Last Updated on April 15, 2021 by Ivy Tech Community College – Kokomo
SOURCE: News release from Indiana University Kokomo
KOKOMO, Ind. — The Ivy Tech Community College Kokomo Phi Theta Kappa chapter, Alpha Phi Pi, was honored with the Distinguished College Project Award at the academic honor society’s virtual international convention earlier this month. The Kokomo group was one of just 50 chapters out of a total of 1,300 Phi Theta Kappa chapters worldwide to be recognized with this award.
Several weeks earlier, the chapter, its members, and adviser earned several awards and honors at PTK’s annual Indiana Region Spring Conference, held virtually for the second year. There, the chapter received the Distinguished College Project Award, recognizing members’ efforts in developing and publishing Ivy Tech Kokomo’s December 2020 Diversity Digest as the top project in the Indiana Region this year and nominating it for the international award. The award, designed to establish or strengthen a supportive relationship between the chapter and their college administration, was presented by Ivy Tech Kokomo Chancellor Dean McCurdy.
Additional honors announced at Indiana’s 2021 Hallmark Awards event included:
Individual awards:
Eugene M. Speiss Scholarship awarded to Alpha Phi Pi Chapter President Chloe Prince.
Susan Jackson Award presented by Dr. Gauri Pitale, chapter advisor, to Chloe Prince in recognition of exceptional contributions to the chapter by students who are passionate about PTK and are friendly and helpful.
Horizon Award presented to Dr. Gauri Pitale. This award, presented by the Phi Theta Kappa headquarters, recognizes new advisers “who move mountains to serve their students and acclimate themselves to Phi Theta Kappa programming.”
Alpha Phi Pi Chapter awards:
Five Star Chapter Progress, given to those chapters that fulfill all necessary requirements for the recognition.
Fifth Runner Up of Indiana Region’s Most Distinguished Chapter Award recognizing chapters based on their entries for both the Honors in Action Project Award and the College Project Award. Entries are judged by reviewers at PTK international headquarters.
Power of Progress Award, given to chapters that have shown incredible growth over the previous year in membership and/or engagement with society programming. The Ivy Tech Kokomo chapter was recognized for jumping to five-star status while acclimating to two new advisors.
Current chapter officers include Chloe Prince, president; Desmon Williams, general vice president; and Eliza Barkley, vice president of communications. Pierre Malone, Jocelyn Reyes, and Kayla Viramontes were recognized as distinguished chapter members.
New chapter officers who will take over in May are Jared Boone, president; Erica Mummert, general vice president; and Darneda Wise, vice president of communications.
Chapter adviser Dr. Gauri Pitale thanked several members of the Ivy Tech Kokomo administration and faculty for their support. These included former advisers Amber Williams, Dr. Tammy Greene, and Cynthia Lees; Dr. Dean McCurdy, chancellor; Theresa Murphy, vice chancellor for Student Success; Ethan Heicher, vice chancellor for Academic Affairs; Dani McQuaide, director of Student Life; Sally Vyain, dean of the School of Liberal Arts, Sciences, and Education; and Tara Kaser, program chair of the Education department.
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, UAE 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.
