Orientation, Induction, and Election Information Meeting Re-Cap 04/20/2016

Phi Theta Kappa Meeting Review

Alpha Alpha Xi Chapter – April 20, 2016

The meeting was called to order at 3:18 p.m.

Orientation began with the officers and support team introducing themselves and the advisors.  They explained that Phi Theta Kappa is the largest international honors society with membership requirements that include a 3.5 GPA and 12 or more college credit hours.  A video was shown to inform new members about the organization.  Benefits of joining the organization are scholarships, developing leadership skills through Five Star Competitive Edge and chapter projects, networking, and opportunities to attend yearly conventions.  Please check out some of the free resources available at ptk.org.  

Many scholarships are available to members, including international students, and may apply towards associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees.  In addition to the numerous transfer scholarships, there are some which are specific only to Richland College such as the Celia Riddle Millemon scholarship.  There is also a scholarship available to assist with the $85 membership fee. 

Officers explained how the organization is divided.  The Richland chapter is called Alpha Alpha Xi and is a part of District II.  District II belongs to the Texas Region, and each region reports to the international level. 

The end-of-semester potluck will be May 4^th from 3:15 – 4:00 p.m. in the regularly scheduled meeting room.  Members were asked to bring a food item of their choice to share with others; cultural dishes are most welcome. 

Officer elections for the next academic year will be held during the potluck on May 4^th.  Those interested in running for an officer positon should plan on preparing a one to two minute speech to present to the club.  All officer and support positions will be open, and current officers spoke a little about what their title entails.  Officer positions include Leadership, Fellowship, Service, and Scholarship.  Support positions are Media Specialist and Secretary.  Students were encouraged to speak with current officers if they have questions.  Members considering an officer position cannot have a schedule conflict with the meetings and need to be at Richland during the next fall/spring academic year.  RCHS students may be members of Phi Theta Kappa but may not apply for officer positions. 

Induction for new members will be this Sunday, April 24th in Fannin Performance Hall.  The ceremony is from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m., however, inductees need to arrive by 1:00.  Business or cocktail attire is appropriate as is cultural dress. Students casually dressed, such as jeans, t-shirts, flip-flops, or tennis-shoes will be turned away.  Ladies were encouraged to wear low-heeled shoes for walking the stage and climbing risers and stairs.  There will be no place to store personal belongings such as purses and jackets, so please make arrangements to leave them in a car or with someone in the audience.  A fellowship dinner will take place after the ceremony, and attendees are responsible for their own meal.  Family and friends are welcome to attend both the induction and dinner.  As a consideration to those being inducted, babies crying during the ceremony should be taken out to the lobby. 

The District II Spring Fling will be on June 4^th from 10:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the Town Lake Recreation Center.  This is a great chance to meet other officers and members from the district. 

Chapter members, Stephanie and Robbie, spoke about what they have gained from being in the organization.  They welcomed new members and encouraged them to become involved in the chapter. 

Email reminders will be sent with information regarding upcoming activities, dates, and times, but members can stay connected to the chapter through Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ptkaax, email ptkaax@gmail.com, website www.ptkaax.blogspot.com, and Instagram @ptkaax. 

The meeting was adjourned at 4:19 p.m.

Congratulations to Vice President of Leadership Omar Demachkie for being named to the Richland College Wall of Honor!

Text story link: https://rlc5.dcccd.edu/media/2016wallofhonor/

Orientation Meeting Re-Cap 03/10/2016

Phi Theta Kappa Meeting Review

Alpha Alpha Xi Chapter – March 10^th, 2016

The meeting was called to order at 4:06 p.m.

Officers introduced themselves and discussed what Phi Theta Kappa is about - including membership requirements and benefits.  Every year each chapter works on special projects such as Honors in Action and College Project.  Members also have the opportunity to attend regional and national conferences where they can hear special guest speakers and participate in leadership workshops.  Additionally, there are service opportunities that will be will promoted by the chapter, and students may obtain service hours by volunteering.  Phi Theta Kappa is well-known for the multiple scholarships available to its members.  Meeting attendees were shown how to navigate to the scholarship page on the Phi Theta Kappa website www.ptk.org.

Officers spoke about what it is like to hold a Phi Theta Kappa officer position and informed students that elections for the Fall 2016 – Spring 2017 term will take place sometime around April or May.  All officer and support positions will be open.  Those interested in running for an officer positon should plan on preparing a one to two minute speech to present to the club.  The speech should include why you would like to become an officer and what you can bring to the position.  A workshop will be offered soon that will help the transition to the new officer team.

Spring induction will be Sunday, April 24^th in the Fannin Hall Auditorium.  This is a special ceremony that celebrates and recognizes your achievements.  Members who have recently joined Phi Theta Kappa are encouraged to attend the ceremony, but it is not mandatory.  The ceremony is from 3:00 – 4:00, but inductees need to be there no later than 1:00 p.m.  The attire is business, so please dress accordingly; no jeans or tennis shoes.  Jackets and coats should be left in the car as students will not walk the stage wearing them.

