Alpha Nu Lambda, Clark State Community College’s chapter of the international honor society Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), has achieved Five Star status for the second year in a row. “There are different levels of achievement,” said Dr. Naureen Qasim, associate professor of human anatomy and physiology and PTK advisor for Clark State. “It is a lot of time commitment and involvement, and we did it!”
To reach Five Star status, Alpha Nu Lambda had to complete and report all activities related to each level in the Five Star Chapter Plan including: raising awareness about Phi Theta Kappa and the benefits of membership; conducting regular chapter meetings; spreading the word about meetings and activities with a chapter newsletter, website, social media and/or published articles in a college publication; keep a complete chronicle of the chapter’s activities; complete the chapter’s Honors in Action Project, College Project and plan for attendance at an international event or preparing a chapter entry for the Honors Case Study Challenge.
There are more than 40 PTK chapters in the Ohio region, and Alpha Nu Lambda is one of only eight chapters to have reached the Five Star status this year. Qasim said the students were excited to learn of their achievement. “It gives them encouragement,” she said.
Clark State will host the regional conference for PTK on March 4 and 5, where Alpha Nu Lambda will be honored as a Five Star Chapter. The event will be held at the Hollenbeck Bayley Creative Arts and Conference Center in downtown Springfield. More than 120 students from colleges in Ohio and West Virginia have registered to attend. “That number continues to grow,” said Qasim. Qasim will also be a facilitator at PTK’s annual international conference, NerdNation, to be held in National Harbor, Maryland, this spring.
To become an eligible candidate for PTK, students must have completed at least 12 credit hours at the college and have a minimum 3.5 grade point average. Students pay a one-time fee of $80 for a lifetime membership. Membership benefits include scholarships; free enrollment in CollegeFish.org, a transfer and college completion planning tool; free access to Five Star Competitive Edge, a personal and professional development plan for building marketable skills and an online portfolio; increased pay grade for entry-level federal jobs; tuition discounts; and more.
Clark State will hold a PTK Alpha Nu Lambda induction ceremony on April 6. Eligible students will be notified by the PTK head office prior to the event.