Press release
WILBURTON, OK (Nov. 28, 2018) – Twenty-seven academically high-achieving students were recently inducted into the national honor society Phi Theta Kappa during a campus ceremony in Wilburton.
The society was founded in 1918 and is recognized as the official honor society of associate-level institutions and programs. According to their website, Phi Theta Kappa’s mission is two-fold: recognizing and encouraging academic achievement and providing opportunities for individual growth and development through participation in honors, leadership service and fellowship programming.
Eastern’s Theta Pi chapter upholds this mission by sponsoring a number of events and initiatives to serve their campus and community. These efforts include an annual Toys for Tots campaign and voter-registration drive. The chapter recently claimed their ninth consecutive victory in a contest among 21 Oklahoma colleges and universities by registering 16.1 percent of Eastern’s in-state student population to vote. The chapter also registered the highest proportion of out-of-state students at eight percent.
“We are proud to welcome these new members and honor their success,” said Brenda Kennedy, chapter advisor and dead of the business division. “These students have proven themselves to be competent young adults who embody the values of our college and organization.”
Membership is granted by invitation once certain academic qualifications are met. To qualify, students must have completed 12 to 29 hours of coursework towards an associate degree with a cumulative 3.75 grade point average or more than 30 credit hours with a cumulative 3.5 grade point average.
Induction into Phi Theta Kappa empowers these students with a competitive edge. In addition to becoming eligible for over $37 million in scholarship opportunities, they become part of a network of nearly 3 million fellow scholars. Members also enjoy special benefits and discount offers from the organization’s corporate partners such as GEICO and Bank of America.
Members graduating from Eastern are recognized during commencement ceremonies and have their membership noted on their college transcript.
Those inducted this fall include: Sheetal Rijal Bastola, Wilburton; Monte Busby Jr., McAlester; Madeline Camp, McAlester; Victoria Davison, Porum; Jude Ebingha, Kinta; Tayze Ellington, Wilburton; Bethanie Gray, McAlester; Elisabeth Higdon, Wilburton; Jonathon Impson, Savanna; Ellen Jeffrey, Wilburton; Lainey Jestis, Bokchito; Blake Lindley, Hartshorne; Caitlin Matthews, Quinton; Triphornia Mubaiwa, Wilburton; Joshua Palaroan, El Reno; James Phillips, Hartshorne; Hannah Siren, McAlester; Shelly Stansbury, Idabel; Ridge Stephens, Atoka; Abbygale Tighe, McAlester; Jennifer Tighe, McAlester; Edgar Torres, Carrollton, Texas; Aubrie Trammell, McAlester; James Underwood, Savanna; Roma Walters, Justin, Texas; Nikita Wemmerus, Wister; and Hannah Wingo, McAlester.
2018 PTK Fall Induction – Eastern students granted membership into Phi Theta Kappa posed together following their induction ceremony. Those inducted include (front row, left to right): Bethanie Gray, Abbygale Tighe, Jennifer Tighe, Madeline Camp, Roma Walters, Triphornia Mubaiwa, Caitlin Matthews, Elisabeth Higdon, Sheetal Rijal Bastola, Hannah Siren, (second row) Lainey Jestis, Shelly Stansbury, Ellen Jeffrey, Victoria Davison, Aubrie Trammell, Nikita Wemmerus, Hannah Wingo, (back row) James Underwood, Jonathon Impson, Edgar Torres, James Phillips, Ridge Stephens, Blake Lindley, Tayze Ellington, Jude Ebingha and Monte Busby, Jr.