Two current chapter members talked about their experiences with the chapter and what they have gained from becoming a member, and students were provided with information on how to contact the chapter.  Alpha Alpha Xi may be reached via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ptkaax, email ptkaax@gmail.com, website www.ptkaax.blogspot.com, and Instagram.  Students were urged to join the Facebook page.

A globalization conference which will be held in Salzburg, Austria will take place soon.  Two students will be selected to attend, and all expenses will be paid.  The requirements are U.S. citizenship, a U.S. passport, and the student must enrolled at Richland for the Fall 2016 semester.  Those considered only need to be Phi Theta Kappa eligible, so students who have not yet become a member may also be considered.  

The meeting was adjourned at 5:05 p.m.

Meeting Re-Cap 02.17.2016

Phi Theta Kappa Meeting Review

Alpha Alpha Xi Chapter – February 17, 2016

The meeting was called to order at 3:16 p.m.

Guest speaker, John Daniels, talked to students about the Service Learning program as a leadership opportunity to set a university application apart from others.  Students who develop themselves as leaders demonstrate that they are connected to their community.  The President’s Volunteer Service Award is a prestigious service designation for those who continue their service hours. A one credit hour Service Learning class is also now available.  For additional information regarding the class or Service Learning, stop by The Learning Center or search “Service Learning” on the Richland website.

Students With Vision is a new program that is now in soft-launch.  It is designed to help students develop their personal and professional vision, and career forums will provide students with information regarding degrees they may be interested in pursuing.  It will give students a more realistic view of their intended area of study by connecting them with professionals in that given field.  The program, which will begin in a couple of weeks, is currently being refined.  Those interested in either developing or being a part of the program may contact John Daniels in The Learning Center.

The Celia Riddle Millemon Scholarship will open on March 1^st, and transfer scholarships will be closing on the same date.  Members may contact chapter scholarship officer, Kennedy Agusi, with any questions. 

Alpha Alpha Xi is holding a leap year fundraiser on Monday, February 29^th from 11:30 to 3:30 in El Paso Hall.  The chapter will be offering Henna tattoos and baked goods.  Volunteers are needed to work the table as well donate baked items.  All items have to be individually wrapped for sale.  A sign-up form will be sent out to members, and students who volunteer can get Service Learning hours.  Please stop by and show your support for the chapter.

The Phi Theta Kappa regional conference will be held next weekend at Baylor University, and the list of members attending has been determined.  Conventions are a great way to have fun, foster fellowship between members and other chapters, as well as build leadership skills.

The International Convention will be held this year in D.C. at the Gaylord National Resort this year and is April 7^th – 10^th.  Hotel accommodations and registration fees will be covered by the chapter for a select number of attendees.  Please let the officer team know as soon as possible if you are interested in attending.

Movie/Game Night is coming soon!  Join us for fun on Thursday, March 10^th from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. in D174 after the meeting.  There will be pizza and ice cream, and members will vote on the movie during that day’s meeting.

Jessie encouraged members to contact the officer team with any questions, comments, or concerns.  They may be reached by way of Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/ptkaax, email ptkaax@gmail.com, or website http://ptkaax.blogspot.com/.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:48 p.m

Video from College Project for a Green Campus Lake Clean-Up

Facilities collaborated with the Alpha Alpha Xi - Phi Theta Kappa - Richland College and student volunteers to keep our campus green.

Posted by Richland College on Monday, November 16, 2015

College Project and Honors in Action Events This Week

Hello Kappans!

A few quick reminders about the busy week we have ahead:

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College Project

This Saturday, November 14th from 9:00AM until 3:00PM in Parking Lot E is the first SERVICE PROJECT for Phi Theta Kappa College Project for a Green Campus!  It will be the first part of our lake clean-up portion of the project.  This is also the same day as the Recycle Round-Up, so if you have any recyclables please bring them as well.  We will be there no matter the weather. Service Learning Hours can be had for volunteering at the event.

Please CLICK HERE to sign-up for the event.

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Workshops for College Project are already available! Please, sign-up for the workshops (at The Learning Center) ASAP because there are only 15 slots each session.  When going to The Learning Center (Medina Hall 216), please look for the workshop titled "Green Campus." 

The first two dates are:

November 11th, 2015 from 2:00pm to 2:50pm
and
November 17th, 2015 from 12:30pm to 1:20pm

Attending the workshops will count toward Service Learning Hours!

If you are interested in hosting a future workshop, please respond to this email!

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Honors in Action

We have two upcoming Honors in Action events taking place next week.

Honors in Action Fundraiser Committee's first meeting will take place onThursday, November 12th from 4:00pm-5:00pm in Del Rio 174.  Those interested in Honors in Action should take part in this vital step as the January deadline draws closer.

Honors in Action Research Study Group will meet promptly on Friday, November 13th from 3:00pm to 4:00pm in the RLC Library first and possibly move to another room, so please be there at 3:00pm. If you can't make it at that time, please let us know in advance so we can coordinate the final location.  The focus of our topic is Theme 9: Borders and Boundaries with a focus on connecting the bridge between children with and children without disabilities.

For more information on Honors in Action, please click here.

