-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Vance-Granville Community College recognized 65 students who were inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for students of two-year colleges, on April 17 in the Civic Center on the college’s Main Campus.

VGCC students honored with induction into Phi Theta Kappa must have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.5 (3.75 for part-time students) in associate degree curriculum programs and have completed at least 12 credit hours toward their degrees.

PTK advisor Maureen Walters (left) presents VGCC student Pamela Campbell (right) with the chapter’s first-ever Excellence in Leadership Award.

Also honored at the ceremony were Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the college president, and Dr. Levy Brown, VGCC’s vice president of academic affairs, who were awarded honorary memberships for their roles in the success of the chapter, and Pamela Campbell, a student who is graduating with her degree in Human Services Technology in Gerontology in May, who received the chapter’s first-ever Excellence in Leadership Award.

As advisors for VGCC’s PTK chapter, instructors Maureen Walters, Isaac Talley and Karen Feezor conducted the ceremony. Walters, the head advisor, told the new inductees and their families and friends in attendance that since VGCC’s chapter of PTK, “Alpha Sigma Chi,” was chartered in 1991, more than 2,040 students have been selected for induction. She said that while scholarship is the first aim of PTK, the society also encourages fellowship, leadership development and service to others, and she noted that the letters Phi Theta Kappa stand for the Greek words for “Wisdom,” “Aspiration” and “Purity.”

Dr. Levy Brown, vice president of academic affairs at VGCC, addresses the crowd at the Phi Theta Kappa ceremony

Dr. Brown served as the guest speaker for the event. “When I think about everything that college students need to navigate in order to experience academic success, I am reminded that it takes a village to help students be successful,” Dr. Brown said. “In many ways, our families and college campus are the village supporting you as you have experienced success both academically and personally.”

Noting that the inductees were selected because of the significant amount of time they have spent attending class, studying, working and managing various circumstances in life, he encouraged the honorees to “keep on moving,” citing the lyrics from a song by Soul to Soul. “Keep progressing and moving forward,” he said. “Do not lose momentum. Keep on moving, and do not forget about that village. Help pull others up academically and in other ways.”

Campbell, who introduced Dr. Brown on the program, was given the Excellence in Leadership Award for being “the driving force behind many of our successful projects in the last year,” said Walters. “She is an individual who I have had the privilege to watch grow during her time in Phi Theta Kappa into a successful leader. Even though she says she doesn’t like speaking in front of people, she was quick to ask if there was some way she might speak at the induction ceremony today since she was working on that skill. In addition to helping in many different groups on campus, she also finds her passion in helping our aging population.”

Certificates were awarded by VGCC President Dr. Stelfanie Williams with assistance from Walters and Feezor.

This year’s inductees into the Alpha Sigma Chi chapter of Phi Theta Kappa are:

From Vance County:

Sonya Barnes, Jessica Bolton, Zenee Davis, Nealee Fisher, Tamara Glover, Cassidy Grissom, Kaitlyn Harris, Fatima Hawter, Wesley Hight, Brandon Hughes, Tim Jiang, Wendy Jordan, Evan O’Geary, Amal Saleh, Timmara Smith, Dustin Starnes, Raini Williams, and Kianna Wills of Henderson; and

Lastacey Burwell and Tara Burwell, both of Kittrell.

From Granville County:

Courtney Crute and Andrew Tinsley, both of Bullock;

Matthew Grooms of Butner;

Tyneshia Brackett, Delaney Edwards, and Iris Medrano, all of Creedmoor;

Monica Botros, Savannah Brogden, Brittney Darnell, Aivy Derry, Ker’Telian Fields, Penny Glover, Alyssa Gupton, Isom Hodges, Frances Wheeler, and Hanna Williams, all of Oxford.

From Franklin County:

Alexis Barton, Robert  Davis, Caitlin Harris, Michelle Medina, Grace Ohlandt, Amanda Ramos and Caitlyn Rudd, all of Franklinton;

Sara Cheek, Trina Leapley, Rachel Munson and Shalinda White, all of Louisburg; and

Michelle Harris-Evans, Allison Thurkill and Megan Whitman, all of Youngsville.

From Warren County:

Sherese Hicks of Macon;

Shimeka Kearney of Norlina;

Edgar Arrieta-Reyes, Isaac Barnett, Heidy Labra, Kimberly Labra-Franco and Giovanni Reyes, all of Warrenton; and

Thomas King of Wise.

From Wake County

Robert Hill of Raleigh; and

Jessica Baker, Kynleigh Holley, and Lorie Shepherd, all of Wake Forest.

From other area counties:

Wendy Boncek of Hollister in Halifax County,

Lisa Glover of Bracey, Va., in Mecklenburg County, and

Kaitlyn Wilson of Roxboro in Person County.

Vance County PTK inductees (VGCC Photo)

Granville County PTK inductees (VGCC Photo)

Franklin County PTK inductees (VGCC Photo)

Warren County PTK inductees (VGCC Photo)

Wake County PTK inductee, Kynleigh Holley (VGCC Photo)

Mecklenburg County, Virginia PTK inductee, Lisa Glover (VGCC Photo)