OLLA MOKHTAR
campus editor
olla.mokhtar@my.tccd.edu

TCC’s honor society, Phi Theta Kappa, recognizes students with exemplary academic performance and in turn students conduct community service and research projects for their community.

Phi Theta Kappa, or PTK, is established in over 1300 community college campuses and TCC is one of them. Each campus has their own chapter, including Beta Sigma Mu at TR whose HIA, or Honors in Action, project included an educational resource website on the status of the Trinity River project and how it might affect the campus environment. 

Currently Beta Sigma Mu is working on a HIA project about the social and emotional benefits video games provide during periods of isolation or distance, providing community and support through a shared love of the medium.

TR PTK president Mary Maturo said that the organization garnered a sense of camaraderie after much of her high school experience was spent in a hospital and expanded more on her experience.

“If I had never accepted my invitation, I fear I would not be the person I am today,” she said. “PTK was one part of a myriad of inspirations that led to my involvement on campus and transformed me from a quiet introvert into an outspoken campus leader.”

She plans to transfer into SCAD, Savannah College of Art and Design, an art school known for being formidable in its expectations. She attributes her lack of hesitation moving forward to her involvement in PTK.

“This does not scare me however, I have reached the zenith of what I thought I could achieve long ago, and PTK encouraged me to climb higher,” she said.

Maturo expressed her adoration for the PTK community and said that the TR chapter has sister chapters across the region, the state, the country and the world providing them with love and support beyond their familiar surroundings.

One of the sister chapters at TCC is NW’s chapter Alpha Delta Delta.Their College project, another PTK initiative, opened a panel for women in male-dominated career fields. This included alumni from the Aviation program and Fire Academy, as well as a government professor at the NW Campus. 

NW PTK president Patricia James said that she was proud of this ongoing series and that she had admiration for the women who spoke as she is going into a male-dominated career herself.

 She said that one of the skills she obtained were conflict management and the appropriate way of talking to others, including administration and peers.

“I regularly interact with our campus administration and all of it is great preparation for life outside of TCC,” she said. “Learning how to interface with people who may be on a different status level is something I have grown a lot in.”

Conflict with restructuring the chapter, lining up schedules or meetings, technology difficulties and spontaneous issues is what she, as the leader of Alpha Delta Delta, said that the chapter is stronger and more resilient for. 

Along with her personal growth she said that the chapter has grown in learning to navigate conflict with restructuring the chapter, lining up schedules or meetings, technological difficulties and spontaneous issues.

The HIA project for NE’s chapter Phi Tau is the economics of Art and Science of Play, a theme given by the organization, demonstrates that the financial situation of a family should not hinder a child’s ability to play. This was done through an obstacle course, something inexpensive but also enjoyable.

Tomy Huynh, the NE VP of Fellowship also enjoyed the benefit of PTK academically and with extra curricular activities. 

“I genuinely believe that PTK has made me a better student not just academically but overall,” he said. “PTK allowed me to go join so many other clubs and help the community out including being the social director for CompSci Club and treasurer for Student Government Association.”

To James, being involved has made her a better person in her personal life as well.

“Being a part of PTK has given me endless opportunities to talk to people and look at people and see the beauty that’s existing and that is something that’s invaluable,” she said. “The broad scope of PTK and the reach that it has allowed me to do that on a much larger scale than I could ever do on my own. It makes you into a better person that’s more compassionate and quicker to listen than to talk or respond.”

For more information on PTK visit the TCC website or the official Phi Theta Kappa website.