Midland College honor society members serve as campus leaders, excel at state level and advocate on behalf of nationwide community college studentsMarch 31, 2023

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.  Membership is based on superior academic achievements and is conferred only by invitation to students who have a minimum 3.5 grade point average.  

The Midland College PTK is rated as a Five-Star chapter, which is the highest rating PTK designates among its member chapters.  On Tuesday, March 21, Midland College (MC) inducted 55 new members into Phi Theta Kappa at the Al G. Langford Chaparral Center on the main MC campus.

“It takes a tremendous amount of hard work to be successful in college,”  Midland College President Dr. Steve Thomas remarked during the ceremony. “Community college students have numerous obligations besides school, such as jobs and family.  To be able to maintain academic success while juggling these responsibilities is no small accomplishment.”  

2023 Midland College PTK inductees include Lourdes Acosta, Maria Gonzalez Avila, Elinore Banschbach, Jayne Bauer, Bruce Butler, Itzel Cantu, Jennifer Carmichael, Leila Carrasco, Cadence Davis, Alec Daye, Ana Tarango Diaz, Abdoulaye Diop, Bocar Diop, Amanda Espinoza, Paula Garcia, Larissa Garcia Gomes, Lauren Haile, Abigail Hightower, Cerenity Hunkin, Saul Limas, Gracie Loera, Analise Loftis, Faith Lopez, Rebecca Loya, John Ludwick, Jessica Maduabuchuku, Richard McClellan, Javyn Meridyth, Natlie Molinar, Aidan Montez, Isabel Morales, Nathan Nash, Brianna Natividad, Nnenne Nnanna, Samantha Oghenerhorho, Veronica Oyovwikimo, Elena Ramos, Tim Roberts, Samantha Rodelo, Dylan Lindberg Rodriguez, Janelle Rodriguez, Leticia Rodriguez, Gabriel Ruiz, Francisco Sanchez, Hilarie Rose Sanchez, Mark Sanchez, Adebisi Kudirat Saubana, Rebeca Serrano, Ke’ Anue Simmons, Liam Swain, Savannah Tate, Ebenezer Toyinbo, Willow Weldon and Niara Whitley.

One week prior to the induction ceremony, 13 PTK members attended the Texas Regional PTK Conference in Irving.  During the meeting the Midland College PTK Chapter received a merit award for their 2022-2023 college project, “Models about Critical Thinking in an Age of Misinformation,” in which students researched and then reported on how social media, fake news and conspiracy theories can affect how society perceives current events and social policy.  The students compiled their research and findings into modules that are available to every Midland College instructor for supplementing class material.  Dr. Terry Gilmour, MC Honors Program director and Government professor, oversaw the project, and the project was led by Midland College PTK officers Maria Gonzalez Avila, Faith Lopez, Carlos Torres and Elizabeth Whitten.  

In addition to the critical thinking project, Midland College PTK members also developed and participated in an “Honors in Action” project that described the benefits of nostalgia and play in elderly adults.  They presented their findings to The Village at Manor Park.  The MC chapter won the poster contest at the regional PTK conference for their work during this project.

During the regional conference, the Midland College PTK chapter’s fall 2022 service project was recognized as the top PTK Chapter service project in Texas.  The project, which was spearheaded by Midland College PTK chapter Vice President of Service Maria Gonzalez Avila, consisted of PTK members leading a campus-wide effort to provide items for clients of the Crisis Center of West Texas.  

Also, Midland College chapter Vice President of Service Faith Lopez was named one of the top 30 outstanding chapter officers in the state.  Chapter member Areej Khodair was elected District 1 (West Texas Region) Vice President for the 2023-2024 academic year.  This is the third year in a row that someone from Midland College has been elected in that position.  

The Texas Region presented the PTK Friends of Texas Award to MC Director of the Teaching & Learning Center Dr. Will Torres for his assistance to students during their college project this past year.

More recently five Midland College PTK members and Dr. Gilmour attended the American Student Association of Community Colleges (ASACC) National Student Advocacy Conference in Washington, DC where they spent four days discussing critical issues that impact community college students with 350 fellow student leaders from across the country.  

“The contribution of Midland College at the advocacy conference was important for the students, not only at Midland College, but throughout the nation,” Phil Clegg, executive director of ASACC, said.  “Their advocacy helps to ensure that students have the resources needed to fulfill their educational goals.”

The meetings and workshops held over the course of the conference prepared the students for meetings with members of Congress or their staff.  During the trip, MC students visited the office of U.S. Representative August Pfluger where they met with senior staffer Lyssa Bell, a Midland College alumna.

Midland College PTK Chapter Officers are Carlos Torres, president; Elizabeth Whitten, vice president of Scholarships; Faith Lopez, vice president of Leadership; Maria Gonzalez Avila, vice president of Service; Samantha Rodelo, treasurer/recording secretary; and Maria Quintana, public relations officer.