WHEELING, WV, Sept. 28, 2009 — Dr. Dominick DeFilippis, associate professor of modern languages at Wheeling Jesuit University, was elected regional representative of Alpha Mu Gamma, the national collegiate modern language honorary society recently. He has held the position of regional representative for the association since the late 1990s and will serve the Virginias, Delaware, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. region in this role.

Headquartered at Los Angeles City College in Los Angeles, Ca., Alpha Mu Gamma claims more than 307 chapters of the society in the country. The group annually honors students who excel in modern languages in a national competition for study abroad scholarships. DeFilippis is proud to report that Wheeling Jesuit students have been repeat first-place winners of scholarships as well as first-place runners up over the years.

In 2008, DeFilippis was also honored for his commitment to languages and international studies as the recipient of a Cyrus Vance award from the state of West Virginia, honoring professors for their efforts at promoting international education.

Beyond teaching, DeFilippis directs the university’s study abroad programs. He has been instrumental in instituting language clubs on campus, established a chapter of Alpha Mu Gamma, and has been active in the international studies program and many other language outreach programs, both on campus and beyond.