By Stephy Mahoney | Reporter
On Friday morning, Baylor’s Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society will host its biannual P.A.T. Book Sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in front of the Tidwell Bible Building.
The purpose of this event is to rehome books on religion, classical history, political science and other topics that are donated by faculty or retired professors and are no longer actively used.
To discuss the history and passion behind the book sale, PAT President and Montgomery senior Mike Ermis shared his experience, including how the society has shaped him.
Ermis has been with the PAT society for two years as an active leader and participant in events that promote the appreciation of history and understanding of its importance.
According to Ermis, the society has been planning this book sale for about two months, and all the books are either donated locally or organized to be re-homed.
“The books have been built up over time. It’s a great effort and coordination with the history department to let us know when they need the books cleared out,” Ermis said. “It’s helping both them and us while also being a great way to fundraise and build our presence on campus.”
Ermis, who previously served as sergeant-at-arms under former PAT president Rachel Medina, said he learned from her the importance of fostering member engagement to build a strong, active community.
“Being president has been a very beneficial journey for me,” Ermis said. “It’s been a great exercise in leadership, delegation and working with an excellent officer core who are more than willing to accept responsibility and work with me on important issues like the book sale.”
History professor and faculty advisor Steven Jug spoke about his passion for history and his commitment to furthering the society’s involvement at Baylor.
“The society is specifically tied to students who have taken a certain number of credit hours in history,” Jug said. “It’s not about activities week to week or month to month, but about that element of connection, networking with others and achievement in History.”
According to Jug, the society can play a big role in helping students secure jobs after graduation and obtain references for graduate programs.
Jug has advised the society for two years and has taught history at Baylor for over 14 years.
“There are two initiations each year — one in the spring and one in the fall,” Jug said. “We also host a big barbecue at the end of the year at Cameron Park.”
Jug advised students to think about cultivating careers that align with their passions, saying that by the end of college, it’s important to reflect on whether one is pursuing something one genuinely loves.
