Phi Theta Kappa chapter earns 5-star honors again

April 19, 2019

Congratulations to the officers and members of the Upsilon Delta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) at Southwest and their advisers Paralegal Studies Professor Twyla Waters and Business Studies Professor Joan McGrory for achieving a 5-Star Chapter status for the second consecutive year. The honor was announced during the weekend of the Tennessee Regional Convention, March 15-17, at Jackson State University. The chapter also won the top seat on the Regional Officer Team.

Phi Theta Kappa Award

“We are very proud of our students for the hard work they invested,” said Waters. “Thanks to the financial support and encouragement of our Southwest community, we earned awards for individual members and our chapter.”

PTK is the international honor society of two-year colleges and academic programs, particularly state colleges and community colleges. It also includes Associate's degree-granting programs offered by four-year colleges. Its mission is to recognize academic achievement of college students and to provide opportunities for them to grow as scholars and leaders.

PTK chapters have five levels of engagement that encourage connection with college leadership and active participation in the college community. Research is conducted on an honors study topic for implementation of an Honors in Action (HiA) project. The goal of the five-star chapter plan is to promote awareness of issues on several levels - campus, local, regional, and global - while building leadership skills.

The theme for this year’s HiA project was Transformations: Acknowledging, Assessing, and Achieving Change. Within this broad theme, chapter members chose to investigate the “Politics of Identity,” which addresses “Otherness.” Members then chose a project of promoting awareness of the importance of engagement and relationship with the College’s international students. The project included surveying the student body to ask about their awareness of the International Studies and Study Abroad programs, participating in a ‘Meet and Greet’ with visiting Denmark students, and inviting the International Student Club to a potluck lunch held each semester.

The Delta Chapter also won a second chapter award, the Chapter of the Light Award. This award promotes the hallmarks of Phi Theta Kappa, which are Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Fellowship, through activities and events outside of the Honors in Action and College Project. Ten activities and events were submitted in pursuit of this award.

Individual accolades go to chapter members Dana Warwick and Hammam Alomari. Warwick won a statewide election to become the 2019-2020 President of the Tennessee Region. She is a new member of the chapter who joined the Leadership Team in Fall of 2018 and is currently serving as the chapter Officer.

Alomari also received Honorable Mention in the Short Fiction category. His work was published in Tennessee Mosaic the regional literary anthology for members of Phi Theta Kappa in the Tennessee Region.

McGrory says the supportive environment at Southwest was key to the chapter’s success. “We greatly appreciate everyone’s support. Our success would not be possible without you all cheering for our team!”

Kudos to all the members of the Upsilon Delta Chapter on their many outstanding awards!

Enjoy “Chandler Cheer”, the Chapter’s official video, produced by PTK-UD Past President Joey Brock, along with chapter members who wrote the script, designed the slides and provided choreography and stage direction.

Upsilon Delta Chapter officers and student members display their honors at the 2019 Tennessee Regional Convention.

Dana Warwick is sworn in as the new Upsilon Delta Chapter president.

Hammam Alomari receives his honorable mention certificate in Short Fiction.

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Phi Theta Kappa chapter earns 5-star honors again

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