April 14, 2016
By Guy Stilwell
Eagle Copy Editor
Alpha Mu Chi (AMC), NTCC's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), recently attended the Texas Regional Convention. The event honors PTK chapters and even individual members.
During the duration of the convention, AMC managed to win 20 awards and maintained their five-star status as a chapter. This is a chapter
record for Northeast Texas Community College. Northeast?s Alpha Mu Chi was well decorated in awards by the end of the convention. Amongst the awards that the chapter earned was the Texas Top
Chapter Award.
This is given to the best chapters in the state. Additionally, Alpha Mu Chi earned the Honors in Action Theme Award. Honors in Action is a PTK project that investigates a particular topic, how that topic is important and how the chapter doing the project can work to make a difference in the topic they chose.
Alpha Mu Chi chose to do a project with the theme of frontiers of health and medicine. They focused on the physical and ethical boundaries within the field of health and medicine. They specifically studied ethics as related to Down syndrome.
?The chapter researched possible ?cures? for Down syndrome,? said faculty sponsor of Phi Theta Kappa Dr. Melissa Fulgham, ?while also exploring how desirable such ?cures? might be as it would result in a much deeper change in a person than just a cosmetic difference - getting to the very core of a person?s personality.?
The chapter hosted a party last semester called the Tea-21 Party dedicated to raising awareness on the issue of Down syndrome. They investigated the push to eliminate Downs syndrome and brought to light how they believe the syndrome is a positive contributor to society rather than a disease that needs to be eradicated. It is because of their efforts, dedication and hard work that they were amongst the two chapters in the Texas region to be awarded with the Honors in Action Theme Award.
Many individuals from Alpha Mu Chi won awards for their personal excellence. Jodi Weber, although she is not a member or adviser to PTK, won the Friend of Texas Award for going above and beyond in service to Alpha Mu Chi.
Out of the dozens of PTK members on campus, seven of them won the District III Hall of Honor Award. This award is given to those who are exceptionally active in the chapter and are recognized for their outstanding work within District III of the Texas region which includes 18 two-year colleges. The winners of this award include the chapter president Elizabeth Griffin, chapter representative Isaac Burris, project overseer Angelica Fuentes, honors in action co-chairwoman Mary Smith, co-chairman Andrew Rogers, co-chairwoman Morgan Capps and vice-president of leadership Tiler Hall. The Texas Region Hall of Honor is a prestigious recognition within Phi Theta Kappa. This year three members from Alpha Mu Chi were inducted.
?To receive this recognition, members must have participated in Society programming and aided their chapter in exceptionally significant ways,? said Fulgham. ?It is very rare to get any members into the Texas Region Hall of Honor. It is quite unusual to have three members inducted in one year.?
Those who earned this recognition are Mary Smith, Elizabeth Griffin and Isaac Burris. There is also a Hall of Honor for Advisors. Advisors may only be inducted once. The two individuals who were inducted this year are Professor Sarah Rainey and Professor James McGregor.
?These are hard to get, believe me,? said Fulgham.
Additionally, Dr. Fulgham won the Horizon Award, which there is no application for. It is given out by the Texas Region to advisors who have gone above and beyond in new ways. It is recognition of excellence and meaningful contributions. She also was recognized for a Faculty Scholar and Honors Program Council awards. Dr. Fulgham is one of five advisors from the Texas Region selected to serve as Faculty Scholars at the upcoming International Honors Institute to be held this summer at Wake-Forest University in North Carolina.
Faculty Scholars will lead small seminar groups in discussion of material presented by world renowned guest speakers and experts in the field related to the themes laid out in the Society?s Honors Program Guide. Members of the Honors Program Council serve four year terms and write the Society?s Honors Program Guide. Dr. Fulgham is one of 8 members serving on the Honors Program Council, and the only one currently from the state of Texas.
