The Phi Theta Kappa chapter at Northwest Vista College known as Beta Lambda Upsilon, has been named a 2021 REACH Chapter.
In celebration of this milestone, the chapter will receive special recognition in the form of Phi Theta Kappa graduation stoles. This is an award for generating new memberships in time of community hardships. In the 2020-2021 academic year, NVC’s Beta Lambda Upsilon enrolled 400 members and has 2,500 alumni members. One of the chapter’s main focuses this academic year has been providing financial awards to chapter members.
More than 112,500 students across the world became PTK members in 2020, according to the national organization.
“Being a REACH chapter is more important this year than ever before as Phi Theta Kappa worked to support community college students in completely unfamiliar circumstances,” PTK President and CEO Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner said. “Racial and political unrest and a global pandemic made 2020 the most challenging year in recent history — one that our students, chapters, and partner colleges worked exceptionally hard to overcome. Although this is a chapter award, it demonstrates that students are more focused on their futures than ever before, and their colleges are providing the opportunities to get them there — even amid a global pandemic.”
A full 91 percent of Phi Theta Kappa members will complete an associate degree or transfer to a four-year college, compared to just 38 percent of students nationally. Members have access to $48 million in scholarships — $1 million in competitive scholarships through the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation and more than $46 million in transfer scholarships to over 850 four-year colleges. They can search for these scholarships and others, as well as transfer-friendly institutions and career pathways, on PTK Connect.
“When students get engaged in campus programming, explore leadership opportunities, and utilize personal development resources developed by PTK, real transformation happens,” said Christin Grissom, PTK’s vice president of Scholarship and Membership.
Nearly 5,600 stoles will be awarded. See the full list of REACH Chapters.