KOKOMO and LOGANSPORT, Ind. — Fifty-five students in Ivy Tech Community College’s Kokomo Region were recently honored for their academic achievement with induction into the Alpha Pi Phi (Kokomo) and Beta Gamma Zeta (Logansport) chapters of Phi Theta Kappa international academic honor society.
New members inducted during the spring ceremonies, by hometown, include:
Bringhurst: Jessie Hall, Logansport chapter
Burnettsville: Christine O’Day, Logansport chapter
Converse: David Yoder, Kokomo chapter
Galveston: Courtney McCloskey, Kokomo chapter
Greentown: Jordan Bennett and Jennifer Hattabaugh, Kokomo chapter
Kokomo: Brittany Anderson, Theresa Bates, Amber Broman, Anna Bullock, Megan Bunch, Sally Crider, April Duncan, Carlos Enci, Seth Foresman, Mary Hartman, Bernadine Higgins, Dallas Jackson, Zachary Jackson, Madison Marshall, Alexandra Olson, Ely Page, Shaun Sefton, and Edith Willoughby, all Kokomo chapter
Lafayette: Carrie Adams, Logansport chapter
Lagro: Debra Shepherd, Kokomo chapter
Logansport: Kristi Brenner, Alexandria Corcoran, Carlie Deardorff, Tamara Derrick, Hsa Lei, Veronica Osborn, Peyton Pasquarosa, Jennifer Sales, Travis Steffel, Myat Su, Kyaw Thu, and Wah Wah, all of Logansport chapter; and Adam Rivard, Kokomo chapter
Macy: Jennifer Wilhelm, Logansport chapter
Peru: Christopher Cover, Jeanette Howard, Jon Oakley, Mary Phillips, and James Seidle, all Logansport chapter, and Benal Ortman, Kokomo chapter
Rochester: Katie Farler, Logansport chapter
Russiaville: Alex Surber, Kokomo chapter
Sharpsville: Autasha Stroud, Kokomo chapter
Star City: Mary Craig, Logansport chapter
Twelve Mile: Brian Beaman, Logansport chapter
Wabash: Scott Pretorius, Kokomo chapter
Walton: Julissa Orozco and Bailey Pownell, Kokomo chapter
Winamac: Haylee Gilbert, Logansport Chapter
At the April 12 induction ceremony in Logansport, guest speaker Andrea Rentschler, a student at Ivy Tech South Bend and Indiana regional public relations officer, spoke about her experience as a chapter member and her nomination and election at the spring convention to serve as a regional officer. Rentschler said she is committed to seeing all students succeed and encouraging them to take advantage of what Phi Theta Kappa has to offer.
Beta Gamma Zeta Chapter advisors are Leo Studach, associate professor and program chair of science at Ivy Tech’s Kokomo region and regional coordinator for Phi Theta Kappa, and Starr McNally, department chair for nursing for the Logansport and Peru campuses.
During the April 30 induction ceremony in Kokomo, Ivy Tech Kokomo Campus student Moriah Mercer spoke of her experiences with Phi Theta Kappa and how they have shaped and molded her into the leader she is today. She described how Phi Theta Kappa has accelerated her academic and professional growth, ultimately becoming like a family to her. Over the past two years, Mercer has served in two different regional officer positions, been chapter president, and won many awards and scholarships. She also encouraged her fellow members to take advantage of the opportunities that PTK provides and that she has now learned that she can do anything she puts her mind to.
Amber Williams, assistant professor of psychology, and Tammy Greene, assistant professor of life sciences, serve as advisors to the Alpha Phi Pi Chapter in Kokomo.
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 Kokomo Region