By Christina Flores and Genevieve Presley
Ranger Staff
At Amarillo College, we have only one club with a national backing that seeks to help our students with a lifetime membership. Through the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, students can gain access to various scholarship opportunities as well as useful networking skills.
While joining Phi Theta Kappa is beneficial for students, there are also many misconceptions about it, such as the belief that it is a scam. Adviser of Phi Theta Kappa Chris Prock said they are working to put an end to these misconceptions this year by changing the emails sent out and ensuring they are from real people.
“The advisers will send out an email with AC branding on it, letting them know that it is a real thing from a real person,” he said.
Phi Theta Kappa is one of the oldest clubs on campus, with strong national backing that spans the country. According to Prock, since the honor society is national, students have access to various networking opportunities, allowing them to meet many distinguished leaders.
“There are PTK alumni who are prominent figures in our society today,” Prock said. “And there are people who work for the PTK foundation nationally, and they support everything we do.”
Vice President of Service and Fellowship Kennedy Juarez said there are many scholarship opportunities with Phi Theta Kappa that you can get recognition for. According to Juarez, the scholarships provided through the chapter are state and nationally recognized and can be found through the PTK website.
“I got the opportunity to be the all USA Academic Team nominee for Amarillo College,” Juarez said. “If I get sent off to the state, and if I continue on, it’ll be a national thing that I will get recognized for, and if I win, I’ll get a ton of scholarship money to help with transfer fees,” she said.
In addition to scholarships, students who are a part of Phi Theta Kappa also learn valuable networking skills through a trip known as Catalyst, which they go on every year. Secretary and Historian Taylor Brock said that students can gain networking opportunities from PTK at the local, state, and national levels by going on the trip.
“I met people from all over the country, I got to talk to some of the other chapters in Texas, I got to talk to the state.” Brock said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get to talk to any of our international officers, but I can only imagine how that conversation would go.”
As Phi Theta Kappa continues to grow at Amarillo College, the leaders hope that more students who receive emails from them will take a closer look at what the chapter has to offer. From scholarship opportunities and national recognition to meaningful connections and leadership experiences, the honor society can make a lasting impact in students’ lives. PTK is more than just a club, but a chance to become part of a family no matter where you go in life.
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