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Joseph Pool ’26 is one of only 20 students nationwide to be selected as a Key into Public Service Scholar by Phi Beta Kappa (PBK), the nation’s most prestigious academic honor society and a leading national advocate for the value of liberal arts and sciences education.

Drawing inspiration from many notable Phi Beta Kappa members who have shaped the course of the country, the program recognizes exceptional arts and sciences students with a demonstrated interest in pursuing careers in local, state, and federal government.

Chosen from over 800 applicants attending Phi Beta Kappa chapter institutions across the nation, each 2025 scholar receives a $5,000 undergraduate scholarship and will participate in an in-person educational conference in Washington, D.C. Here, students will gain invaluable training, mentorship, and opportunities for reflection on pathways to rewarding public sector careers.

“Now is a critical time to highlight both the value of arts and sciences education and its application in public service careers to the benefit of the common good,” says Frederick M. Lawrence, Phi Beta Kappa secretary and CEO. “The Society applauds the Class of 2025 Service Scholars for their intellectual curiosity, interdisciplinary depth, leadership, and service to others.”

Pool—a public policy and political economy major with minors in ethics and global health—is the founder of Breaking Bread, a student organization dedicated to bridging beliefs and building community through shared meals and conversations. The club is one of the fastest-growing student organizations on campus. Pool also serves as president of the Student Government Association and Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society. After Rollins, he intends to pursue graduate school and a career in food law and policy.

“Receiving this scholarship and being recognized as a 2025 Public Service Scholar is an achievement that was only possible because Rollins is teaching me the liberal arts the right way,” says Pool. “My passion for food policy and food diplomacy is one that requires dialogue across differences, understanding other viewpoints, and skills in quantitative analysis, advanced research, and public speaking. Taking classes across disciplines and outside my major—from social entrepreneurship and global health to religion and environmental studies—has allowed me not only to see beyond one aspect of public policy but also to connect the dots and envision a future career in public service.”

Alumni of the Key into Public Service Scholar program have earned an array of honors, including prestigious scholarships like the Rhodes, Truman, Marshall, Fulbright, Obama-Chesky Voyager, NAACP Marshall-Motley, and more.

The Rollins chapter of Phi Beta Kappa—known as Theta Chapter of Florida—recently inducted its fourth class of members, with the latest cohort of Rollins students joining 17 U.S. presidents, 42 U.S. Supreme Court justices, and more than 150 Nobel Laureates as members of PBK.

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