Fourteen Ivy Tech Kokomo Campus students inducted into Phi Theta Kappa

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Last Updated on April 7, 2016 by cassnetwork

KOKOMO, Ind. — Students at Ivy Tech Community College’s Kokomo Campus were recently honored for their academic achievement with induction into the Alpha Phi Pi (APP) Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa international academic honor society.

New members inducted during the March 20 ceremony at the Kokomo Campus include, from Kokomo: Charlet Ayala, Barbara Bitner, Shannon Derks, Christina Harris, James Montgomery, Christi Newlin, Trisha Norfleet, and Brittney Sitzes; from Macy, Bret Hisey; from North Manchester, Stephanie Rohrer; from Peru: Jennifer Bushong, Rafael Molina, and Amber Wolfe; and from Wabash: Nicholas Dunn.

Chapter officers presiding over the ceremony included Moriah Mercer, president; Angela Bailiff, general vice president; Nila Myers, vice president of operations; Kathryn Einstein, vice president of finance; and Cheryl Collins, vice president of communications. Chapter advisers are Tyler Corn, assistant professor of mathematics and physics, and Amber Williams, assistant professor of psychology.

Guest speaker Leo Studach, associate professor of science at Ivy Tech, adviser of the Phi Theta Kappa chapter on the Logansport Campus, and a regional coordinator for Phi Theta Kappa internationally, focused his talk on two major points. First, he encouraged chapter members to surround themselves with a strong support network and to take advantage of all PTK has to offer, academically, financially through scholarships and through peers who are serious scholars. Second, he talked about the importance of giving back to the College and to the community, noting that the students will feel more fulfilled as individuals by engaging in selfless service.

Currently enrolled students are invited to join the international academic honor society when they have completed at least 12 program-level or college-level credit hours with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5. Phi Theta Kappa has a two-fold mission – to recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two-year college students and to provide opportunities for individual growth and development through participation in scholarship, leadership, service and fellowship programming.

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society has been recognizing and encouraging excellence among community colleges since it was founded in 1918. Today, Phi Theta Kappa is the largest honor society in higher education with more than 3 million members and 1,275 chapters located in 50 states, U.S. territories, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Germany, United Arab Emirates, and the Republic of Palau. The recognition and scholarship opportunities that Phi Theta Kappa brings to an institution, its faculty advisors, and most importantly to its student members are unparalleled by any other student organization.

SOURCE: News release from Ivy Tech Community College

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