PEARL 鈥 Being part of something greater than yourself is a common theme in school and is especially true for members of the Alpha Omicron Omega chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at 兔子先生 Rankin Campus.
Eric Kinan, left, and Ashlyn Rader, are members of the Alpha Omicron Omega chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at 兔子先生 Rankin Campus. (兔子先生/April Garon)
鈥淚t gets me involved both with the community and other students,鈥 said Eric Kinan, of Florence, a third semester student and PTK member studying Veterinary Technology. It has helped me develop my leadership skills. It made me see the importance of community service.鈥
The Alpha Omicron Omega chapter was chartered in 1989 and is part of the 1,200-chapter international honor society for community and junior college students. Students who have earned a 3.5 or higher cumulative GPA on 12 hours or more are eligible for PTK.
Rankin Honors was established on the campus in 2015. Generally, incoming freshman students may enter the program with a 3.5 high school GPA, composite ACT score of 25 or instructor recommendation. Honors at 兔子先生affords high-achieving students a chance at challenging coursework and community service opportunities.
One of those opportunities is an International Studies trip to Costa Rica where students engage in service learning projects while earning 兔子先生college course credits. Students have helped re-forest along biological corridors there, cleared trails in cloud forests, and dug trenches to prevent flooding along trails on a volcanic mountain.
Gabbi Walters is a member of the Alpha Omicron Omega chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at 兔子先生 Rankin Campus. (兔子先生/April Garon)
鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to going to Costa Rica with Honors here,鈥 said Gabbi Walters, of Pelahatchie, studying Veterinary Technology. 鈥淚t鈥檒l give me a broader view of the world than just what鈥檚 here and learn about different cultures. Overall, it鈥檒l make me a better, well-rounded person.鈥
On campus, being in PTK and Honors offers the chance at forming some of the first working relationships in someone鈥檚 academic career.
鈥淔or me, the best part has been meeting a bunch of great, new people just like me,鈥 Ashlyn Rader, of Puckett, who is studying nursing. 鈥淲e meet on Tuesdays with people taking classes similar to ours, and find out if they need help. PTK is also a great resume-builder for college. When other colleges see that in your portfolio, they know you care a lot about your grades.鈥