Midland College honor society inducts new members and announces annual international and state awardsApril 22, 2021

Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) is the oldest, largest and most prestigious honor society servicing two-year colleges around the world.  The international organization is composed of over 1,400 chapters.  At its international Catalyst convention on April 9-10, PTK International named the Midland College chapter as one of the top 100 chapters worldwide. 

On Monday evening, April 19, Midland College (MC) inducted 40 members into Phi Theta Kappa (PTK). Membership is based on superior academic achievements and is conferred only by invitation to students who have a minimum 3.5 grade point average. 

MC President Dr. Steve Thomas and MC Vice President of Instructional Services Dr. Damon Kennedy led the traditional ceremony where students were presented with a white rose in front of families and friends in the Al G. Langford Chaparral Center on the main MC campus. 

2021 MC Phi Theta Kappa inductees are Adedapo David Adeoye, Noah Alaniz, Caleb Anderson, Halima Badru, Marigsa Belmontes, Christiana Bond, Skylar Buchanan, Mariah Cardona, Mya Casey, Magaly Chavez, Davianna Duncan, Amberly Edwards, Bonnie Edwards, Zainab Falana, Laila Farrera, Jessica Fitch, Samuel Garcia. Caleb Goillandeau, Amanda Gomez Orozco, Colton Grahmann, Kayla Hargrove, Elyse Jackson, Riley Little, Kimberly Matthews, Arnoldo Montanez, Lauren Payan, Noah Perkins, Hamza Sakrani, Josue Sanchez, Ximena Sanchez, Lisa Saylor, Maci Smith, Jaime Steward, Victoria Stewart, Parker Tew, Kelsea Tipping, Alexia Urias, Allyssa Vetsch, Elizabeth Whitten and Audrey Williams.

“It takes a tremendous amount of hard work to be successful in college,” Dr. Thomas said.  “There’s no ‘magic bullet.’  One of the highlights of what I do is to work with successful students like those in PTK.  I am also so proud of all that the Midland College PTK chapter has accomplished and the honors they recently received from the Texas Region.”  

Those chapter accomplishments and state awards include the Award of Merit for the chapter’s college project “Finding Joy in the Midst of the Pandemic.”  The project included collecting videos from MC students and employees about how each handled the COVID pandemic and found happiness out of small things this past year.   MC Writer/Photographer Stacey Hewitt received the Outstanding Friend of Texas Award for her assistance in editing the videos.  Videos are located on the COVID information webpage on the MC website.

The Texas Region of PTK also awarded the MC chapter as one of the Top 10 Chapters in Texas and awarded Chapter President William Blaine Martin and Chapter Treasurer Cristiana Bond as Hall of Honor Distinguished Officers.  

MC Phi Theta Kappa Advisor Dr. Terry Gilmour received the Horizon Award for “going above and beyond.”

All-Texas Academic Team
In March, the UT System and Texas Association of Community Colleges honored the 2021 All-Texas Academic Team, which includes three MC Phi Theta Kappa members—Zainab Falana, William Blaine Martin and Angel Sowers.   

“The All-Texas Academic team embodies the best element of Texas community colleges,” said Jacob Fraire, president and CEO of the Texas Association of Community Colleges.  “Through their leadership, academic achievements and civic engagement, these students have worked to better themselves, their schools and their local communities.  It is an honor to serve them and their institutions.”

Photo:  Midland College 2020-2021 Phi Theta Kappa officers on front row, left to right:  Temitayo Awosemo, Christiana Bond, William Blaine Martin, Laila Farrera, Hena Patel, Sydni Holder and Zainab Falana.  Back row Midland College President Dr. Steve Thomas (left) and Midland College Vice President of Instructional Services Dr. Damon Kennedy (right).