Cochise College PTK member Laura Lengel holds the “I” among other Arizona PTK members at last weekend’s PTK International Convention. (Courtesy of PTK)
Cochise College’s chapters of Phi Theta Kappa were honored on the regional and international levels this spring.
Phi Theta Kappa is the international honor society for two-year colleges. Cochise College has two PTK chapters: Alpha Beta Zeta based on the Douglas Campus and Alpha Mu Zeta based on the Sierra Vista Campus.
At the annual PTK Arizona Regional Convention held at Chandler-Gilbert Community College on March 1-2, Alpha Beta Zeta and Alpha Mu Zeta each received five-star chapter status, based on the chapter’s completion of the five levels of organizational development, and plaques for Honors-in-Action, an annual opportunity for all PTK chapters to develop a service project that will impact their schools and communities.
At the 95th annual PTK International Convention held in San Jose, Calif., last weekend, Alpha Beta Zeta was one of just 30 chapters to bring home the distinguished officer team award, presented in recognition of an exceptional atmosphere of teamwork, leadership abilities, promotion of Honors-in-Action and other engagement in PTK. The chapter’s 2012 officers listed with the award were Alexis Almaguer, Michelle Cardenas, Louie Garcia, Carmen Moreno, Antonio Peña and Allison Vaughn.
It’s the second straight year that Alpha Beta Zeta has been recognized at the PTK International Convention. In 2012, the chapter was commended for its Honors-in-Action recycling project and chapter adviser Lisa Westrick won the Paragon Advisor Award.
“Two of the graduating officers, Carmen and Michelle, joined the chapter when it was a two-star chapter and they had a goal of becoming an active and five-star chapter before they graduated last year,” Westrick said. “This goal was achieved last year, and they recruited the new officers Louie, Tony, Allison and Alexis. These new officers want to continue the success of being a five-star chapter and also actively encourage other members to join in all the chapter’s activities.”
The Alpha Beta Zeta chapter set three goals last year: increase membership in PTK on campus, increase participation by members and maintain five-star status.
“The biggest impact the Chapter Officer Team had on the chapter is motivation,” Westrick said. “The officers’ message to fellow Phi Theta Kappa students is to be your best and complete your education. The team is dedicated to showing the benefits of being a Phi Theta Kappa member and how it can help you achieve your goals.”
For more information about Phi Theta Kappa at Cochise College, email Sierra Vista Campus adviser Norm Bates at batesn@cochise.edu or Westrick at westrickl@cochise.edu.