Alpha Sigma Lambda

Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society for Adult Students

Welcome to the Lambda Omicron chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda at SUNY Cortland!  Alpha Sigma Lambda is an honor society that partners with colleges and universities to celebrate the scholarship and leadership of adult students in higher education.

History

Alpha Sigma Lambda was founded in 1945 to honor those dedicated adult students, who, while balancing their life responsibilities, achieve and maintain high scholastic standards.  Alpha Sigma Lambda is not only the oldest, but also the largest chapter-based honor society for full and part time students. For more information about Alpha Sigma Lambda, visit the Alpha Sigma Lambda national website. 

Membership Criteria for Alpha Sigma Lambda at SUNY Cortland

1. Members must be matriculated, undergraduate students at SUNY Cortland,
2. Have a minimum of 24 graded semester hours completed at SUNY Cortland,
3. Meet the definition of "non-traditional student" at SUNY Cortland,
4. Have a minimum grade point average of 3.2.* The cumulative scholastic record of the student as interpreted by the institution where membership is to be conferred shall be the basis for computing scholastic eligibility.

• Members shall be selected only from the top 20 percent of the criteria listed 1-4 above.
• Eligible members will be contacted early March.

GPA as of the end of the winter semester.

The 2025 Induction Ceremony will take place Tuesday, April 22 at 5 p.m. in Park Center Hall of Fame. Honor society invitations will be sent to new candidates in March. 

Alpha Sigma Lambda Scholarships

You do not have to be a member of Alpha Sigma Lambda to be eligible to apply.  There are currently over 300 chapters in the U.S. but less than half of them submit applications.

Alpha Sigma Lambda is pleased to announce that for the 2025-26 academic year, it will award:

• Six (6) scholarships of $3000.

• Fourteen (14) scholarships of $2500.

• Three (3) scholarships of $2000.

Students must submit their applications to the SUNY Cortland Chapter Counselor, Evan Mills (evan.mills@cortland.edu) before Monday, April 14th 2025. Only chapter counselors are authorized to send the application packets to the ASL Central Office after verifying GPA, completed hours at the institution, and other required information. Do not send your own application packets directly to ASL! 

Who can apply? - Scholarship Eligibility Criteria: 

• Adult students who are attending an institution that currently has an active Alpha Sigma Lambda chapter and who have achieved the following criteria (Student does not have to be a member of the local Alpha Sigma Lambda chapter to apply)
• 10% of the coursework completed toward an undergraduate degree program at your institution (not including transfer hours, assessment hours, CLEP credit, and the like and not including any course in which the student is currently enrolled.
• Achieved a grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale on all work taken at this institution.
• Has a financial need for assistance to complete their degree.
• Graduate students are not eligible to apply.

Evaluation Criteria

Awards are made to adult students continuing their higher education based on scholarship, leadership, the clarity and content of their personal statement, strength of recommendation and need.

Funds will be disbursed to the student and made payable to the student and the university/college. Maximum award per individual will be determined each year.

2025-2026 Application Materials: 

If interested, please return the application packet, and faculty recommendation form to SUNY Cortland, ASL Chapter Counselor (Evan.Mills@cortland.edu) before Monday, April 14th. 

• Applicant Scholarship Packet
• Faculty Recommendation Form

Congratulations to the 2024 Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society Inductees: