Twenty-three Big Bend Community College students became members of the prestigious Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society during the organization’s winter induction ceremony Monday evening.
Family and friends gathered to witness the inductees as they took the oath of membership in a ceremony highlighted by guest speaker Jeremy Seda — BBCC’s Web & Multimedia Specialist and IT Accessibility Coordinator.
CCC President Dr. Terry Leas and PTK sponsor Barbara Whitney then presented each new member with a white rose signifying the achievement.
Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) was established in 1918 by college presidents and serves to recognize and encourage the academic achievements of two-year college students and provides opportunities for individual growth and development through honors, leadership and service programming.
The Rho Zeta Chapter at BBCC is currently celebrating its 50th Anniversary — the chapter was chartered on Nov. 17, 1967.
Eligibility for PTK membership includes a grade point average of at least 3.5 and recommendation from a faculty member. In addition, students desiring to join the society must have completed a minimum of 15 semester hours at BBCC and must be enrolled for a minimum of 15 academic semester hours during the current semester.
The organization affords its members with academic scholarships that cover full tuition, books and even room and board at some 4-year institutions.
The new students who were inducted to the Rho Zeta Chapter at BBCC were: Dagny Ahrend, Soap Lake, WA; Caitlin Boss, Moses Lake, WA; Yuri Castaneda, Moses Lake, WA; Samuel Clarke, Puyallup, WA; Thomas Cline, Ephrata, WA; Nicole Douglas, Othello, WA; Kimberly Grandos, Quincy, WA; Alicia Hess, Moses Lake, WA; Katelyn Julian, Ephrata, WA; Killian King, Moses Lake, WA; Daniel Loch, Coulee Dam, WA; Carolina Martinez, Warden, WA; Moises Medel, Moses Lake, WA; Lucero Monico-Olivarez, Moses Lake, WA; Ezekyel Ochoa, Moses Lake, WA; Daniel Ochoa-Valdez, Moses Lake, WA; Jana Osborne, Moses Lake, WA; Nancy Rakoz, Moses Lake, WA; Kelli Ritter, Moses Lake, WA; Nathaniel Roylance, Quincy, WA; Deeanna Sandoval, Moses Lake, WA; Sierra Schutte, Saratoga, WY; Kaylee Sheriff, Othello.
View more photos here on BBCC’s Facebook page from Monday night’s Phi Theta Kappa Induction Ceremony!