Representatives from Ozarks Technical Community College’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year college students, returned from the organization’s 99th annual international convention with several awards in hand. Held this year in Nashville, Tenn., April 6-8, the convention drew delegates from approximately 1,300 Phi Theta Kappa chapters.
At the event, OTC’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter received the Beta Alpha Continued Excellence award for the ninth consecutive year. The chapter also received the Distinguished Chapter award, the Distinguished Honors in Action Theme award, and the Distinguished Honors in Action Project award for its work with Leading with Pride: an etiquette and leadership workshop for LGBT+ youth at the Gay and Lesbian Center of the Ozarks. The chapter also accepted the Distinguished College Project award for its implementation of a holistic health fair in the fall of 2016.
Honors for OTC’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter also included the Distinguished Chapter Officer Team award, which was presented to Nora Browne, Morgan McCart, Anna Strait-Schmitz and Claudia Whitmire. Browne, a student at the OTC Springfield Campus, also received the Distinguished Regional Officer award for her service as regional vice president of the Theta District.
OTC administrators and faculty members also received recognition at the event. Dr. Steven Bishop, retired OTC provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, received the Distinguished College Administrator award, and OTC Phi Theta Kappa advisors, Jo Fritts and Steve Fritts, were recognized as a Distinguished Advisor team.
Additional honors for OTC’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter included recognition as a Top 100 Chapter. The chapter was also named a REACH Chapter for its membership growth during the 2016 calendar year.
Phi Theta Kappa honors students who have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher, and places its emphasis on leadership, service, scholarship and fellowship. OTC’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter has more than 400 members system-wide and inducts new members twice each year. For more information, contact OTC chapter advisors, Jo and Steve Fritts, at ptk@otc.edu.