Vance-Granville Community College recognized 59 students who were inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for students of two-year colleges, on April 14 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.
As advisors for VGCC’s PTK chapter, instructors Dan Miller, Isaac Talley, Maureen Walters and Kristi Ellenberg conducted the ceremony. Walters 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 1,000 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.”
The ceremony featured remarks from a student, Theresa Chiplis of Norlina, who serves as chapter president. Chiplis applauded the new members on accepting the opportunity to join Phi Theta Kappa, which she described as “a network of over 2.5 million fellow scholars on more than 1,270 campuses worldwide.” She encouraged students to continue to excel, and to take advantage of the organization’s resources and leadership opportunities.
Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the president of VGCC, also congratulated the new inductees and introduced the guest speaker, Dean of Arts and Sciences Cynthia Young. Young praised the students as “academic leaders here at Vance-Granville, whose hard work is being recognized.” She urged the honorees to “continue to grow and go forward.” Young told students that they should adopt a general “direction” to their lives but be open to change in order to take advantage of all opportunities. “Know your mission and know your values,” Young said. She added that she serves the stated mission of the college, to “educate, inspire and support a diverse community of learners,” which the group of PTK inductees represents.
This year’s inductees into the Alpha Sigma Chi chapter of Phi Theta Kappa are:
From Franklin County
Cynthia Black of Bunn
Amy Downing and Adam Storey, both of Franklinton;
Keyona D. Bullock, Collin Christopher Byerley, Elizabeth Caulfield, Robert Chafee, Alexander Thomas Cockman, Joshua Wayne Moody, Emily Charlotte Rogers and Jenifer Stearns, all of Louisburg;
Elizabeth Elliott of Warrenton;
Daysha Dawson, Nancy Maria Ianniello and Madeline C. Osika, all of Youngsville.
From Granville County
Karla Garcia Cervantes, Larry Lamont Morgan and Isabelle Snyder, all of Butner;
Elena Caballero Martinez and Dianna L. Deweese, both of Creedmoor;
Sarah Gabriel of Franklinton;
Elizabeth Cole and Monica Nicole Holloway, both of Kittrell;
Dennis C. Archer, Lindsay Elizabeth Brown, Anella Felicia Cooper, Christopher Davis, Bobby Ray Faulkner, David Glover, Selene Govea Rostro, Dustin Earl Gregory, Lydia Hendrick, Madeleine Hubbard, Megan McKee, Heather Stallings and Ambrianna D. Winston, all of Oxford;
Abigail Grace Hey of Stem;
Miranda Reaves of Wake Forest.
From Vance County
Mallory Paige Falkner, Thomas Grissom, Zsaquiela Shabree Hawkins, Andrea Jean Hayes, Holden Sims Hedgepeth, Shellie Nicole Hughes, William Michael Nutt, Stephon Jerve’ Sample and Lawrence Edward Yates, all of Henderson;
Benjamin Layton of Kittrell.
From Wake County
Kathy Conant and Heather Henkel, both of Wake Forest;
Laurin Ward of Wendell;
Samantha Lee Dabbs, Melissa Longo and Arturo Jesus’ Torrecilla, all of Zebulon.
From Warren County
Nikia Cheri Wortham of Macon;
Adam Graham Rooker of Norlina;
Janice Pollock of Warrenton.
From other counties
Angela Moore of Clarksville, Va.;
Samantha Gayle Huffman of Durham.