Before Phi Theta Kappa, Rojelio Vela said he only saw himself as a helping hand in his community and never thought he could be a leader.

That changed when he and other PTK members from every TCC chapter won awards at this year’s PTK regional convention, held March 6-8 in Houston.

“Being a part of PTK made me realize that I love working with teams and that I like to lead,” he said. “[Winning] felt amazing, and I can honestly attribute it to the work the chapter has done. Even though I’m the president, nothing would run without the members.”

South Campus PTK adviser Melinda Pereda said the convention was the perfect environment for collaboration, growth and fun, with workshops, music and speeches happening all weekend.

The SE chapter, Beta Delta Omicron, won the District II Texas regional president position for the second year in a row with Leslie Zacarias being named president.

Vela, a member of the South chapter, Rho Chi, was elected Texas regional vice president for District II and received the Hall of Honor Award, given to chapter officers for excelling in their work.

Before his chapter nominated him for vice president and gave him its full support during his campaign, he had to rise through the ranks, starting as the chapter’s president.

“That transition from a local officer position to a regional officer position is going to be a big one,” he said. “I’m not just in a position of helping now. I’m in charge, and anything I do I always put in my full effort. Just like I did with [chapter] president, I plan to that do here.”

Vela acknowledged the stress and hardships of both positions but credits his advisers and fellow PTK members for always keeping him motivated.

“Having the community around me and knowing that they believe in me to fulfill that position is really what allowed me to believe I have the capabilities to fill the position,” he said. “I’ve seen all of the officers work very hard and be proactive in the work we do.”

One of those officers is vice president of services Patricia Mansilla, who also received the Hall of Honor Award for her work with the chapter.

“The VP of services works with the TCC campuses to reach out to other organizations to see if we can collaborate and plan events, but it can be difficult since people are busy,” Mansilla said. “That’s when my training and getting help comes into [play].”

Mansilla said some of the work they’ve done at TCC includes working with the Fresh Market and volunteering for the Gobble Wobble run and Toys for Tots.

“It was just an opportunity to help out TCC with things they already had going on,” she said. “We’re just doing our part. So, when it was announced that our chapter and I got awarded, it was mind-blowing because I didn’t think we were going to win.”

Vela and Mansilla were not the only Rho Chi members to win awards, as the chapter itself also received multiple honors.

Rho Chi was named a five-star chapter recognizing the chapter’s outstanding work. They also earned the College Project Award of Merit for a research project focused on educating people about the inaccurate depiction of the cowboy. It was also named a top Texas chapter, ranking ninth in the state.

Other TCC chapters also had a night full of wins.

Officers Marie-Claude Mutomb and Sina Mansiela of the NE Campus chapter, Phi Tau, won the Hall of Honor Award. Phi Tau officers were also recognized as a Distinguished Chapter Officer Team.

Some of the other awards Phi Tau won include a College Project Award for having one of the top 30 projects in the Texas region and being named a five-star chapter.

While students took home numerous honors, faculty advisers were also recognized for their contributions to PTK’s success.

Phi Tau adviser Jeanell Buck was awarded the Most Distinguished Adviser Award for Texas.

Fellow Phi Tau adviser Samantha Elkins, who won a Hall of Honor Award for chapter advisers, said Buck’s win is significant as the Hall of Honor Award is given to 20-30 people, with the top overall recipient receiving the Most Distinguished Honor.

Trinity River Beta Sigma Mu chapter adviser Jerrica Jordan received a Paragon Award for new advisers.

Madelyn Bowman, who has been a Rho Chi adviser for 11 years and received a Continued Excellence Award, said the recognition means a lot to the TCC chapters.

“It validates all the hard work we’ve done and is a point of pride for the campuses,” she said. “Students learn leadership, organization and project management skills … Our members tend to do well when they transfer, so it’s about what they can do after PTK with what they’ve learned.”

The remaining PTK chapters were contacted for verification of their awards but did not respond before publication.