The Xi of Virginia Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa presents an annual award for the outstanding senior honors thesis written by a JMU student. The award carries a cash prize of $250. Students are nominated by their academic departments and receive the award at the Honors College’s medallion ceremony.

2022 Award

• No award bestowed.

2021 Award

• Phi Beta Kappa: Lily Fisher (Sociology and Anthropology)
  Undocumented Lives: Exploring Previously Unknown Occupations Predating the Presbyterian Manse, Staunton, VA
  

2020 Award

• Phi Beta Kappa: Emily Barbaro (Political Science)
  Analyzing the Onset and Resolution of Nonstate Conflict in the Middle East & North Africa
  

2019 Award

• Phi Beta Kappa: Rachel Barborek (Biology)
  Detecting the Cold: Do Innexins Function in Cold
  

2018 Award

• Phi Beta Kappa: Kelly Moss (Political Science)
  Nigerian Terror: The Rise of Boko Haram
  

2017 Award

• Phi Beta Kappa: Madeline Johnson (Sociology)
  Queer University: An Ethnographic Case Study of the Trans Student Experience of College Campus Space
  

2016 Award

• Phi Beta Kappa: Kirstie Ann Thompson (Chemistry)
  The Effect of Hofmeister Series Counterions on the Colloidal and Antimicrobial Properties of Triple-Headed Cationic Amphiphiles
  

2015 Award

• Phi Beta Kappa: Jacob Bosley (Political Science)
  Lexicons of Colonialism: A Grounded Theory Examination of Indian and Supreme Court Definitions of Sovereignty
  

2014 Award

• Phi Beta Kappa: Matthew Dent (Chemistry)
  Understanding metal-organic framework assembly in hydrotris (1,2,4-triazolyl) borate materials
  

2013 Award

• Phi Beta Kappa: Jessica Holland (Biology)
  The Interaction of the Lethal Fungal Pathogen Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis (Bd) and Combinations of Anti-Bd Bacterial Species
  

2012 Award

• Phi Beta Kappa: Matthew Wallace (Biology)
  Topographic and Patterned Axonal Projections in Control and Mutant Ephrin-B2 Mice Prior to the Onset of Hearing