NMC honor society awarded for membership increase

The Northern Marianas College’s Beta Lambda Psi chapter of Phi Theta Kappa was recently conferred a $100 Silver Pinnacle Scholarship Award by the national PTK organization in recognition of a successful first year membership increase of at least 10 percent.

Twenty new members were inducted to the NMC chapter in the fall of 2004, raising the current total at NMC to about 40 members.

A total of 520 Phi Theta Kappa chapters nationwide have received 2004 Pinnacle Scholarship Awards totaling more than $58,000. The awards enable chapters to expand their opportunities for providing awards and scholarships locally or to make a difference through civic engagement.

The Pinnacle Scholarship Award Program annually recognizes chapters and regions for improving their membership acceptance rate. Levels of recognition available through the program include Bronze, for chapters and regions increasing their acceptance by one member; Silver, for increasing acceptance by 10 percent; and Gold, for increasing acceptance by 10 percent for three consecutive years. Chapters that induct 90 percent of eligible students will also receive Pinnacle Silver and Gold awards.

Chapters reaching Silver and Gold status, like NMC, receive $100 scholarships. Region level scholarship awards include Bronze, $250; Silver, $500; and Gold, $1,000. The Pinnacle Scholarship Program encourages chapters to ensure that all eligible students completely understand the benefits offered by membership in PTK. Chapters are asked to review their recruitment and orientation procedures, aided by best practices, success stories and such tangible recruitment resources as membership benefit brochures, benefits posters and a benefits video.

The special strategy employed by PTK members at NMC has been to make presentations in class to other students who may be eligible. PTK members are afforded a few minutes at the beginning of class for the courses they are taking, once per semester to describe the benefits and opportunities that PTK membership afford its members. Recruiting brochures are distributed and further information is available to all at www.ptk.org.

The most visible benefits are transfer scholarships available to members who continue at other colleges or universities after completing a degree at NMC and the prestige of having PTK membership featured on job and scholarship applications and in career interviews.

In addition, family and friends participate in an elaborate induction ceremony and celebration for new members in the fall and in the spring.

Community service projects draw members together and provide ways to return service to the college and local community. This year’s NMC chapter projects have included a day-long college recruitment fair for Saipan high school students this past November and will feature participation in the “Project Graduation, Feed a Body Feed a Mind” book and food drive in May. Chapter plans are underway to launch a locally available PTK scholarship in the fall. Further information will be available later in the semester.