”  

This milestone is a significant achievement for our university, underscoring our commitment to academic excellence across all our programs while enhancing learning engagement and research opportunities. Additionally, it recognizes the outstanding mentorship and teaching of our science faculty members. Our students now join the ranks of liberal arts science graduates who contribute to a broad scope of discovery and innovation in the STEM fields.