Members of GRCC’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter, Alpha Upsilon Kappa, recently attended the national conference in Kansas City, Mo. The conference includes educational forums, fellowship opportunities and an awards gala.
For the third consecutive year, the GRCC chapter was recognized as a 5-Star chapter. To earn this status, chapter members must complete a college project, an “Honors in Action” project, service projects and fellowship activities, as well as attend regional and national conferences, and collaborate with other chapters.
Some conference highlights:
- Morgan Brown ran against 13 other candidates for international president. She was GRCC’s first-ever national candidate. Although she did not win the position, she won the Orlowski Award. This honor, which is voted on by all the candidate, goes to the person who best reflects Phi Theta Kappa’s values and comes with a $1,500 scholarship.
- Brown and Marcus Barissi won third place in the national video contest, and each received $100 scholarships.
- Barissi won a $5,000 Pearson Scholarship — he is the first winner from Michigan.
- Brown, who serves as the regional president for the 2017-18 academic year, won the Outstanding Regional Officer Award.
- GRCC’s chapter officers — Brown, Barissi, Ernie Farias, Eli Paparella and Drewyn Talley — won Outstanding Chapter Officer Team. Only 15 were recognized out of more than 1,000 teams.
- Lynnae Selberg won Outstanding Chapter Advisor.
- The GRCC chapter, Alpha Upsilon Kappa, won a “theme award” for its Honors in Action research project — only 18 were recognized from hundreds of entries.
- The GRCC chapter won Outstanding Honors in Action Project; again, only 18 chapters were recognized from among hundreds of entries.
- Alpha Upsilon Kappa was recognized as a top 100 chapter based on a combined score from the College and Honors in Action projects.
- Alpha Upsilon Kappa was one of 32 chapters recognized as a Distinguished Chapter. This was the first time that GRCC has received this honor.
- Former Alpha Upsilon Kappa President Shannon Gamel was one of 12 alumni to receive the Outstanding Alumni Award. She is currently working on her pharmacy doctorate at Ferris State University.