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As always, you can find us on Facebook here! Please LIKE the page and go to EVENTS and SUBSCRIBE to events to get the latest updates!

See you all soon!

Orientation Meeting Recap 11/04/2015

from ΑΑΞ Reporting Secretary Melissa Savoy

Phi Theta Kappa Orientation Meeting Review

Alpha Alpha Xi Chapter – November 4, 2015

The meeting was called to order at 3:19 p.m.

The meeting was opened with an ice breaker which posed a question that members could answer.  A $25 gift card was given away to the person with the correct answer.  It really does pay to come to chapter meetings!

The chapter Fellowship Officer, Jessica Arriaga, introduced herself and other officers.  Omar Demachkie is the Leadership Officer, Kennedy Agusi is Scholarship Officer, and the Service Officer for the chapter is Jay Saadaddin.  Forrest Garrett is Media Specialist, and Chapter Secretary is Melissa Savoy.  Dr. Jon Ewing was introduced as one of the chapter advisors.

Omar introduced new members to what Phi Theta Kappa is about and covered membership requirements and benefits.  Students can hone their leadership skills and learn how to work within a team.  Members have access to various different types of scholarships and are provided with important tools such as how to write a resume and much more.

The Leadership officer has the responsibility of spearheading the College Project.  Omar discussed that the annual project has an environmental focus this year.  Alpha Alpha Xi will have a Richland College lake cleanup on Saturday, November 14 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Professional equipment used for the cleanup will be provided by facilities.  Volunteers are needed, so please contact Omar if interested.  The project will also be presenting environmental/recycling workshops in The Learning Center this semester and next.  Students are encouraged to sign-up to take the workshop.  Service Learning hours may be obtained from attending the workshop. 

Duties of the Scholarship officer include communicating the status of scholarships to members and leading the chapter Honors in Action project.  Kennedy mentioned that there are scholarships currently open that will be closing in less than a month.  Members may go to the website for further details.

Jay discussed that duties of the Service officer include providing members with opportunities to volunteer and work in a service capacity.  One such opportunity is the Kids Kingdom Playground committee.  Volunteers will be building a wheelchair assessable playground for children with disabilities.  Students may go to www.signupgenius.com to participate.  This project will be taking place in November and December, and they have various types of volunteer opportunities held on different days. 

Omar encouraged members to register for the Service Learning program and mentioned that it is a nice addition to add to a college resume.  Students may register for Service Learning in The Learning Center. 

The Fellowship officer plans chapter events like fundraisers and fellowship nights.  Jessica informed new members that the chapter usually has a fellowship night approximately once a month with movies, pizza, and ice cream.  The next Alpha Alpha Xi fundraiser will be selling cakes and pies, and the date will soon be announced.  Watch for an email for further details.  

Jessica covered the different tiers of the Phi Theta Kappa organization.  The international level at the top is followed by the Texas Region, District II, and finally our local Alpha Alpha Xi chapter of Richland College.

Members who have joined Phi Theta Kappa are encouraged to attend the Fall Induction Ceremony held in Fannin Hall Auditorium on Sunday, November, 22.  This is a special ceremony that celebrates and recognizes your achievements.  Family members and friends may attend.  There will be two guest speakers, and students will have their pictures taken by a photographer.  The ceremony is from 3:00 – 4:00, but inductees need to be there no later than 1:00 p.m.  Afterward, there will be a fellowship dinner at a local restaurant from 4:30 – 7:30.  The attire is business, so please dress accordingly; no jeans or tennis shoes.  Jackets and coats should be left in the car as students will not walk the stage wearing them.  Ladies are advised not to wear high-heels because members will be walking across a stage and climbing risers.

Membership to join Phi Theta Kappa is a $95 one-time fee.  There are funds available for those who have an economic need for paying club dues.  Dr. Jon Ewing explained to new members that there are scholarships available to students who cannot afford the dues.  A scholarship form was provided to those interested. 

If you have not yet accepted membership, go to the Phi Theta Kappa website, click on “Accept Membership”, and enter the same email address from which you received your invitation.  The organization is officially called Phi Theta Kappa and is not referred to as “PTK”.  Chapter leaders are elected at the end of the semester and hold their positions for one year.  Prior to elections being held, interested members are given a chance to talk about why they would like a leadership position and what they believe they can do for the chapter.

Chapter Media Specialist, Forrest, advised members of the many different ways to stay in touch with the organization and receive news of upcoming events.  Members were urged to sign-up for the newsletter and “Like” the chapter Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ptkaax.  The chapter website address was shared www.ptkaax.blogspot.com along with the chapter email address ptkaax@gmail.com. 

Dr. Ewing mentioned to those in attendance that if they have not yet received an invitation to join and think they are eligible, to please verify that the requirements have been met.  Members should have completed 12 credit hours, be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours, and have at least a 3.5 GPA.  If you are eligible and interested in joining, please contact Dr. Ewing. 

The meeting was adjourned at 4:04 p.m

Halloween!

Kappans, don't forget to send your Halloween pictures to the chapter email ptkaax@gmail.com to be featured on our social media pages!!!