March 1, 2024
East Central Community College in Decatur inducted 100 students into the Theta Xi chapter of Phi Theta Kappa on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, in Huff Auditorium.
Established by Missouri two-year college presidents in 1918, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society serves to recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two-year college students and provide opportunities for individual growth and development through honors, leadership, and service programming. Today Phi Theta Kappa is the largest honor society in American higher education with more than 2.5 million members and 1,275 chapters located in 50 United States, U.S. Territories, Canada, Germany, Peru, the British Virgin Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the United Arab Emirates. In 1929, the American Association of Community Colleges recognized Phi Theta Kappa as the official honor society for two-year colleges. The PTK national headquarters is in Jackson.
The ceremony began with an invocation from PTK President, Jennings Fulton, before ECCC President, Dr. Brent Gregory gave opening remarks. Vice President for Student Services, James Miller recognized the Theta Xi officers, and the officers inducted the new members with a candlelight ceremony. Advisors Renee Boggan and Dr. Amanda Walton welcomed the new members with remarks before Executive Vice President David Case concluded the program with remarks.
New members include:
Acapuloco de Juarez, CA: Maximo Estrada Avila
Athens, AL: Raegan Kelley
Batesville: David Hubbard
Brandon: Langston Cotten
Carthage: Emery Carpenter, Morgan Freeny, Giovanna Grayson, CeeJay Howard, Mckinley Peoples, Alana Shuler, and Mckenzie Smith
Collinsville: Maria Howell and Joseph Nance
Conehatta: Isabella Wolverton
Decatur: Erica Ables, Lexi Beckham, Megan Beech, Amber Bynum, Zivko Damjanovic, Ashley Head, Josi Johnson, and Kylee Strait
Florence: Kaitlyn Jones
Forest: Vanessa Ayala Saldana, Emma Boles, Levi Boles, Aundraya Ealy, Jose Garcia Torres, John Johnston, Charles Powell, Ronaldo Suarez Brunet, and Jason Tillman
Greenville: Carson Graham and Donnie Smith
Gulfport: Julian McCord and Conner McNab
Hattiesburg: Anna Garretson and Randarius Mclaughlin
Hickory: Angel Valentine and Carlee Williams
Hill AFB, UT: Luke Rudolphi
Kosciusko: Emma Rhodes
Lena: Maggie Alexander, Jacob Brown, and Anna Sturdivant
Little Rock: Molly Crosby
Louisville, Tanner Childs and Dallas Dixon
Lumberton: Cassidy Wines
Manchester, UK: Eva Craney-Barnie
Mandeville, LA: Evan Folse
Meridian: Gabriel Brinson, Brooke Gibson, Laighton Higginbotham, and Katie Smith
Montreal, Canada: Anthony Cruz
Morton: Hudson Bynum, Meyli Reyes Lopez, Hugo Salazar Cabrera, Dylan Thompson, Harley Windham, and Aiden Boyd
Moss Point: Eli Smith and Allie Trager
Nesbit: Kasey Canizaro
Newton: Neil Garner
Pachula: Kylee Dewitt
Petal: Ka’davion Smith
Philadelphia: Ali Cheatham, Mallory Duke, Brittany Dunn, Kera Easley, Jonah Guy, Dalton Powell, and Miriam Prince
Prattville, AL: Sarah Jones
Preston: Melanie Ugalde
Puero Armuelles: Marbin Lezcano
Pulaski: Jacob Lawrence
Quitman: Sydney Myrick
Roxie: Georgia Martin
Sydney, Aust.: Kai Suchet-Pearson
Taylorsville: Kylee Moore and Emma Rankin
Union: Spencer Benson, Michael Berryhill, Julia Espinoza, Coley Herrington, Jacob Howell, Matthew Lott, Andrea McMahan, Destiny Petty, Kamryn Robinson, Bankston Rush, Morgan Shaw, and Lois Sullivan
Vancleave: Saige Kirkbride
Vicksburg: Kayleigh Karel
Walnut Grove: Andrew Chisolm
Yazoo: Macee Dunn
