On Nov.1 the Beta Lamda Chapter of Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society at the University of New Haven inducted 15 new members. Inductees, current members, and families gathered in the German Club to see a symbolic candle lighting, watch the new members receive their certificates and pins, and recite the pledge.

Delta Alpha Pi was founded in 2004 to acknowledge the accomplishments of college students with disabilities. In order to be eligible for induction into Delta Alpha Pi a student must have completed a minimum of 24 credits with a GPA of 3.1 or higher, have a documented disability that they’ve worked with the Accessibility Resource Center for, and demonstrated an interest in disability issues.

During the ceremony, they lit three candles to represent the values of Delta Alpha Pi; Delta symbolizes strength, where members will demonstrate strength as leaders on campus and act as role models at UNH. Alpha represents achievement, which is what comes first, but is followed by advocacy for themselves and then others. And finally, Pi, which represents pride, not only in their achievements academically, but also in all their accomplishments.

President Jesse Latorraca is going to be guiding the new inductees in their first project as members which will be heading the planning for Delta Alpha Pi’s main event of the year: Disable the Label, which will take place place next semester on April 12. Disable the Label is held at UNH to help get rid of the stigma that comes with having a disability. Events generally include a student panel where members of Delta Alpha Pi have both prepared questions they answer for the crowd and allow the audience to present questions of which they may have otherwise felt unsure how to ask; therapy dogs; and adaptive sport where students get to play basketball in wheelchairs.