Eleven Blinn students, advisors are inducted into Phi Theta Kappa Hall of Honor
Blinn’s Beta Alpha chapter is elected District 5 vice president
March 30, 2017
Students from across the Blinn College district recently were recognized at the 2017 Texas Regional Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Convention held in Corpus Christi.
Eleven students and advisors representing Blinn’s two PTK chapters were inducted into the District 5 Hall of Honor. The Beta Alpha PTK chapter, which represents the Brenham, Sealy, and Schulenburg campuses, was elected as regional vice president and will be represented in office by chapter president Chelsea Reimer (Brenham). Beta Alpha takes over this position from the Blinn-Bryan Alpha Phi Lambda PTK chapter.
“Our goal as District 5 vice president is to travel around the district and revive chapters that are dormant,” Reimer said. “At Blinn, we would like to help build upon the success of programs we started, such as the mentor program and rush week.”
Five representatives from the Beta Alpha chapter were inducted into the District 5 Hall of Honor: advisor Colter Baldwin and officers Reimer, Courtney Goodyke (Brenham), Emmanuelle Ekibolaji (Waller), and Christian Darnall (Austin). Reimer and Ekibolaji successfully completed their Five-Star Competitive Edge course, a professional development plan that improves interviewing and resume skills to better prepare students for the workforce.
After being largely dormant for 10 years, the Beta Alpha chapter was given the Milestone Award for reinvigorating student participation, as well as the College Project Award of Merit and Honors in Action Award of Merit. This year, the Beta Alpha chapter was ranked among the top chapters across the state.
“The chapter did a great job this year and it has been exciting to see them grow as a group,” said Dillon Phipps, Beta Alpha chapter advisor. “It has been a really big turnaround for them, because this chapter – to my knowledge – has not received an award since 2007.”
Six representatives from the Blinn-Bryan Alpha Phi Lambda chapter were inducted into the District 5 Hall of Honor: advisor Lena Denman, advisor Drew Denman, chapter president Jaci Doro (Denver), Carla Vinas-Yanez (Bryan), Hugo Rivera Alessio (Maracaibo, Venezuela), and Marco Farias Cardona (Saltillo, Mexico). Lena Denman was also honored with the Horizon Award, which is given to up-and-coming chapter advisors who attain new levels of achievement in their PTK program.
As a chapter, Alpha Phi Lambda earned the College Project Award of Merit, which recognizes a chapter’s efforts in strengthening and supporting their college’s mission. This year’s project promoted the importance of earning an associate degree before transferring to a four-year university at Blinn’s new student orientations.
“This was a very positive year for the Alpha Phi Lambda chapter,” Lena Denman said. “We are thrilled to be honored with many prestigious awards and hope to continue the streak in years to come.”
Next month, the Alpha Phi Lambda and Beta Alpha chapters will attend the 2017 PTK Catalyst International Convention April 6-8 in Nashville, Tenn.
PTK is recognized as the official honor society for two-year colleges by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). Founded in 1918, PTK promotes scholarship, leadership service and fellowship among its members. To be accepted into the program, students must carry at least a 3.5 grade point average (GPA) with at least 12 transferable hours.
