Alpha Mu Chi, Northeast Texas Community College?s Phi Theta Kappa chapter, recently continued an impressive streak of awards as members travelled to the Phi Theta Kappa international ?NerdNation? convention in National Harbor, Md. †
Thirteen members and advisors traveled to the Washington DC area to attend the convention. The group stayed in a 19th century Gilded Age farmhouse, which†was more affordable†than a hotel and provided a unique historical experience. Those who attended included: Elizabeth Griffin, Ryan-Rose Mendoza, Tiler Hall, Drew Rogers, Mariana Barbosa, Morgan Capps, Isaac Burris, Elizabeth Esquitin, Angelica Fuentes, Mary Smith, and sponsors Sarah Spiker Rainey, Melissa Fulgham and Scott Fulgham.†
Alpha Mu Chi was named a Distinguished Chapter overall. This unprecedented honor goes to only the very highest ranked chapters within the international organization. Alpha Mu Chi had been named, again, as a Top 100 chapter internationally†- but to be named as a Distinguished Chapter is an even higher honor.
?We were floored to be named a Distinguished Chapter this year. Our members have worked hard in recent years to put Alpha Mu Chi on the map internationally, and those efforts culminated with this honor,? Dr. Melissa Fulgham, Advisor, said.†
Co-advisor Sarah Spiker Rainey was recognized onstage as a Paragon Award Recipient. The Paragon Award recognizes truly outstanding new advisors, and only 15 awards are given. Rainey's hard work and support of the chapter, numerous resume writing workshops, and other activities, garnered her the international recognition.†
?We were so happy that Sarah was honored with the Paragon Award. She brings a great sense of excitement and energy to our chapter and it is very well deserved,? Fulgham said.
Mary Smith became the chapter's first ever†Outstanding Member at the International level. She walked across the stage at DC in recognition for her outstanding contributions and involvement within the chapter. Only 30 members from throughout the organization (which includes the United States and eight other sovereign nations) merit this outstanding distinction.
Last year, the chapter chose to engage in research and activities related to Down syndrome awareness and acceptance, including hosting a Tea-21 (a play on Trisomy-21, the formal name for Down syndrome) in October. The research and activities were recognized onstage at the conference as†a Distinguished†Honors in Action project. This was the first international level recognition for Alpha Mu Chi's Honors in Action projects. The chapter has won at the local and regional level in the past, but not at the international level.
Capps and Griffin gave a workshop on the Honors Case Study Challenge. The chapter has entered the competition several times and won multiple awards. The workshop was†held jointly with Broom Community College in New York.
At the convention, attendees also helped Mendoza campaign for International Vice-President for Division II. Division II runs from Texas to Florida, down through the Caribbean and into Peru. Mendoza?s campaign team included 20 Phi Theta Kappans from across the state. Her campaign manager was Ali Fawaz, from a chapter in†the Houston metroplex. In addition to meeting hundreds of new people, shaking hands, and sharing her campaign goals, Mendoza participated in a live candidate caucus during the convention. She made a memorable and significant impression. She very narrowly lost the race, but has gone on to leverage that opportunity into new networking opportunities and has continued to maintain the friendships forged in the process.
During the trip, members also had the opportunity to visit historical monuments in the DC area. Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society for two-year colleges in the world.†To become a member of Phi Theta Kappa, students must achieve a 3.5 GPA after at least 12 hours of coursework and must maintain a 3.0 GPA for their time at the community college.
