PTK induction held at PJC — Sulphur Springs Center

Published or Revised April 07, 2010

Paris Junior College held induction ceremonies for students into Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society of the two-year college, recently at PJC's Sulphur Springs Center. Phi Theta Kappa is the largest honor society in American higher education with more than 1.7 million members and 11,000 chapters throughout the 50 states, territories, Canada and Germany. To be eligible for membership, a student must have completed one regular semester at Paris Junior College, accumulated 12 semester hours, have a grade point average of 3.5, and be within the upper 10 percent of the regularly enrolled student body. The Beta Zeta Chapter at PJC was begun in 1932 and has remained active since that time. Alberto Gutierrez, Beta Zeta Chapter President, welcomed the students, their families and friends, and extended congratulations on their achievements. David Larkin, PTK advisor and Paris Junior College instructor, introduced the guest speaker, Dr. Ricky Dobbs, Dean of Texas A&M University-Commerce and professor of history. Dr. Dobbs challenged the students to strive for excellence in everything they do and said: “You will be the best determiner of when you reach that level of excellence. Don’t use the standards of others.” Students inducted and their hometowns include:

• Paris: Meagan Hall, Kelli Jones, Samantha Turner, Benjamin Vaughn
• Annona: Debbie Rosales, Gina Rosales
• Caddo Mills: Brandon Willner
• Campbell: Mary Ellen Dini, Jordan Smith
• Como: Shirley Van
• Commerce: Kathleen Sullivan, Wendy Williams
• Dike: Elizabeth Wulf
• Emory: William Cunningham, Misty Mahurin, Janet Tillinghast