By Elaine Bonilla/se news editor
SE Campus’ Phi Theta Kappa-Beta Delta Omicron chapter brought home honors from an international convention in San Jose, Calif.
The chapter received 5 Star Chapter status as well as awards for Top 100 Chapter, Honors In Action for distinguished theme, Distinguished Honors in Action Project and Distinguished Regional Officer.
“In March, we [PTK] received the same awards but regionally,” chapter president Shawna Gaccetta said.
The chapter members only found out they won during the awards ceremony, Gaccetta said.
“It took us a minute to realize we won,” Gaccetta said. “It was a total shock and a great honor.”
To receive the 5 Star status, a chapter must fulfill many tasks including research and community outreach throughout the year.
“Beta Delta Omicron has received the 5 Star Chapter status three years in a row,” Gaccetta said.
For the first time in chapter history, it was recognized as a Top 100 Chapter among thousands of chapters including some in Canada and Guam, Gaccatta said.
It also received an Honors In Action Project award for a project members created.
The Distinguished Theme: Honors in Action is awarded to only three chapters per theme, and SE chose Theme 8: Making the Grade — Competition and Education, Gaccatta said.
“The theme of our project was Making the Grade,” said outgoing chapter president Martina Mapa. “We focused our research on standardized testing with a primary focus on the Program for International Student Assessment.”
Officer Julie Flickner was nominated for Distinguished Regional Officer for designing and spearheading the fundraiser for all the programs for the Texas region’s workshops.
The service project consisted of gathering various items to ship to approximately 500 deployed soldiers from around the world, Mapa said.
“I am extremely proud and thought they did an exceptional job,” English assistant professor and chapter sponsor Benita Reed. “Just the number of awards they received identifies their service.”
Phi Theta Kappa, an international honors society for two-year colleges, provides students with knowledge of leadership, scholarship, service and fellowship.
“It’s an organization for students who are serious about their academic career,” Reed said. “PTK highlights the crème de la crème at TCC.”
The SE chapter requires a minimum 3.5 GPA in the most recent semester with at least 12 credit hours, a cumulative 3.0 GPA and a one-time membership fee of $95.
